Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon
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History
Born in Paris, Jean-Michel arrived at Gevrey Chambertin in 1980 after his retirement from aeronautics. After being enamoured of the mesmerising landscape in Burgundy, he decided to start his journey of being a winemaker, although a green hand at all. With the help of his good friends and also the mentors like Rene Galland and well reputed Henri Jayer, he established the domaine in the 1980s, starting from 2.3ha. With 10 years’ endeavour, he has built up his own reputation in the commune and his own particularity with the special love for the use of the new oak barrels. Once he said in jest that he was probably the biggest oak barrel consumer in Burgundy, although behind the Hospice. In 2005, Jean’s son, Alexis entered the domain and worked alongside with his father. Now, the domaine owns about 16ha of vineyards across Gevrey Chambertin, which is entirely charged under Alexis.
Credit from: lescrusfinewine.com.au/jean-michel-guillon/
Official Website: www.domaineguillon.com
IG: @domaine_guillon_jm_gevrey_
Winemaking
In terms of viticulture and vinification, Alexis carried over his father’s philosophy, treating every vine sustainably with great respect. All grapes are hand picked. After harvest, grapes will be transported to the domain as soon as possible to keep the freshness and avoid pre-fermentation under hot conditions as well. Sorting is rigorous at the domain to ensure every grape is clean and with good maturity.
After soft vinification where pumping over is dominated rather than punching down, wines will be transferred to new oak barrels for ageing about 12 to 18 months. As one of his preferences, 100% barrels are new, which can be rarely seen in such a boutique domain in Burgundy. Then, a light filtration will be conducted before bottling.
As Allen Meadows commented, Jean-Michel Guillon’s wines show an archetype of a modern style Burgundy which retains a clear sense of style and grace, illustrating identifiably Pinot Noir and terroir transparency of Burgundy.
Wines
882633 Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon Bourgogne Pinot Noir "Les Graviers" Terroir Sur Chambolle 2022
2022 Bourgogne Pinot Noir “Les Gravières”: (from Chambolle vines). Ripe and distinctly earthy dark berry aromas are complemented by the vibrant and delicious middleweight flavors that possess a relatively refined texture on the dusty, refreshing and sneaky long finale. (BH 86-88)/2025+
882634 Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon Chambolle Musigny "Au Village" 2022
2022 Chambolle-Musigny “Aux Villages”: Moderate wood frames spicy aromas of mainly plum and floral elements, especially violet. There is both good energy and detail to the lacy middleweight flavors that terminate in a youthfully austere finale where a hint of bitter pit fruit character slowly emerges. (BH 88-90)/2029+
882639 Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2022
2022 Clos de Vougeot: (from .17 ha parcel of 40+ year old vines; fermented in a small 100% new wood tank). A more subtle though still easily perceptible dollop of wood can be found on the somber aromas of plum, humus and newly turned earth. The succulent, delicious and impressively intense larger-bodied flavors possess a sleek mouthfeel while delivering outstanding length on the youthfully austere, compact, powerful and balanced finale. This is also very much built to repay extended cellaring and is a wine that’s going to need a minimum of 10 years to be approachable. (BH 92-95)/2037+
882635 Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon Gevrey Chambertin "Cuvee Alexis" 2022
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin – Cuvée Alexis: (from the oldest vines in Les Murots and Carougeot). Ripe aromas include those of wild currant, strong earth and a smoked game nuance, all of which is trimmed in enough wood to mention. On the palate there is again excellent density and volume to the medium-bodied flavors that possess a beguiling texture before delivering impressive length on the moderately austere, firm and balanced finish. This is also an excellent villages. (BH 90-92)/2032+
882636 Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur 2022
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin “Clos Prieur”: (from a tiny .06 ha parcel). A discreetly perfumed and layered nose reflects notes of both red and dark berries along with subtle spice and floral elements. The succulent, rich and seductively textured middleweight flavors possess evident minerality and focused power while delivering even better depth and persistence on the lightly austere and beautifully balanced finale. This is lovely and a wine that should also age gracefully. (BH 91-94)/2034+
882638 Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru La Petite Chapelle 2022
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin “Petite Chapelle”: (from .26 ha parcel of 50+ year old vines). Here too the wood treatment isn’t subtle though it stops short of fighting with the spicy and wonderfully floral-suffused aromas of mostly red currant and cool cherry. There is terrific punch to the intensely mineral-driven and relatively refined medium-bodied flavors thanks to the dense but fine-grained tannins shaping the beautifully long, firm and balanced finale. This beauty could use better depth but the underlying material is such that developing more should be simply a matter of having adequate patience. (BH 92-94)/2037+
882637 Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Champonnets Vieilles Vignes 2022
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Champonnets”: (from a 1 ha holding). A more deeply pitched and overtly sauvage-inflected combination reveals notes of forest floor, humus and underbrush that are trimmed in generous but not dominant wood. There is excellent intensity and punch to the tautly muscular and stony big-bodied flavors that culminate in a dusty, youthfully austere and very serious finish. Patience will be absolutely essential to see this overtly powerful effort at its peak. (BH 92-94)/2037+
882640 Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 2022
2022 Mazis-Chambertin: (from a .18 ha parcel of 20+ year old vines in Mazis-Haut and fermented like the Clos de Vougeot). Here too the wood treatment stops just show of overshadowing the more sauvage-inflected nose that also reflects plenty of spice and floral elements. There is a caressing mouthfeel to the attractively energetic middleweight plus flavors that flash more evident minerality on the moderately austere and hugely long finish. This impeccably well-balanced effort also needs to develop more depth though again, that appears to only be a matter of waiting patiently. (BH 93-95)/2037+