Domaine Pierre Guillemot
Kermit
says he has several great memories of visiting with the Guillemots, and his
favorite happened about fifteen years ago when Robert Parker asked us to
arrange a big tasting of our Burgundy selections. It took place in the cellar
below our Beaune office, and Mr. Parker approved Kermit’s suggestion that we
invite the winemakers to the tasting. The place was packed and there were over
two hundred red and white Burgundies to taste. Pierre Guillemot was there with
his big belly and bristly moustache. Everyone loved having him, because he
wowed them with comparisons of certain wines with various characteristics of
the male and female genders. Kermit noticed at some point in the morning that
Pierre had quieted down. He looked over and saw that, as Pierre tasted, he did
not avail himself of a spit bucket. Suddenly there was an “Alors, au revoir, à bientôt j’espère,” and up the stairs he went.
Kermit followed and watched Pierre walk away, awfully close to a Charlie
Chaplin pantomime of a drunken French vigneron
weaving down the street, barely able to stand up.
The Guillemot family has worked Savigny-lès-Beaune
vines for eight generations (!) and produces wines with classic Burgundian
finesse and balance, all while leaving us a reminder of Savigny’s rustic
character. Guillemot is one of the quintessential KLWM producers, with wines
that epitomize the local terroir and
emphasize grace and elegance over power and structure. But do not be fooled
into thinking that this means they lack aging potential; the Guillemots are
very proud of their old wines and thankfully have the foresight to set aside a good
supply and follow their wines’ development over the years. A recent tasting at
the domaine included a 1989 and 1975 Savigny Blanc, as well as the ‘90, ‘88, ‘85, ‘82, ‘76, ’72, and ‘64 Rouge. There was not a single tired bottle in the bunch. We challenge anyone to find a better deal on Burgundies that are built to last like these!

Kermit says he has several great memories of visiting with the Guillemots, and his favorite happened about fifteen years ago when Robert Parker asked us to arrange a big tasting of our Burgundy selections. It took place in the cellar below our Beaune office, and Mr. Parker approved Kermit’s suggestion that we invite the winemakers to the tasting. The place was packed and there were over two hundred red and white Burgundies to taste. Pierre Guillemot was there with his big belly and bristly moustache. Everyone loved having him, because he wowed them with comparisons of certain wines with various characteristics of the male and female genders. Kermit noticed at some point in the morning that Pierre had quieted down. He looked over and saw that, as Pierre tasted, he did not avail himself of a spit bucket. Suddenly there was an “Alors, au revoir, à bientôt j’espère,” and up the stairs he went. Kermit followed and watched Pierre walk away, awfully close to a Charlie Chaplin pantomime of a drunken French vigneron weaving down the street, barely able to stand up.
The Guillemot family has worked Savigny-lès-Beaune vines for eight generations (!) and produces wines with classic Burgundian finesse and balance, all while leaving us a reminder of Savigny’s rustic character. Guillemot is one of the quintessential KLWM producers, with wines that epitomize the local terroir and emphasize grace and elegance over power and structure. But do not be fooled into thinking that this means they lack aging potential; the Guillemots are very proud of their old wines and thankfully have the foresight to set aside a good supply and follow their wines’ development over the years. A recent tasting at the domaine included a 1989 and 1975 Savigny Blanc, as well as the ‘90, ‘88, ‘85, ‘82, ‘76, ’72, and ‘64 Rouge. There was not a single tired bottle in the bunch. We challenge anyone to find a better deal on Burgundies that are built to last like these!
Technical Information
Wine | Blend | Vine Age | Soil Type | Vineyard Area* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune “Le Mont et Forêt” |
Chardonnay | Planted in 2018 | Clay, limestone, marl | 1.4 ha |
Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanc Dessus Les Gollardes |
30% Chardonnay, 70% Pinot Blanc | 55 years | Limestone, Gravel | 1.3 ha |
Bourgogne Rouge |
Pinot Noir | 32 years | Limestone, Gravel | 1.3 ha |
Savigny "Vieilles Vignes" |
Pinot Noir | 55 Years | Marl, Limestone, Gravel, Clay | 2.09 ha |
Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Grands Picotins |
Pinot Noir | 50 years | Clay, Limestone | .75 ha |
Savigny-Lès-Beaune Aux Gravains 1er Cru |
Pinot Noir | 7 years | Alluvial soil, Gravel | .27 ha |
Savigny-les-Narbantons 1er Cru |
Pinot Noir | 50 years | Clay, Limestone | .33 ha |
Savigny-les-Jarrons 1er Cru |
Pinot Noir | 40 years | Clay, Sand, Limestone | .24 ha |
Savigny-Serpentières 1er Cru |
Pinot Noir | 55 years | Marl | 1.7 ha |
Corton le Rognet et Corton Grand Cru |
Pinot Noir | 50 years | Ferruginous Oolite | .30 ha |
* "ha" = hectares; one hectare equals roughly two and a half acres |
VITICULTURE / VINIFICATION
• All grapes are sorted and de-stemmed
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune “Le Mont et Forêt”
• Grapes are sourced from two parcels, one in Savigny-les-Beaune one in Pernand Vergelesses
• Fermentation in stainless steel cuves and tonneau
• Wine is aged in tonneau for twelve months, 25% of which is new oak
Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanc Dessus Les Golardes
• Fermentation lasts for 2 weeks
• Half of the wine is fermented in stainless steel cuves and half in 600-L demi-muid barrels
• Wine is aged for 15 months in 600-L demi-muid barrels, without any new oak
• Wine is aged in bottle for 6 months before release
Reds
• Fermentation lasts for 15 to 16 days
• Wine is fermented in wooden cuves
• Regular punchdowns during the entire fermentation (2-3 times a day)• Wine is aged in barrel (10% new for premier cru and grand cru) for 18 months
• Wine is aged in bottle for 6 months before release
• Savigny “Vieilles Vignes” sourced from three parcels: Planchots de la Champagne, Dessus les Gollardes, Vermots
General Information
- Country
- France
- Region
- Burgundy
- Appellation(s)
- Bourgogne, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
- Producer
- Jean-Pierre Guillemot
- Founded
- 1947
- Annual Production
- 2,500 cases