Domaine Guillemot-Michel

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”.

They are crafting wines of great purity and precision, layered and full of personality.

“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