Domaine Guffens-Heynen - Mâcon-Pierreclos Tri de Chavigne 2018

While he has inspired many artisan winemakers in the Mâconnais region, Jean-Marie Guffens remains, even today, the artist capable of producing a “simple” Mâcon worthy of the finest wines of the Côte d’Or, without subscribing to the “terroir-caisse” system.He is a master of fractional pressing using a vertical press on very ripe grapes, a proponent of extended fermentation, a genius at aging, and an elite taster; this unparalleled winemaker continues to produce, on his small Mâconnais estate, quantities that are already too small to meet international demand.

The 2018 Mâcon-Pierreclos Tri de Chavigne makes a brilliant first impression, opening up in the glass with notes of citrus oil, crisp Anjou pear, blanched almonds, white flowers, and nutmeg. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it possesses striking intensity, with an elegant, textured attack and racy acidity. Still tightly coiled following its recent bottling, this wine has a long and glorious future ahead of it. This cuvée was crafted from three harvests spread over 12 days at the Guffens’ high-altitude vineyards in Chavigne and was aged in barrels, approximately 30% of which were new.

Jean-Marie Guffens has mastered the art of winemaking and bringing out the best in Chardonnay. Tasting one of his vintages, even after ten years, is always a special experience. He divides his time between the estate’s “haute couture” winemaking, managing his wine merchant business Verget, his property Château des Tourettes in the Luberon, and Château Closiot in Barsac, where he produces great dry and sweet wines when the vintage allows. He has revealed the potential of the Mâconnais’ finest terroirs and sparked interest in them. His great wines are universally acclaimed, stand the test of time, and leave a lasting impression. The very low yields of the 2019 vintage allowed for the production of only three wines; the press wine will be included in the “Triangle” cuvée. The estate’s wines are sold en primeur. Our advice is to try your luck while also taking the time to explore the other properties of this exceptional winemaker.