Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur
Richebourg Grand Cru
Richebourg Grand Cru
2018
Vintage
Varietal
Pinot Noir
ABV
Where it is, June 2026
At Peak: in the heart of its drinking window (2021-2040).
In 2026, the Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur Richebourg Grand Cru 2018 is at peak, entering its fifth year of prime drinking. The 2018 is the most recently arrived wine in the current Burgundy peak lineup - at just five years past peak_start, it is the Richebourg at its most primary and exuberantly forward rather than the more evolved secondary register that defines the older Grand Crus from this estate. Wine Spectator's WS 93 Outstanding characterization of the 2018 Côtes de Nuits as big, dense, fleshy, and fruity captures exactly the energy this wine brings in 2026: the exuberantly spicy red berry aromatics and violet character are at full expression, joined by the distinctive soy and hoisin complexity that speaks to the 2018 vintage's warm ripe character without tipping into the jamminess the vintage risked. The sappy, richly textured palate with velvety but firm tannins is still at an early-peak stage where the wine's youthful appeal is a feature rather than a limitation. With 14 years remaining in the peak window through 2040, the 2018 rewards opening now for primary exuberance or continued holding for deeper secondary complexity.
The ‘18 Richebourg Grand Cru.
Five years into peak in 2026, the Gros Frère et Soeur Richebourg 2018 has arrived at its first accessible window from the WS 93 Outstanding big-dense vintage - exuberant red berry, violet, and the distinctive soy-hoisin umami complexity that marks the estate's singular parcel of this legendary Grand Cru.
Drinking window
Tasting note
Brilliant ruby with a vivid clarity that signals a wine still in its primary and exuberant youth - not yet the translucent, evolved garnet of older Burgundy Grand Crus at this address. The nose is an immediate statement of the 2018 vintage's warm, ripe energy: exuberantly spicy red berry aromatics burst from the glass with plum and violet in tow, followed by the distinctive soy and hoisin character that the warm 2018 growing season produced in the finest Vosne-Romanée parcels. This umami complexity is not a defect but a vintage signature - the 2018's warmth pushing Pinot Noir into an unusual register that WS acknowledged sits just this side of the jammy edge without crossing it. On the palate the wine is generously proportioned and attractively rich in the medium-bodied way that Richebourg specifically achieves: not heavy, but full of the dry extract and sappy mouthfeel that the Grand Cru's clay and limestone soils contribute. The velvety but firm tannins give the 2018 a structural backbone that promises significant evolution toward more secondary complexity over the next decade.
The 2018 vintage
The 2018 Burgundy vintage earned Wine Spectator Outstanding ratings of 93 points in both the Côtes de Nuits and Vosne-Romanée appellations, with the vintage characterized as producing big, dense, fleshy, and fruity reds with youthful appeal - though Wine Spectator noted that some wines verge on jammy, while most show freshness and balance. The 2018 growing season was marked by warm temperatures and high heat accumulation that produced unusually ripe and concentrated Pinot Noir across Burgundy's top appellations, particularly in the Côtes de Nuits. Extended heat during the ripening phase built phenolic density and extract at levels unusual for Burgundy, while the best producers harvested at the precise moment when ripeness and natural acidity remained in balance. For the Richebourg Grand Cru in Vosne-Romanée, the 2018 vintage's warmth amplified the Grand Cru's naturally sappy, richly textured character to produce wines of density and extract that will require time to fully integrate - but five years into peak in 2026, the exuberant primary character is a genuine pleasure rather than a limitation.
About Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur
Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur, led by Bernard Gros, holds a parcel of approximately 0.7 hectares in Richebourg Grand Cru - one of the most sought-after Grand Cru holdings in Vosne-Romanée. The estate's approach to Richebourg emphasizes generous extraction calibrated to the Grand Cru's naturally sappy, richly textured character, with fermentation in open-top wooden vats and aging in a high proportion of new French oak that supports rather than overwhelms the vineyard's mineral and red fruit precision. The estate's Richebourg has long been noted for a slightly richer, more immediately expressive style than some neighbors in the same Grand Cru - a winemaking philosophy that makes it more accessible at younger ages without sacrificing the structural backbone to age through the full peak window. The soy and hoisin complexity that appears in warm vintages like 2018 is a consistent characteristic of the estate's house style in ripe years, expressing the terroir's depth in a distinctly Gros Frère et Soeur register. Production from 0.7 hectares is extremely limited.
From the cellar: pair with
Duck Breast with Five-Spice Glaze and Cherry-Hoisin Reduction
The wine's distinctive soy and hoisin aromatic complexity finds a direct and deliberate mirror in the five-spice glaze; the velvety tannins handle the duck's richness while the red berry and violet frame the cherry reduction.
Roasted Squab with Wild Plum and Violet Mustard
The wine's exuberant plum and violet character harmonize with the squab's gamey richness; the sappy mouthfeel and firm tannins match the density of squab without overpowering its delicacy.
Aged Comte with Raspberry and Black Pepper
The wine's spicy, red-berry-forward profile and dry extract find balance in the crystalline, nutty depth of aged Comte; raspberry amplifies the primary red berry character while black pepper echoes the wine's spice register.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 58-62F (14-17C)
- Decanting
- Decant 45 to 60 minutes in 2026. The 2018 is five years into peak and still in an early-primary stage where moderate aeration lifts the exuberant spicy red berry, violet, and plum aromatics to full expression. A 45 to 60 minute decant will open the wine's distinctive soy and hoisin complexity while preserving the exuberant freshness that makes the 2018 enjoyable now. Avoid extended 2+ hour decanting at this stage; the wine's youthful primary character is a feature to preserve. Serve at 58-62F.
- Cellar Storage
- 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, on its side in a vibration-free environment.
The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.
More from Vosne-Romanée, Burgundy, France
Frequently Asked
When is the best time to drink the Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur Richebourg Grand Cru 2018?
In 2026 this wine is at peak, entering its fifth year of prime drinking, with 14 years of optimal enjoyment remaining through 2040. Five years into peak is the exuberant early window of the 2018 Richebourg - the primary red berry, violet, and distinctive soy-hoisin complexity are at full expression. Those who prefer maximum primary Burgundy character should open now; those who want deeper secondary and tertiary complexity should continue holding through 2030-2035. See [Burgundy wines](/wines/region/burgundy) for context on the WS 93 Outstanding 2018 Côtes de Nuits vintage.
Should I decant the 2018 Richebourg before serving?
Decant 45 to 60 minutes in 2026. The 2018 is five years into peak and still in an early-primary stage where moderate aeration lifts the exuberant spicy red berry, violet, and plum aromatics to full expression. A 45 to 60 minute decant is the right interval - generous enough to open the wine's distinctive soy and hoisin complexity, brief enough to preserve the exuberant freshness that makes the 2018 enjoyable now. Avoid extended 2+ hour decanting; the wine's youthful primary character is a feature to preserve. Serve at 58-62F.
What is the distinctive soy and hoisin character in the 2018 Richebourg?
The soy and hoisin complexity in the 2018 Gros Frère et Soeur Richebourg is a warm-vintage signature that appears in concentrated Pinot Noir from exceptional Grand Cru sites in the right conditions. It is not a defect but a terroir and vintage expression: the 2018's warm growing season pushed Richebourg's naturally sappy, richly textured character into an unusual register that sits at the edge of the WS-noted jammy risk without crossing into it. Bernard Gros's extraction approach at this parcel consistently produces this character in warm years. See [Pinot Noir wines](/wines/varietal/pinot-noir) for broader context on warm-vintage Burgundy expressions.
How does the Gros Frère et Soeur Richebourg compare to other Richebourg producers?
Gros Frère et Soeur's 0.7-hectare parcel produces a slightly richer, more immediately expressive style than some neighbors in the same Grand Cru - a house approach that makes the wine more accessible at younger ages without sacrificing structural longevity. Where other producers lean toward the most reductive and precise expression of the Grand Cru, the Gros Frère et Soeur version leans into the richness and sappiness of the site. In the warm 2018 vintage, this house style produced a wine of particular density and exuberance. See [domaine-armand-rousseau/charmes-chambertin-grand-cru/2017](/wines/domaine-armand-rousseau/charmes-chambertin-grand-cru/2017) for a Burgundy Grand Cru at a later stage of evolution.
How long can I cellar the 2018 Gros Frère et Soeur Richebourg?
The 2018 Richebourg has a peak window running through 2040, with hard decline not expected until 2048. In 2026 the wine has 14 years of optimal drinking remaining. Five years into peak, this is one of the wines in the current lineup with the longest runway ahead - the WS 93 Outstanding 2018 vintage's density and extract provide structural reserves for a full evolution toward secondary complexity over the next decade. Store at 55F, 60-70% humidity on its side. See [robert-groffier/chambertin-clos-de-beze-grand-cru/2019](/wines/robert-groffier/chambertin-clos-de-beze-grand-cru/2019) for another recently-peaked Burgundy Grand Cru comparison.