Chardonnay, Gamay & Pinot Noir! The 2018 vintage from Domaine Guillot-Broux
Deep within the rolling hills and valleys of the Mâcon, you will find Burgundy’s first organic vineyards, at Domaine Guillot-Broux, a figurehead of the organic movement, born far before wines could be branded as such. Here in the village of Cruzille, Pierre and Jeanine Guillot purchased just one hectare of vines, restoring the land after a long period of neglect and abandonment post phylloxera. Inspired by the teachings of Chauvet and his peers, they refused to use any chemical treatments from planting. Everything has been organic here since day zero.
The old vines of the domaine rest on dense marl and limestone, contributing to the signature sensations of white flowers, chalk and stone fruits found in their wines. The passing of his father, Jean-Gerard, in 2000 left Manu in charge of the winemaking, prompting his return after some time as a Sommelier in Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK.
Emmanuel now works 17 hectares of east-facing vines, Chardonnay, Gamay and Pinot Noir, across three appellations, Bourgogne, Mâcon-Cruzille and Mâcon Chardonnay. The various geological formations give rise to different terroirs, resulting in strikingly different wines. The nature of the soil in Cruzille brings out mineral flavours and produces wines that need a relatively long time to mature. The vineyards in Grévilly and Chardonnay tend to have deeper soil and produce wines that are often fruitier in their youth but also become more complex after several years. Each vineyard is vinified separately, but only the best vineyards are selected for single vineyard cuvees. Vines are planted at high density, promoting extremely low yields, opting for quality and concentration of flavour over quantity.
All the wines of the domaine see controlled use of oak, inspired by Jean-Gerard’s time spent working with Bernard Michelot in Mersault. Fermentation is, as expected, with indigenous yeasts, and the use of sulphites is minimal and often not used at all.
On arrival of the 2018 offering from the domaine, we put a portion aside, in order to be able to offer these in a period of greater maturity and balance. A good vintage, producing wines of exceptional quality and quantity. In the knowledge that wines often sell out far too young, we are delighted to say that they are in a beautiful place now and as a significant plus, available to buy, in 2022.
