Julien Guillot Clos des Vignes du Maynes "Mâcon Cruzille Manganite" Burgundy, France 2023

FROM PERCY SELECTIONS:

THE WINE: 100% Gamay. Made from Gamay Petit Grains planted in 1953, grown on a limestone parcel high in magnesium, in the Clos des Vignes du Maynes in Cruzille, organic since 900 AD (!), now certified biodynamic. The energetic Julien Guillot vinifies his reds without sulfur or additives of any kind, producing complex, mineral, elegant wines that transcend their appellation.

THE PRODUCER: One visit to Clos des Vignes du Maynes in southern Burgundy’s Mâconnais is all it takes to experience thousands of years of viticultural history. With remnants of an old Roman wall on the property, an 1100-year-old winemaking heritage dating back to the powerful medieval monks of Cluny, and nothing but selection massale to replant the vineyards (no clones), the Guillot family has every reason to believe that they are the oldest organically farmed winery in France. Julien Guillot is the contemporary steward of this land, worked by his family since 1954. That his grandfather was never seduced by the seemingly magical powers of chemical herbicides and pesticides at the height of their post-war popularity has allowed the Clos to be continuously run by nature’s good graces, abundant soil nutrients, and an ancient savoir faire passed down through generations of dutiful guardians.