2022 Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey Chambertin "Clos Champ", Burgundy, France
ABOUT THIS WINE
90+ year-old vines from "Clos Camp". Only a slight few thousand bottles made per vintage.Â
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
The force of gravity is more intense in Burgundy. Why else would time move so slowly there?
Occasionally, a domaine will pass from father to daughter, or from mother to son. Sometimes a few rows of vines may be sold from one grower to another. But as the sun sets over the top of the regionâs south-east facing slopes, it sets on the same patchwork of Grand Crus, Premier Crus and Village wines generation after generation. RomanĂ©e-Conti is RomanĂ©e-Conti, and Chambertin is Chambertin.
Yet spend enough time amongst the vines and occasionally youâll spot an anomaly.
In Gevrey-Chambertin, the anomaly is a young man with a look thatâs more Santa Barbara County than Hospices de Beaune: hipster beard, possibly a sleeve tattoo under his plaid shirt, an easy, laid-back personality. Itâs Michael Le Guellec
Definitely not part of the old guard, but scratch below Michaelâs surface and youâll find that his vineyard land has been in his family since 1920, with some of his oldest vines planted just ten years later.
Youâll find a respect for tradition â for Michaelâs winemaking grandfather of course, but also for the terroir, for the environment, and for the style of wines typical of Gevrey-Chambertin: rich, flavoursome, powerful and muscular, yet with incredible finesse. Pinot Noir that can only come from one place on earth.
Now, the domaine is still unknown. Since Michaelâs grandfather retired in 1990, winemaking has been on the backburner, and itâs only since Michael took over with his friend Arnaud Ducouet in 2018 that the renaissance has begun.
That the domaine is already producing such exquisite wines is no accident. With winemaking overseen by Pierre Millemann, it was no surprise when we tasted at the domaine last autumn that the wines are luscious and elegant. This is a grower destined to become one of the must-haves of Gevrey-Chambertin.
For the time being, just a few thousand bottles are being made each vintage â from Clos Champ, the only walled vineyard in the lieu dit (planted in 1930) and from Les Jeunes Rois (planted in 1965). Other vineyards are being reworked before theyâll be considered worthy to produce wines under the domaineâs label.
Eventually around 15,000 bottles could be made â and the whole world will want them. These are fabulous wines being made by imaginative, energetic and passionate young people who want to carry their region forward, while remaining true to its history. Theyâre also an absolute steal... for now.
Â
Description
ABOUT THIS WINE
90+ year-old vines from "Clos Camp". Only a slight few thousand bottles made per vintage.Â
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
The force of gravity is more intense in Burgundy. Why else would time move so slowly there?
Occasionally, a domaine will pass from father to daughter, or from mother to son. Sometimes a few rows of vines may be sold from one grower to another. But as the sun sets over the top of the regionâs south-east facing slopes, it sets on the same patchwork of Grand Crus, Premier Crus and Village wines generation after generation. RomanĂ©e-Conti is RomanĂ©e-Conti, and Chambertin is Chambertin.
Yet spend enough time amongst the vines and occasionally youâll spot an anomaly.
In Gevrey-Chambertin, the anomaly is a young man with a look thatâs more Santa Barbara County than Hospices de Beaune: hipster beard, possibly a sleeve tattoo under his plaid shirt, an easy, laid-back personality. Itâs Michael Le Guellec
Definitely not part of the old guard, but scratch below Michaelâs surface and youâll find that his vineyard land has been in his family since 1920, with some of his oldest vines planted just ten years later.
Youâll find a respect for tradition â for Michaelâs winemaking grandfather of course, but also for the terroir, for the environment, and for the style of wines typical of Gevrey-Chambertin: rich, flavoursome, powerful and muscular, yet with incredible finesse. Pinot Noir that can only come from one place on earth.
Now, the domaine is still unknown. Since Michaelâs grandfather retired in 1990, winemaking has been on the backburner, and itâs only since Michael took over with his friend Arnaud Ducouet in 2018 that the renaissance has begun.
That the domaine is already producing such exquisite wines is no accident. With winemaking overseen by Pierre Millemann, it was no surprise when we tasted at the domaine last autumn that the wines are luscious and elegant. This is a grower destined to become one of the must-haves of Gevrey-Chambertin.
For the time being, just a few thousand bottles are being made each vintage â from Clos Champ, the only walled vineyard in the lieu dit (planted in 1930) and from Les Jeunes Rois (planted in 1965). Other vineyards are being reworked before theyâll be considered worthy to produce wines under the domaineâs label.
Eventually around 15,000 bottles could be made â and the whole world will want them. These are fabulous wines being made by imaginative, energetic and passionate young people who want to carry their region forward, while remaining true to its history. Theyâre also an absolute steal... for now.
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