Charleston 2022

Domaine Guillemot-Michel is a small family estate located in Quintaine, in the heart of the Viré-Clessé appellation, one of the three “crus” of the Mâconnais region in southern Burgundy. In 1982, after studying viticulture and oenology, Pierrette Michel and Marc Guillemot returned to Pierrette’s family farm, where wine was until then made for the local cooperative. They set up as independent producers in 1985, the year they released their first vintage under the “Guillemot-Michel” label. From the outset, the vineyards were organically cultivated, and in 1991 they were converted to biodynamic agriculture, at a time when even simply organic wines were a rarity. The couple’s daughter, Sophie, together with her husband, Gautier, followed in their parents’ footsteps in 2012, gradually taking over the management of the estate (Pierrette and Marc are now retired).

The property’s 6.5 hectares of vineyards are exclusively planted with Chardonnay, selected from their own massale selection; the land is located very close to the family home, and the old vines have been preserved and rejuvenated in order to consolidate the history and spirit of the property. The emphasis is on self-sustainability, and so Sophie and Gautier are responsible for biodynamic preparations, cultivating and harvesting herbs for infusions, manure, and other uses, thus avoiding synthetic or chemical products. One of their practices is phytotherapy, which allows them to replace traditional pesticides and fertilizers with plant-based preparations. They also promote biodiversity through beekeeping, bird nesting, and the use of UV technology to reduce copper and sulfur treatments.

The vineyards, as it is generally the case in Burgundy, are planted on Jurassic limestone soils, which are characterized by less active limestone, with more silt and less clay. The climate is slightly warmer (+0.5°C compared to Beaune and +1°C compared to Chablis) and has higher rainfall (850 mm/year versus 750 mm in Beaune and 650 mm in Chablis). These conditions result in grapes with higher sugar content and, consequently, more aromatic wines. For this reason, the use of barrels is limited. In wetter years, such as 2013, 2016, 2021, and 2024, botrytis (noble rot) is common, which gives the wines additional complexity.