Amélie Guillot
Forget Burgundy, let us pluck your attention to the Jura. For this local Burgundian, her perfect patch of grass was found where brown speckled Montbéliardes cows graze on vibrant green pastures, the good stuff that makes giant 38kg wheels of Comte taste so ridiculously delicious. A squeeze away from Dijon, this is where Vin Jaune, or yellow wine, sits in squat bottles. Golden in colour and oxidave in taste, these wines have their own fanatic following. And deservedly so.
For Amélie, it was the irregular landscape, passionate growers and winemakers, and intriguing wines that drew her to the region.
Inimitable wines ringing true to terroir.
The mountains are lush and the soil brims with terroir so in 1995, when 2 hectares of vines came up for sale in Arbois - a commune home to some of the country’s oldest vineyards - Amélie would not let this opportunity slip past. Over two decades later, she remains content on her plot, tilling and tending to her old vines, some reaching 40 years old.
Amélie lives and works by la lutte raisonnée meaning “the reasoned struggle” in French, which dictates a pragmatic approach to farming. A conviction shared amongst many French winemakers and farmers alike as an alternative practice to organic farming, without the costly and restrictive legal certification. Chemicals are only used when absolutely necessary, and winemakers plant cover crops between the vines encouraging a thriving local ecosystem. In this case, as each individual writes their own handbook, let's call it biodynamic principles with minimal intervention.
Amélie takes the same philosophy in the cellar, where wild ferments and wild yeast are free to turn into textural whites and delicate reds without the addition of chemicals. Under her careful gaze, of course.
Her vines growing Chardonnay, Savagnin, Pinot Noir, Poulsard and Trousseau stretch across three local communes: Arbois, Molamboz and Buvilly.
Amélie lives and works by la lutte raisonnée meaning “the reasoned struggle” in French, which dictates a pragmatic approach to farming. A conviction shared amongst many French winemakers and farmers alike as an alternative practice to organic farming, without the costly and restrictive legal certification. Chemicals are only used when absolutely necessary, and winemakers plant cover crops between the vines encouraging a thriving local ecosystem. In this case, as each individual writes their own handbook, let's call it biodynamic principles with minimal intervention.
Amélie takes the same philosophy in the cellar, where wild ferments and wild yeast are free to turn into textural whites and delicate reds without the addition of chemicals. Under her careful gaze, of course.
Her vines growing Chardonnay, Savagnin, Pinot Noir, Poulsard and Trousseau stretch across three local communes: Arbois, Molamboz and Buvilly.
She hand harvests each bunch, ensuring only the best fruit makes it to the final drop. Vinified in vats or oak barrels, the character of each vintage, variety and seasonal changes are of the utmost importance.
Oft and zest punctuate the delicate nuances in her wines. Her Cuvée Chardonnay Savagnin, a blend of the region's most prized whites, is a crisp expression where a lean minerality is met with a linear acidity. Seductive yet delicate. This one isn’t your typical oxidative Jura. Alternatively, this vintage's Trousseau is bouquet of blackberry and pepper lingering on the palate. Deeply red and deeply delicious. This is Trousseau with all it's got to give.
Meanwhile, Crémant is the Jura’s answer to French fizz. Light and delicate, Crémant du Jura is produced in the same strict process as Champagne (but without the hefty price tag). A zestful, lively alternative made with 100% Chardonnay.
While her Domaine and its rolling vines have changed little over the years, her unique lineup of wines is ever evolving. If Comte is king of cheese, then Amelie is the Queen of Jura. Inimitable in every sense of the word.
Oft and zest punctuate the delicate nuances in her wines. Her Cuvée Chardonnay Savagnin, a blend of the region's most prized whites, is a crisp expression where a lean minerality is met with a linear acidity. Seductive yet delicate. This one isn’t your typical oxidative Jura. Alternatively, this vintage's Trousseau is bouquet of blackberry and pepper lingering on the palate. Deeply red and deeply delicious. This is Trousseau with all it's got to give.
Meanwhile, Crémant is the Jura’s answer to French fizz. Light and delicate, Crémant du Jura is produced in the same strict process as Champagne (but without the hefty price tag). A zestful, lively alternative made with 100% Chardonnay.
While her Domaine and its rolling vines have changed little over the years, her unique lineup of wines is ever evolving. If Comte is king of cheese, then Amelie is the Queen of Jura. Inimitable in every sense of the word.
The character of each vintage, variety and seasonal changes are of the utmost importance.