Domaine Guillemot-Michel Viré-Clessé ‘Retour a la Terre’ 2020

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Retour a la Terre – Return to Earth Created in 2017, this cuvée comes from grapes selected from a small pocket of clay from the “Champ-Rond” plot.

These grapes are then vinified in clay, in 800L terracotta jars. This selection of old vines (65 years old) grafted on “Riparia Gloire de Montpellier”, an old rootstock obtained in 1880 with very little vigor, gives low yields with magnificent little golden berries.

About Guillemot-Michel

Domaine Guillemot-Michel is a small family estate located in “Quintaine”, between the villages of Viré and Clessé, in the heart of the Viré-Clessé appellation, one of the three Mâconnais crus.

In 1982, after studying viticulture and oenology, Pierrette Michel and her husband Marc Guillemot returned to the estate of Pierrette’s parents. In 1985 they bottled their first vintage under the name “Guillemot-Michel”.

My admiration for this seven-hectare estate in the hamlet of Quintaine grows every passing year.

In 201[2], their daughter Sophie joined the team; followed by her husband, Gautier Roussille (author, inter alia, of an impressive guide to Sake). All of the domaine’s holdings are planted with massal selections of Chardonnay, with the oldest vines dating back to 1918. Like their neighbors, the Thevenets, the Guillemots harvest ripe grapes, fermenting and maturing the wines on the lees at their own pace.

Botrytis, a relatively common occurrence due to Quintaine’s humid mesoclimate, is embraced. These are honeyed, concentrated wines that are imbued with remarkable concentration and energy and develop beautifully in the cellar. Their strong personality is a world away from the insipid and ephemeral whites that shape many consumers’ perceptions of the region, but that is precisely why they merit attention.

Anyone visiting the domaine can’t fail to be struck by the meticulousness that the Guillemot family bring to all their endeavors—whether it’s their vegetable garden, their immaculately restored farmhouse-winery, or their wines. But of course, it isn’t necessary to visit—you can taste the results in the glass.

William Kelley, The Wine Advocate

In the Vineyard

The vines were converted to organic as soon as they return from their studies, then to Biodynamic from 1991 (DEMETER certification 1992-2017, BIODYVIN since 2018). Since 2012, their daughter Sophie, now helped by her husband Gautier, has been following the same path by gradually taking over the management of the estate.

Sophie, Gautier, Pierrette and Marc cultivate 6.5ha of old Chardonnay vines (55-60 years old) located around the hamlet of Quintaine halfway between Mâcon and Tournus.

Our work in Biodynamics aims first of all to maintain a living soil, by mechanical and non-chemical maintenance, and by the refusal of any synthetic phytosanitary product during treatments, in favor of mineral substances and herbal preparations. These preparations are made at the estate or in groups with other winegrowers. We grow some of the plants used (yarrow, horsetail, nettle, alfalfa, valerian, comfrey, thyme, oregano, savory, etc.) or collect wild plants.

Like the vast majority of wine-growing Burgundy, our vines are located on Jurassic limestone subsoils (Bathonian to Oxfordian, -160 Ma). However, the Quintaine terroir, historically recognized within the villages of Viré and Clessé, has an atypical character.

The relief of Quintaine generates a high density of summer storms, accelerating the decarbonation of limestone into silt.

The consequences on the physiology of the vine and therefore on the style of the wines are of three kinds:

• the addition of water during the summer contributes to a better natural acidity of the wines,
• the low rate of active limestone favors the establishment of the vine and modifies the structure of the wines,
• the silts host a unique microbiota which participates in the fermentation and therefore in the aroma of our wines (vinified with indigenous yeasts).

Our plots are all exposed to the rising sun and benefit from the climatic influence of the Saône which tempers excesses, both winter and summer.

The oldest vines on the estate still in production were planted by Pierrette’s grandfather, on his return from the First World War. The youngest were planted by Marc and Pierrette when the estate was taken over in the early 1980s. Today, we no longer uproot vines but renew the dead vines each year for an average age of around 60-65. year.

Planting density is high: between 7,000 and 8,000 vines per hectare. All our vines are trellised and arched with a stick. We prune according to the Guyot-Poussard method, which is more time-consuming but more respectful of the flow of sap, it limits the risk of wood disease and extends the life expectancy of the feet.

We are fortunate to work on plots large enough to allow us to create natural barriers (hedges, paths, etc.) limiting edge effects. Each of our plots is thus a veritable little microcosm.

Champ-Round 2.5ha

The largest plot of the estate, it slopes gently along the hillside from the forest to the large hedge planted by Pierrette and Marc. Several veins of limestone outcrop in the heart of the hillside, requiring some caution during plowing work.

Due to the heterogeneities of the terroir or the planting period, we distinguish several blocks within this plot. Among these is the one from which our cuvée “Retour à la Terre” comes, always harvested on the last day of the harvest. It is also on this plot that we conduct our planting trials in free footing.

Champ-Choley 1ha

Close to Champ-Rond but a little higher on the hillside, towards Clessé, this plot shares most of the characteristics of Champ-Rond. There is an abandoned quarry at its summit which allows you to observe its almost flush limestone subsoil.

The Michel family has long divided its time between the vineyard and the quarry trade. Quintaine stones were quarried until the end of the 19th century and renowned from Dijon to Lyon for the size of fireplaces and interior staircases in particular.

The Oak 1.5ha

On the eastern hillside, a little below the village, this stony plot produces very aromatic wines which leave their mark on the nose of our “Quintaine”. However, due to the poor soil, the maturities fly away quickly on the oak and the harvest date must therefore be carefully chosen in order to preserve freshness and avoid the candied notes which can arrive in just a few days.

Raverettes 1ha

The plot closest to the estate, at the end of the orchard. There are several blocks in this parcel: “the vines at…” Jean, Cochet, Millat… all named after the person in charge of the last known plantation.

Among these are the hundred-year-old vines planted by Sophie’s great-grandfather, part of which is selected for our “Charleston” cuvée.

Saint-Trivier Chapel 0.5ha

We generally distinguish within this climat three plots: Pesselières 0.2ha, Cordonnière 0.1ha and Lie-Monin 0.2ha. Pesselières is the most calcareous parcel of the estate. Its outcropping white limestone and its exposure to the prevailing winds give it an austere appearance.

Cordonnière is one of our oldest vines, from which we select our grafts each year to replace the missing vines.

Lie-Monin with its soil rich in red clay (ferruginous) is the plot from which our cuvée “Une Bulle” comes.

In the Winery

In the cellar, we limit our interventions to what is strictly necessary, thanks to an optimal quality of harvest. When ripe, the grapes are picked by hand and then gently pressed. The musts are decanted cold overnight to separate the clear juices from the lees. The alcoholic and malolactic fermentations take place naturally in concrete vats thanks to indigenous yeasts and bacteria. After fermentation, the wine is kept on the lees until bottling, in early summer.

Where in the World is Guillemot-Michel?

Guillemot-Michel is based in Viré Clessé, Mâcon.