Domaine Guillemot-Michel

This 6.5-hectare estate, nestled in the hamlet of Quintaine in the northern Mâconnais, is a pioneer of organic and biodynamic farming (certified since 1991) and a source of sensual, characterful wines that couldn’t come from anywhere else. The entire estate is planted with massal selections rather than clones, with some Chardonnay vines dating back to 1918, and blocks are bordered by hedges, woodland and grass, creating natural barriers and favoring biodiversity. Grapes are harvested by hand and vinified in a variety of vessels, from barrels to amphorae. Anyone visiting the domaine can't fail to be struck by the meticulousness that the Guillemot family brings 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 also taste the results in the glass.

Pierrette Guillemot's father was one of the founders of the Viré-Clessé cooperative, but she and her husband, Marc, elected to quit the organization in 1985, just a few years after returning to work at the family estate. They immediately converted their vineyards first to organic and then, in 1991, to biodynamic farming. In 2013, their daughter, Sophie, joined the team, followed by her husband, Gautier Roussille (author of an impressive guide to Sake). Benefiting from an enviable patrimony of old vines planted at high densities, the soils are nevertheless cultivated mechanically, with intra-row cover crops to protect the soils. Like their neighbors the Thevenets, the Guillemots harvest ripe grapes, fermenting and maturing the wines on the lees at a leisurely 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 they 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 Mâconnais, but that is precisely why they merit attention.