Another side of Macon from Domaine Guillot-Broux

When you pass into the Macon from the Cote Chalonnaise, the rooftops suddenly wear southerly terracotta tiles and the sound of cicadas fill the summer night air…

This is something Jancis Robinson one observed, marking the palpable differences one feels transitioning from the Cote d’Or into the Maconnais, and it the image that always comes to mind when I think of this region.

The warmth of the Maconnais is what many feel differentiates these wines from those of the Cote d’Or and certainly Chablis. That slight shift of southerly latitude can broaden the palate and give tropical notes to these wines. White wines are often what first come to mind, as they should - white grapes take up over 85% of the plantings here. The Macon is the place many turn to for value and early drinkability (especially of late with the rising prices of Burgundy). But it seems over the years, only Pouilly Fuisse has managed to break consumers out of the assumption that this is all the Macon has to offer. Especially of late, with the upgrading of certain Pouilly Fuisse sites to 1er cru status - the first the Macon has ever seen. It is easy to forget that there are other exceptional producers in the Macon who bend this theory.

North of Pouilly Fuisse, in the village of Cruzille, one winery debunks a lot of myths we have come to associate with the Macon region: Domaine Guillot-Broux. This domaine was founded in 1978, when Jean-Gerard Guillot returned to his hometown of Cruzille after gaining experience in Brouilly and Meursault. He and his wife (Jacqueline Broux by birth) began with less than 1 hectare. Inspired by the teachings of Chauvet and the rare few who were against industrial inputs, they never fed their vines so much as one chemical from the start. Guillot-Broux were among the first (if not the first) who openly practiced organic viticulture in all of Burgundy. They finally became certified in 2011.

The Macon stretches about 40 km stem to stern from north to south, punctuate by a series of parallel faults that result in primarily two orientations: those that are of north/northeast exposure, and those that are south/southeast. Guillot-Broux uniquely stares out east to the Saone river on a bed of fossilized limestone and marl. It’s arguably this that makes these wines so upright, tight, and serious when compared to some its neighbors.

Unlike many producers in the Macon, Guillot-Broux produces both white and red wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Gamay - a good portion from specific, single vineyard sites throughout Cruzille, Grevilly, Pierreclo, and Chardonnay (the village, not the grape!). It is now run by brothers Emmanuel and Patrice, after their father passed in 2008. They hold about 17 hectares of their own vines, but like many have had to expand the business model a bit to source some from from like-minded growers in order to survive. In 2021, frost took 8 hectares of fruit just like that. It’s been a rough and tumble decade for all Burgundian regions.

While these wines are stunning in their youth, they manage to demonstrate remarkable complexity over time - an observation that only became obvious when Wine Advocate reporter, William Kelly, finally had an opportunity to taste through back vintages from Guillot-Broux. He notes: "These are tightly wound, concentrated whites, framed by chalky dry extract from low yields and intelligent pressing, and they take their time to evolve in the cellar. That's a far cry from the stereotype of the northern Mâconnais—honeyed, facile, giving—but when you visit the vineyards, you understand. Rocky, sloping, enclosed sites at the forest's edge…” His enthusiasm was apparent in the scores he gave to the 2019s - most achieving over 92 points. He also noted that 2019 is the most impressive vintage he has ever tasted from Guillot-Broux.

We have always been proud to work with this estate at Old World - they never fail to make our customers pause and reevaluate their assumptions about ’simple’ Macon wines. We are excited to present a wide range of their styles, grapes, and sites so you can experience the nuance that can be found in the Macon. We sadly don’t have much (shocker!), so share this info with your customers, so they can get it while it’s hot! ;)

2020 Guillot-Broux Macon-Villages - A combination of estate and sourced fruit throughout the Macon from organic growers. Aged 6 months in neutral barrel, 6 months stainless steel vat. Fresh, crisp, lean, and intense.

2019 Guillot-Broux Macon-Cruzille 'Les Genievrieres' - This special site was replanted in 1983 to low yield rootstock with high density planting upon a bed of Bathonian clay. Kelly describes it with notes of lemon oil and warm bread. This is always the more nervy, mineral-driven expression compared to Combettes. Like all their whites, they have also begun to age for an added 6 months, which has seemed to work in their favor. 

2019 Guillot-Broux Macon-Chardonnay 'Les Combettes'  - Thought contiguous with Genevrieres, separated by only a road, Les Combettes yields a much different expression. See, the limestone is more degraded here, and its collapse has given it a slightly more southern orientation. It is warmer and broader on the mid palate, showing ripe yellow orchard fruit, a touch more honey and beeswax. 

2019 Guillot-Broux Pouilly-Fuisse 'Les Repostere' - The newest release from Guillot-Broux, from fruit they are bringing up from the famed Pouilly Fuisse appellation. Emmanual explained that it would be a bit more reductive due to their approach to keep undisturbed in large foudre for fermentation. 

2019 Guillot-Broux Bourgogne Rouge 'Les Genievrieres'  - There are three parcels within Genevrieres where Pinot Noir thrives - two of which are on shallow soils that demonstrate great mineral undertones, while the third is on deeper clays giving way to plush fruit for balance. Realizing the potential for this site took patience. They waited 18 years for the vines to be old enough to show this site's complexity as a stand alone bottling. Fermented with 80% whole clusters (this changes each vintage) and sged for 18 months in barrel, this wine has brilliant floral notes, alpine berry fruit, and stony minerality. 

2019 Guillot-Broux Macon-Cruzille Rouge 'Beaumont’ - Though this wine sees some of the same limestone/marl soils of the others, there are a few patches of granite that keep this Gamay mighty happy. A gorgeous wine composed of old vines first planted when the winery began in 1978 in the coolest red grape parcels they own. They work hard to denigrate this otherwise unruly variety with short pruning. A startling Gamay that has considerable structure and backbone - drinks like a traditional aged Morgon.