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Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse Retour a la Terre
Domaine Guillemot-Michel
France - Burgundy - Vire Clesse

This cuvée is produced from grapes planted in the "Champ-Rond" vineyard and vinified in 800-liter amphoras.
The wine displays the estate's typical exotic fruit aromas and ripe citrus fruits with an extra dimension of expression due to the amphora's breathing. Ample and generous in the mouth with fine acidity and fantastic purity.

 

Specifications
Appellation
Vire Clesse
Wine Type
White
Varietal(s)
100% Chardonnay
Age of vines
65 years old
Agricultural Practices
Biodynamic
Certifications
Biodyvin
Vinification
The vines are grafted on "Riparia Gloire de Montpellier" - an old root-stock that was obtained in 1880 - producing very low yields with magnificent small grapes of a deep gold color.
The small grapes ripen beautifully without a high degree of alcohol - they are picked on the last day of the harvest, and the aging in amphora gives the wine a great purity.
The wine is aged in 800-liter amphoras.

Reviews and News

2020 Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse Retour a la Terre - 93 PTS - WA

2020 Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse Retour a la Terre - 93 PTS - WA

wa93"Notes of clear honey, freshly baked bread, orange blossom and waxy citrus fruits introduce the 2020 Viré-Clessé Retour à la Terre, a medium to full-bodied, ample and textural wine framed by racy acids and chalky structure. As readers may remember, this bottling derives from old vines growing in a clay-rich parcel whose grapes were vinified in clay amphora.- William Kelley"

 - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2022), 93 pts

2019 Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse Retour a la Terre - 92+ PTS - WA

2019 Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse Retour a la Terre - 92+ PTS - WA

wa92"From old vines growing in a clay-rich parcel whose grapes were vinified in clay amphora, the 2019 Viré-Clessé Retour à la Terre offers up aromas of buttery orchard fruit, white flowers and peach. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, it's lively and concentrated, with lots of chalky extract and a long, saline finish. - William Kelley"

 - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (August 2021), 92+ pts

2018 Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse Retour a la Terre - 91 PTS - WE

2018 Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse Retour a la Terre - 91 PTS - WE

wine enthusiast 91 pts

 "A lifted sense of white currant fights through on the shy nose of this wine. The rounder palate evokes juicy yellow plum and white peach. A sense of citrus pith adds real texture while lemony depths become apparent with more time on the palate. This is unusual but the wine has vivid juiciness and its own sense of depth. - ANNE KREBIEHL MW"

 - Wine Enthusiast (December 2020), 91 pts

2017 Guillemot Michel Viré-Clessé Retour à la Terre - 93 PTS - Decanter

2017 Guillemot Michel Viré-Clessé Retour à la Terre - 93 PTS - Decanter

decanter logo 250"If you're going to buy a second-hand amphora in which to ferment your wine, it makes sense to do so from a producer as good as Guillaume Selosse in Champagne. Made with low-yielding fruit from 65-year-old vines in Quintaine, this has a lovely combination of grip and purity, showing freshness, focus and an appealingly earthy note. Drinking Window 2019 - 2022. - Tim Atkin MW"

- Decanter Magazine (November 1st 2018), 92 pts

Producer Information: Domaine Guillemot-Michel

This 7-hectare estate is located in the commune of Quintaine, adjacent to the village of Clessé, South of Burgundy. Quintaine is recognized as producing some of the finest wines of ...
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