Domaine Guillot-Broux
Mâcon-Chardonnay “Les Combettes” 2019
Mâcon Cruzille
Although there is only a path separating Les Combettes from Les Genièvrières, the two terroirs are radically different. Les Combettes is very mineral, with a crispy bite. The wine is often more concentrated than Les Geniévrières, and it needs more time to come into its own. The appellation of Les Combettes is Mâcon Chardonnay (from the name of the village the vineyard is situated in, not the grape variety), and, thanks to the limestone bedrock having collapsed more than in Les Genièvrières, the vineyard is slightly more south facing, and is therefore warmer and the grapes ripen earlier. This, coupled with the low-yielding varieties of Chardonnay planted here, mean that the wines are always a little more rounded than Les Genièvrières.
Vineyard
The high planting density increases competition among the vines and means that the juice in each grape is more concentrated. The key is to have few grapes per vine naturally, to increase the concentration of flavors and the balance of the wine. The pruning methods employed (Guyot Simple for the whites; Cordon de Royat for the reds) also help reach this goal.
Winemaking
Each terroir is vinified separately, using the methods best adapted to the grape variety, the soil, the vintage and the age of the vines. Grapes are handpicked, and then sorted in the vines before going to the winery, allowing for selection of only the healthiest grapes with the right maturity. By controlling the yields, between 30 and 55 hectolitres a hectare, there is a strong emphasis for quality rather than quantity. The fruit is pressed immediately into oak barrels (288 liters), in order to avoid any changes in the nature of the wine. The juice undergoes first (alcoholic) and second (malolactic) fermentations in barrel, after which they are racked into barrels (single vineyard vines) or vats (Mâcon Villages). There are no additional yeasts, sulphites nor chaptalization techniques.
Food Pairing
Amélie Darvas, from Haï Kaï in Paris, has selected milk-fed Basque veal, purple potatoes, Utah Beach oysters, crème (almost) brulée and a touch of Corsican grapefruit as the food pairing for this bottling.
Color
White
Grape Varieties
Chardonnay
Appellation
Mâcon Cruzille
Farming
Domaine Guillot-Broux has been certified organic since 1991. Methods include ploughing, and use natural methods of fighting parasites (green manure, organic fertilizers, and mineral sprays with stable active molecules that leave no residues in the wines).
