Maison Guillot-Broux - Mâcon-Cruzille 2017

Tasted from the barrel: a very light Gamay, with a briny quality, precise, and still slightly austere.

I admit it took me a while to understand the wines of Domaine Guillot-Broux. These are tight, concentrated whites, characterized by a chalky dry extract, produced from low yields and careful pressing, that take their time to develop in the cellar. This is a far cry from the stereotype of the Northern Mâconnais—sweet, easy-drinking, and generous—but when you visit the vineyards, it all makes sense. Rocky, steep, and secluded plots on the edge of the forest—some recently reclaimed from encroaching woodland—are planted with old vines of Chardonnay, Gamay, and Pinot Noir, and they have never seen chemical agriculture. Of course, opening old bottles also helps bring these wines to life: complex, mineral, and full of flavor—it’s clear that 20 years is the minimum rather than the maximum at this estate. But the rewards of patience, as is so often the case, are considerable; and once you get to know them, it’s hard not to agree that they rank among the region’s finest examples. As I’ve written before, Emmanuel Guillot’s grapes are harvested by hand; the whites are pressed directly into barrels, and the reds are fermented in small tanks, often with more than just a small amount of whole clusters included. With the 2019 vintage, taking advantage of the market disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Guillot chose to extend the aging process: thus, most of his whites, having spent a year in barrels, spent an additional six months in tanks. Whether due to the inherent quality of the vintage or the fact that those extra six months seem to genuinely help these structured wines fill out and relax, the 2019s are the most impressive young wines I’ve tasted to date from this producer,

The Guillot-Broux estate, certified organic, is one of the most consistent in the Mâcon region. The old vines, meticulously tended, give the wines a decidedly classic style. The estate relies on fully ripe grapes and avoids any sophisticated oak aging. Patrice and Emmanuel are thus carrying on their father’s legacy and preserving his spirit. We are very pleased with their whites, which are always well-crafted and crystal-clear. The 2019 reds were less successful this year, with the exception of the Beaumont Gamay.