Violot Guillemard

History of Domaine Violot-Guillemard

The history of Domaine Violot-Guillemard has its roots in the early 20th century, in the village of Pommard. Marie-Louise Faivre (1903–1987), the founding figure of the family, first married Louis Violot, who would die prematurely, crushed by a vat. From this union were born two sons, Roger and Gilbert. Marie-Louise then married Jules Guillemard, and it was with him that she developed the estate, creating the hyphenated name Violot-Guillemard that would remain part of Pommard's history. Roger and Gilbert in turn became winemakers and carried on the family tradition.

Gilbert Violot-Guillemard (1926–1986) and his wife Madeleine (1931–2002) had six children: Alain, Jean-Luc, Guy-Joël, Thierry, Christophe, and Marielle. Thierry, husband of Estelle since 1990, joined the estate in 1978 and in 2007 bought out the shares of the other heirs. He thus became the sole operator of the Pommard Epenots, Rugiens, Platière, and Derrière Saint-Jean appellations, as well as Beaune Clos des Mouches. Today, it is Joannès Violot-Guillemard, his son, who runs the estate. Having arrived in 2014, he took charge of winemaking a few years later, imposing his style with straightforward, refined wines and long aging periods, now incorporating ceramic eggs for certain cuvées from the 2023 vintage onward.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Violot-Guillemard

The vineyard of Domaine Violot-Guillemard spans 8 hectares of prestigious crus, spread across the finest villages of the Côte de Beaune. The heart of the estate lies in Pommard, with village-level parcels and several emblematic Premiers Crus: Les Epenots, Les Rugiens, La Platière, Les Fremiers, and above all the Derrière Saint-Jean monopole, exclusive to the estate. In Beaune, the estate cultivates the prestigious 1er Cru Clos des Mouches in both red and white. The remaining parcels are spread across Volnay, Meursault (lieu-dit Les Meix Chavaux), Monthélie, and Chassagne-Montrachet, as well as a Bourgogne Côte d'Or Les Maison-Dieu cuvée.

The soils are typically Burgundian, clay-limestone throughout the vineyard, with marl-limestone nuances rich in iron oxide on the Rugiens (characteristic red soils that give the wines a deeper color), and more stony soils on Les Epenots. The plantings consist primarily of Pinot Noir for the reds and Chardonnay for the whites. The vines have been farmed organically since 1999, with official certification obtained in 2014. Joannès Violot-Guillemard practices minimal plowing to preserve soil quality, encourages biodiversity, and limits technical interventions as much as possible, in a philosophy faithful to that of his father Thierry. Harvesting is done entirely by hand, ensuring rigorous sorting and optimal grape quality.

Winemaking at Domaine Violot-Guillemard

At the Pommard cellar, located at 9 rue Sainte-Marguerite, Joannès Violot-Guillemard practices a respectful and precise winemaking approach, in the purest Burgundian tradition. For the reds, after rigorous sorting in the winery, the Pinot Noir grapes sometimes benefit from 5 to 6 days of cold pre-fermentation maceration, which is particularly necessary due to the increasingly early harvests brought about by climate change. Fermentation then takes place in wooden vats for approximately 10 days, with temperatures that can reach 32–34°C, followed by a maceration of a few days until the vat cools back down to 20–22°C. The use of whole clusters in varying proportions depending on the cuvée was introduced under Joannès.

After pneumatic pressing, two days of settling and transfer to barrel, aging continues for 14 to 18 months in oak barrels (50% new barrels with 4 years of drying, 50% one-wine barrels for the grands crus). For the whites, the grapes are delicately pressed, settled, then fermented in barrels, followed by aging on the lees. Since the 2023 vintage, Joannès Violot-Guillemard has also been incorporating ceramic eggs for the aging of certain cuvées, seeking an even purer expression of terroir. This move upmarket has been accompanied by considerable international critical acclaim (Wine Advocate, Allen Meadows, and the specialist press), with strong demand for the most prestigious cuvées, which are often sold out quickly.

The cuvées of Domaine Violot-Guillemard

The Bourgogne Pinot Noir is the estate's entry-level wine. A fresh and fruity wine, marked by aromas of cherry and raspberry, with a supple palate and fine tannins, true to the house's characteristic elegance.

The Bourgogne Côte d'Or Les Maison-Dieu is a refined single-parcel cuvée. A Pinot Noir with a transparent ruby robe and brown highlights, marked by pure fruit and a fine mineral structure, in a refined and approachable style.

The Meursault Les Meix Chavaux is one of the estate's most iconic white wines. A refined, taut Chardonnay with a crystalline texture, marked by complex aromas of yellow fruits, toasted almonds, and flint, underpinned by a sharp minerality.

The Beaune Saint Désiré is an elegant village-level white cuvée. A Chardonnay with a toasty and grilled nose, featuring an aromatic palate and a balanced finish characteristic of the house style.

The Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc is one of the estate's prestige cuvées. An elegance-driven Chardonnay, marked by a precise mineral structure, complex aromas of white fruits and toasted hazelnut, with a long and persistent finish.

The Beaune en Lulune (sometimes labeled according to the critic selections of Vésale or Garfield) is a village-level red cuvée from the estate. A generous Pinot Noir that expresses itself through fruit, marked by notes of red fruits and a lovely mouthfeel, with a slightly peppery finish.

The Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge is one of the estate's great red cuvées. A deep and complex Pinot Noir, marked by refined aromas of red and black fruits, supported by a noble tannic structure and outstanding aging potential.

The Pommard Village is a cuvée representative of the appellation that is home to the estate. A full-bodied and deep Pinot Noir, marked by aromas of ripe black fruits, gentle spices, and licorice, supported by a solid tannic structure characteristic of Pommard.

The Pommard 1er Cru Fremiers is a full-bodied and flavorful Premier Cru. A Pinot Noir with a lovely mouthfeel, some tannins, a beautiful length, marked by notes of strawberry, pepper, and a slightly firm finish. A structured and elegant cuvée from the estate.

The Pommard 1er Cru Platière is another emblematic Premier Cru of the estate. A deep and complex Pinot Noir, marked by a dense substance, aromas of black fruits and spices, supported by a fine tannic structure and a persistent finish.

The Pommard 1er Cru Les Epenots is one of the estate's absolute flagships. A Pinot Noir of infinite length, considered one of the two undeniable Grands Crus of Pommard along with Les Rugiens. A deep, elegant wine built for long cellaring.

The Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens is "the" Pommard par excellence, in the estate's own words. This terroir produces a powerful and virile wine, tamed by a winemaking approach using destemming and moderate punch-downs. The wines from Les Rugiens, on red soils rich in iron oxide, are more deeply colored than the other Premiers Crus and offer, like Les Epenots, an infinite length. An undeniable Grand Cru.

The Pommard 1er Cru Derrière Saint-Jean Monopole is one of the estate's crown jewels, an exclusive monopole of the Violot-Guillemard family. A Pinot Noir of great class, elegant and refined, with meticulous substance and exceptional aging potential. The 1993 vintage, tasted at 20 years of age, still revealed freshness, tart red fruits, melted tannins, and a delicate finish, testifying to the nobility of this unique cuvée.