Wine Advisor
Guffens Heynen, Macon Pierreclos 1er Jus de Chavigne 2019
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Mâcon-Pierreclos ";Premier Jus de Chavigne"; is beautifully defined on the nose with red apple, citrus peel, peach skin and light walnut aromas, very focused and poised. The palate is wonderfully balanced with a killer line of acidity and salinity that counters the richness; the 2019 is long and very persistent on the finish that would give most Premier Crus in the Côte d’Or a run for their money. Brilliant.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2019 Mâcon-Pierreclos 1er Jus de Chavigne is performing superbly in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of orange oil, citrus zest, warm toast and pear. Medium to full-bodied, immensely concentrated and complete, it's seamless and penetrating, underpinned by a tangy spine of acidity and concluding with a long, saline finish. This 2019 combines the cut of a vintage such as 2017 with the hyper-concentrated, almost "passerillé" style of a year such as 2015—a rare combination that should age prodigiously well.
About the Producer
Jean-Marie Guffens-Heynen is renowned as a Chardonnay master, who has played a crucial role in enhancing the reputation of Mâconnais wines. Through the success of his small Vergisson domain, this region has become a notable destination for wine lovers. In the 1970s, Jean-Marie and his wife Maine made the bold decision to leave their native Flanders. Within three years, they became the owners of several plots on the slopes of Pierreclos. Today, their vineyard spans 5.3 hectares across the hillsides of Pierreclos, Vergisson, and Davayé. The vines are treated with natural methods, without any chemicals, and grapes are hand-harvested only when they reach optimal maturity, sometimes in several stages. In the cellar, the grapes are gently pressed and left to ferment naturally with native yeast. The wine is then aged on the lees and never filtered. This simple, natural approach has earned Guffens-Heynen's wines a solid reputation for their purity, precision, generosity, tension, and minerality. They have become highly sought-after, but difficult to procure due to the low production quantities. Jean-Marie Guffens-Heynen's colorful personality is well-known not only in the Mâconnais but also as the owner of Domaine des Tourettes in the Lubéron (since 1997) and Château Closiot in Sauternes (since 2017). Domaine Guffens-Heynen has established itself as the ultimate reference in the Mâconnais, and Jean-Marie's talents in the vineyard are universally acknowledged. His mastery of Chardonnay has given new life to this region. Highly respected by his peers, praised by critics, and fervently sought-after by wine enthusiasts, Jean-Marie's wines have long stood out for their quality.
