Biodynamics and pure winemaking to serve the finest terroirs

The origins of Clos des Vignes du Maynes date back to 910, when the Abbey of Cluny was founded. Owned by the Lords of Château de Cruzille, the estate then belonged to five generations of farmers before being bought by Pierre and Jeanne Guillot in 1952;

A year ago almost to the day, we visited Julien Guillot to taste his 2022. Cruzille is under snow. The last few kilometers are spent in a hushed atmosphere. The arrival at Clos des Vignes du Maynes is always a refreshing sight, heralding a lovely moment of sharing and tasting, but this one was particularly invigorating.

As always with Julien Guillot, the tasting was long and fascinating. All the wines tasted really well, especially the magnificent cuvée "Les Crays". But when we got to the barrels of "Auguste", and our glasses filled with a lovely luminous juice, the incredible aromas of black fruit plunged us into contemplative silence. "Wow! That nose!" 

And the "worst" is that on the palate, it's even more impressive. The wine is dense, deep and stretches on a backbone of perfectly controlled acidity. The mouthfeel is exceptional. A velvety, sexy texture. And the finish... A model of its kind. Pretty bitters that call to the table, bluffing length, it's incredibly salivating, your whole body clamoring for a second glass. "Wines like that are dangerous!" laughs one of us. 

One year later, Julien comes to deliver the precious bottles. We can't wait to taste this "Auguste" 2022 again. But a little anxiety is palpable. Has the aging process weakened it? As soon as the cork is removed, we're reassured. The same bewitching aromas fill the room. The energy is still there, as is the magic on our taste buds. The volume, the touch, the finish... This wine is a monument and will be for many years to come!

With all this, you'd almost forget the other cuvées. And that would be a big mistake! "Manganite 2022 is made from the same wood! (well, mostly from the same grape). It's a Gamay of the highest order, precise, juicy, complex, also built for gastronomy and destined for a long, long future.