“In a sense, a visit to Julien Guillot’s Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is like stepping back in time. Farmed organically since the Second World War, these vineyards have never seen pesticides or herbicides. The Guillot family also never planted clonal selections of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay, preferring to keep the lower-yielding local selections that have since died out elsewhere. Even the estate’s cellars are constructed on the ruins of a Roman villa. Yet for all the weight of history here, Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is also decidedly innovative. Guillot is a pioneer of biodynamics in Southern Burgundy: when he made the shift in 1998, his neighbors referred to his endeavors as “les conneries de Guillot”—”Guillot’s bullshit.” He vinifies with little or no sulfur dioxide. And he’s a darling of the so-called natural wine movement, his wines coveted by Parisian cavistes and East Coast sommeliers alike. They merit all the attention, because Guillot is far from a follower of fashion; wander through the vineyards of Cruzille in springtime, and the chances are you’ll run into him on a tractor. Complex and textural, the whites are exotic examples of white Burgundy that will surprise anyone habituated to aseptic commercial Mâcon. And the reds are superb—satiny and perfumed expressions of Pinot Noir and Gamay that disappear dangerously rapidly. This is an iconic estate in the Mâconnais, and readers shouldn’t hesitate to experience these singular wines for themselves.”
“In a sense, a visit to Julien Guillot’s Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is like stepping back in time. Farmed organically since the Second World War, these vineyards have never seen pesticides or herbicides. The Guillot family also never planted clonal selections of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay, preferring to keep the lower-yielding local selections that have since died out elsewhere. Even the estate’s cellars are constructed on the ruins of a Roman villa. Yet for all the weight of history here, Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is also decidedly innovative. Guillot is a pioneer of biodynamics in Southern Burgundy: when he made the shift in 1998, his neighbors referred to his endeavors as “les conneries de Guillot”—”Guillot’s bullshit.” He vinifies with little or no sulfur dioxide. And he’s a darling of the so-called natural wine movement, his wines coveted by Parisian cavistes and East Coast sommeliers alike. They merit all the attention, because Guillot is far from a follower of fashion; wander through the vineyards of Cruzille in springtime, and the chances are you’ll run into him on a tractor. Complex and textural, the whites are exotic examples of white Burgundy that will surprise anyone habituated to aseptic commercial Mâcon. And the reds are superb—satiny and perfumed expressions of Pinot Noir and Gamay that disappear dangerously rapidly. This is an iconic estate in the Mâconnais, and readers shouldn’t hesitate to experience these singular wines for themselves.”
“The finest rendition of this cuvée that I have ever tasted, Guillot’s 2019 Mâcon-Cruzille Manganite unwinds in the glass with a captivating bouquet of peonies, wild berries, exotic spices, plums and wilted rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it’s bright and vibrant, with velvety tannins—but it’s the wine’s youthful energy and purity of fruit that set it apart from previous iterations. Drink: 2021-2041. 96 points
In a sense, a visit to Julien Guillot’s Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is like stepping back in time. Farmed organically since the Second World War, these vineyards have never seen pesticides or herbicides. The Guillot family also never planted clonal selections of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay, preferring to keep the lower yielding local selections that have since died out elsewhere. Even the estate’s cellars are constructed on the ruins of a Roman villa. Yet for all the weight of history here, Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is also decidedly innovative. Guillot is a pioneer of biodynamics in Southern Burgundy: when he made the shift in 1998, his neighbors referred to his endeavors as “les conneries de Guillot”—”Guillot’s bullshit.” He vinifies with little or no sulfur dioxide. And he’s a darling of the so-called natural wine movement, his wines coveted by Parisian cavistes and East Coast sommeliers alike. They merit all the attention, because Guillot is far from a follower of fashion: wander through the vineyards of Cruzille in springtime, and the chances are you’ll run into him on a tractor. Complex and textural, the whites are exotic examples of white Burgundy that will surprise anyone habituated to aseptic, sterile commercial Mâcon. And the reds are superb: satiny and perfumed expressions of Pinot Noir and Gamay that disappear dangerously rapidly. This is an iconic estate in the Mâconnais, and readers shouldn’t hesitate to experience these singular wines for themselves.”
“In a sense, a visit to Julien Guillot’s Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is like stepping back in time. Farmed organically since the Second World War, these vineyards have never seen pesticides or herbicides. The Guillot family also never planted clonal selections of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay, preferring to keep the lower-yielding local selections that have since died out elsewhere. Even the estate’s cellars are constructed on the ruins of a Roman villa. Yet for all the weight of history here, Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is also decidedly innovative. Guillot is a pioneer of biodynamics in Southern Burgundy: when he made the shift in 1998, his neighbors referred to his endeavors as “les conneries de Guillot”—”Guillot’s bullshit.” He vinifies with little or no sulfur dioxide. And he’s a darling of the so-called natural wine movement, his wines coveted by Parisian cavistes and East Coast sommeliers alike. They merit all the attention, because Guillot is far from a follower of fashion; wander through the vineyards of Cruzille in springtime, and the chances are you’ll run into him on a tractor. Complex and textural, the whites are exotic examples of white Burgundy that will surprise anyone habituated to aseptic commercial Mâcon. And the reds are superb—satiny and perfumed expressions of Pinot Noir and Gamay that disappear dangerously rapidly. This is an iconic estate in the Mâconnais, and readers shouldn’t hesitate to experience these singular wines for themselves.”
“The 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé La Maréchaude has a discrete bouquet, timid at first and then opens with aeration. Scents of grass clippings and struck flint shine as hints of orange zest come forward in the background. The palate is beautifully defined with a fine bead of acidity, great tension and poised with real intensity on the finish. I adore the energy in this nascent Pouilly-Fuissé and though difficult to resist in its youth, this should age with style. Superb. Drinking window: 2022-2038. 93 points”
“From a 1.60-hectare parcel on white limestone soils at 360m altitude on the Roc de Vergisson, the 2020 Pouilly-Fuissé Sur La Roche 1er Cru has a gorgeous bouquet with crushed rock, white tea and wild peach scents all beautifully-defined. The palate is very well balanced with a fine spine of acidity, very cohesive, maybe just a little more malic than the Maréchaude, yet with just as much persistency in the mouth. Superb. Drinking window: 2024-2037. 93 points
Roger and Christine Saumaize-Michelin have overseen a raft of top-notch Pouilly-Fuissé from this winery perched on the foothills of the Roc de Vergisson. We were joined by their daughter Lisa for the tasting. “We started the picking on 5 September compared to 2021, which started on 21 September. I prefer the 2020 over 2019. It has more directness. The vintage was easy to work, and the wines just give so much pleasure, whereas the 2019 was very warm. We started picking 25 August that year. The nights were fresher in 2019. Alcohol levels are between 13.0% to 13.5%. They are just more drinkable.” These tend to be fresh, nimble expressions of their vineyards, using minimal new oak, often quite saline on their finish. Whilst I felt that the Les Ronchevats needs a pep up on the nose and perhaps showed why it was not granted promotion in 2020, their Courtelongs and La Roche are outstanding. But it’s their Les Courtelongs that blew me away with its entrancing bouquet with supremely-well delineated palate that displays thrilling tension from start to finish.”
“The 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé La Maréchaude has a discrete bouquet, timid at first and then opens with aeration. Scents of grass clippings and struck flint shine as hints of orange zest come forward in the background. The palate is beautifully defined with a fine bead of acidity, great tension and poised with real intensity on the finish. I adore the energy in this nascent Pouilly-Fuissé and though difficult to resist in its youth, this should age with style. Superb. Drinking window: 2022-2038. 93 points”
“Exhibiting aromas of vine blossom, white peach, melon and buttery pastry, the 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Ronchevats is full-bodied, glossy and unctuous, with a rich, textural attack and a layered, muscular mid-palate. This is another powerful, broad-shouldered 2019 from clay-rich soils. Drink: 2021-2029. 91 points
Christine and Roger Saumaize preside over this fine 9.5-hectare domaine in Vergisson. Biodynamic farming, limited yields and manual harvesting are the fundamentals of their approach in the vineyards, followed by fermentation in barrel and maturation on the lees. The various parcels have been vinified separately since 1985. The wines are concentrated and structured, exemplifying the artisanal excellence that seems to proliferate in Vergisson, and the fleshy, concentrated 2019 vintage represents a fine success.“
“Exhibiting aromas of vine blossom, white peach, melon and buttery pastry, the 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Ronchevats is full-bodied, glossy and unctuous, with a rich, textural attack and a layered, muscular mid-palate. This is another powerful, broad-shouldered 2019 from clay-rich soils. Drink: 2021-2029. 91 points
Christine and Roger Saumaize preside over this fine 9.5-hectare domaine in Vergisson. Biodynamic farming, limited yields and manual harvesting are the fundamentals of their approach in the vineyards, followed by fermentation in barrel and maturation on the lees. The various parcels have been vinified separately since 1985. The wines are concentrated and structured, exemplifying the artisanal excellence that seems to proliferate in Vergisson, and the fleshy, concentrated 2019 vintage represents a fine success.“
“After years of trying, it was with great interest that I at last paid a visit to Philippe Valette’s elusive 8.5-hectare Chaintré estate. The Valette family were the first to exit the local cooperative, and they rapidly won a reputation for rich, concentrated wines that were frequently celebrated in the pages of this publication. On leaving school in 1990, Philippe began to convert the domaine to organic farming, and since 1992, their wines have never been chaptalized. Influenced by a meeting with Pierre Overnoy, Valette has come to identify with the natural wine movement, and today, his wines see little or no sulfur and increasingly long élevage—indeed, the 2006 Clos de Monsieur Noly spent fully 12 years in barrel. If the estate’s wines through the late 1990s were simply powerful, textural examples of high-quality white Burgundy (notes on several will appear in the next installment of Up From the Cellar), the wines being released today belong in a category of their own. Complex and sapid, I find them fascinating, but readers should be prepared to find wines that are quite different from any of the Valettes’ neighbors. Anyone who appreciates the Jura bottlings of Jean-François Ganevat or the Thomas Pico Chablis wines is likely to love them! My experience is that they often benefit from extended aeration, and I tend to decant Valette’s wines or follow them over several days.”
