Grapes: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache
Region: Vin de France
Vintage: 2024
Viticulture: Organic
Soils: Limestone
Vinification: The grapes are harvested early to retain freshness, and the Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah juices will sit for one night with the Grenache must to develop a clear, ruby-red color. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel to preserve freshness.
Aging: tank for 6 months, settled and bottled by gravity.
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal
Notes from the Importer:
The year is 2020. Guffens-Heynen wines had been absent from the US market for over a decade; however, they remained one of the most sought-after domaines for true, ear-to-the-ground Burgundy collectors. We had enjoyed various vintages in Europe and Japan, but due to the 10 year gap of not having a US importer, we wanted to seek out the wines and understand them a bit more. A close friend in the know introduced us; arriving at the estate for the initial visit, we soon spent nearly 9 hours conversing about wine and life.
Coming away from this experience, we realize that we talk so much about focusing on young winemakers who are helping to re-define the future of winemaking - winemakers who are making bold, yet smart changes, and practicing healthy viticulture. It may not seem that Jean-Marie fits into this category, but he does in more ways than one! Jean-Marie and his wife Maine settled in Vergisson in 1976. Despite making wine since 1980, and quickly gaining attention with the banner 1982 vintage, so many of our best collectors had never heard of the estate. With the emphasis today on buzzwords of "sustainable" and "biodynamic" - words which we do feel so often can possess a true value in the right hands - we instead find Jean-Marie Guffens who cannot be defined by either a grape, region or method, and certainly not a region. He is a style unto himself.
After arriving in Vergisson from Belgium, they immediately immersed themselves into learning about winemaking and acquired their first plots of Pierreclos in 1979. Since the early 80s, Jean Marie has been pushing to prove that great Chardonnay doesn't solely come from the Côte de Beaune., nor does it have to have a Premier or Grand Cru designation on the label. His first official vintage was 1982, with the wines from Vergisson, followed by starting the negociant label Verget in 1990, which has in and of itself gained significant acclaim.
