We are delighted to identify for you the domaine that produces the wine we have offered under the private label “Forces Telluriques.” It is the Domaine Guillemot-Michel from the hamlet of Quintaine in the Viré-Clessé appellation of the Maconnais — since the 1980’s the project of Pierette and Marc Guillemot-Michel, who have been joined in the last decade by their daughter Sophie and their son-in-law Gautier Roussille. Same tasty wine, just a slightly less funky label.
We’re excited now to quote directly from the extensive critical praise for this domaine: Jasper Morris writes “amazing how such a luxurious style of chardonnay can retain elegance.” Neal Martin (Vinous) writes “these wines are well worth seeking out.” William Kelley (Wine Advocate) writes “these are honeyed, concentrated wines that are imbued with remarkable concentration and energy, and they develop beautifully in the cellar….One of the best producers in the Maconnais.”
But as anyone who has had this wine can tell you – it doesn’t matter what the label says, the contents are extraordinary. The 2023 has just arrived and it’s as good as ever. As winemaker Gautier Roussille put it, 2023 was the rare vintage that delivers both quantity and quality. Despite a stormy summer, the grapes reached optimal maturity while maintaining an excellent level of acidity — a perfect equilibrium that makes for a wine with ripe fruit, minerals and structure at the same time.
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Guillemot-Michel Viré-Clessé Quintaine 2023
bottle price: $45
