In 1954, Emmanuel's grandparents, Pierre and Jeannine Guillot, established the first organic vineyard in Burgundy. Driven by their philosophy and inspired by encounters with figures such as Max Leglise, director of INRA (the French National Institute for Agricultural Research) and author of several books on the subject, André Bire, and Jules Chauvet, they embarked on the adventure of organic winemaking.
Their 17 hectares of vines are spread across three villages: Cruzille, Grévilly, and Chardonnay, encompassing three appellations.
The vines are primarily situated on east-facing slopes, ensuring maximum sun exposure, and on clay-limestone soils ideal for their growth. The distinct geological formations characterize each terroir and the resulting wines.
The village of Cruzille produces wines of great minerality that always require considerable time to fully develop, a characteristic attributed to the nature of the soils.
The wines of Grévilly and Chardonnay are produced on deeper soils. They are often more charming and fruitier in their youth. Each plot is vinified separately, but only the finest terroirs are marketed individually.
The estate has been certified organic since 1991, which translates into the use of green manure, natural pest control, tilling, and the use of non-polluting treatments (products composed of stable active molecules).
Respecting the microbial life of the soil allows the vine, thanks to its microorganisms, to draw from its roots all the elements necessary and essential for its proper balance. This concept is fundamental to obtaining what is known as a terroir wine. Generally speaking, disease is a sign of imbalance, so we strive to find the balance rather than simply treating the symptoms.
Names steeped in history:
Combettes, Genièvrières, Perrières, Beaumont—these wines, with names centuries old (Perrières: stones; Combettes: small valley, etc.), were the result of human observation and expertise.
The Benedictines and Cistercians transcribed these names, along with all this know-how, throughout Europe. These are the names of the plots of land recorded on the Napoleonic land register.
