An exquisite product produced in an ideal terroir by the famous producer couple Anne Gros from Vosne-Romanée and Toro-Beau from Cholay-les-Beaune.
Kazel, the ideal place
AOC Minervois is particularly well-known in the Languedoc region. At the northeasternmost tip of this AOC is a village called Kazel. There is a couple who fell in love at first sight in this remote area with a population of approximately 30 people and an average age of 65. Anne Gros, one of the best winemakers in Vosne-Romanée, and Jean-Paul Toro of Domaine Toro-Beau, a master of Cholay-les-Beaune. The two met through a mutual friend during their brewing school days at Rosemount, an Australian winery where they trained, and later returned to Burgundy to take over the domaine from their respective parents, becoming partners as they worked on the front lines. Even so, they are not involved in each other's winery at all, and continue to be immersed in their respective jobs. At the same time, the desire to share the knowledge and experience they had cultivated and work together to create wine grew stronger. Anne says, ``As we reached the turning point of 40 years old, we wanted to take on a new challenge.We had inherited wine making in Burgundy from our predecessors, so we wanted to create something new from scratch.'' Initially, he visited the south of France many times, searching everywhere for the ideal place, but he had a hard time finding it. Finally, we decided on Cazel, which is a 5-hour drive and 500km from Burgundy.
It's like drinking Burgundy
Despite being made in Languedoc, their wines do not feel heavy or hot at all, and from their first vintage in 2008, Jancis Robinson praised them, saying, ``It's like drinking Burgundy.'' In addition, WA magazine praised the wine, saying, ``It's rare to find such an energetic wine from the south of France that has both fruit and firmness.'' In general, many high-scoring wines made in this region have strength and weight, but there are no other producers that have continued to receive such high praise year after year for the exact opposite elements such as elegance and tension. I see no example. They have continued to promote the terroir of Cazel in Minervois, but as their understanding of this area has deepened in recent years, they have released new varieties such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to expand new possibilities. are planning. We can't take our eyes off their future as they continue to aim for greater heights.
