New Arrivals from Julien Guillot at Clos des Vignes du Maynes!

10/20/14 

(Julien Guillot, Winemaker and Musician?)

We've just received a small additional shipment of the 2012 vintage from the dynamic Julien Guillot, as well as his beautful sparkling wines and a small allocation of the wonderful 2013 Cuvée 910! The vineyards of the Clos des Vignes du Maynes belonged to the Abbey of Cluny and date back to at least 900 AD and it is the oldest practicing organic vineyard in France. Acquired by Julien's grandfather in 1954 and immediately tended with organic methods, the vines have never been treated with modern pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. The living soils here produce wines with vibrant fruit and distinctive, complex minerality. The red grapes undergo a nine-day true carbonic maceration with the subsequent alcoholic fermentation lasting about fifteen days with pigeage by foot. Whites are pressed slowly in a wooden pressoir from 1865. Aging is sur lie in old barriques, usually without additives for the reds and with a minimal (10 – 20 mg/L) SO2 addition for the whites. "We have fifty years of experience in natural vinifications" says Julien, "and we pay careful attention of course to the right day and atmospheric pressure." The Cuvée 910, from a field blend of Chardonnay, Gamay and Pinot Noir, is made exactly as wines were made by the Abbey of Cluny in 910 AD and is a marvel of delicacy and finesse. The youthful M. Guillot, who had a lively career as actor and acrobat before returning to the family vineyards, is doing inspired work at the Domaine du Vignes du Maynes and we urge you to try his fascinating wines. (Most wines are in stock with additional  inventory arriving 10/22)