Clos Champ

Burgundy by nature, is the slowest evolving of the classical regions in France. Afterall, they do already have over 900 years of quality winemaking history in the bank. But the past decade has started to see the pace of change pick up a fair bit as the older generation of many family owned domaines start handing over the cellar keys to a younger, savvy, next generation who have been primed for succession. With these new minds and able hands come new ideas, new energy and also new vision. Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet does not fully fit into this model as Michael Le Guellec left the family estate for many years, only returning in 2018 to pick up the reins of the estate from his elderly grandfather who retired in 1990. This also marked the return to domaine bottled wines instead of selling off the bulk of their grapes in the Clos Champ and Les Jeune Rois lieu dits.

The old family house next to the Clos Champ monopole vineyard in Brochon.

Michael Le Guellec and business partner Arnaud Ducouet have now been producing wines since the 2019 vintage and the 2023 releases are simply the finest expressions produced yet. With some handy consultation advice from the famous guru Pierre Millemann, the Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet wines are now among the most exciting village level Gevrey Chambertin wines being produced at the moment, without exception. With their slight anonymity comes exceptional value for money. But once the quality of their 2022s and 2023 vintage starts to be fully appreciated by consumers, you can expect these wines to become incrementally collectable and sought after. So my advice is get in early while you can!

Magnums of the Domaine’s Gevrey Chambertin Clos Champ 2022.

Le Guellec-Ducouet Pernand-Vergelesses Les Belles Filles Blanc 2023, 13% Abv.

First tasted in November 2023 from barrel, this beautiful new (non-domaine) white from Michael Le Guellec and Arnaud Ducouet really got everyone very excited and was a rather pleasant surprise to taste it for the first time in the domaine cellars especially seeing as their consulting oenologist is the famed Pierre Millemann, who’s own Corton-Charlemagne white made from grapes just down the road, is regarded as one of the top white wines in Burgundy. This new Pernand Blanc retasted in January 2025 is youthfully energetic showing a certain palate ripeness and aromatic complexity more in keeping with a warmer vintage, with seductive notes of honeysuckle, waxy citrus rind, lemon pastille, white peach, grilled nuts, and warm buttered white toast wafting out the glass. The palate is taut and fabulously crystalline with a chiselled bright Puligny Montrachet’esque acidity, hints of freshly baked buttered pastries and a pronounced stony, liquid limestone minerality on the finish. The final blend was assembled from one 500 litre new Cadus French oak barrel and three smaller second passage barriques. Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, this impressive wine does have more than a hint of the genius of Pierre Millemann about it. This Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc punches way above its weight grade and is an utter delight. I expect it to sell out instantly. Drink on release until 2034+.

(Wine Safari Score: 94-95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Arnaud and Michael at their cellar in November 2024.

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Hautes Cotes de Nuits Rouge 2023

As of the miniscule yielding 2024 vintage, this Hautes Cotes de Nuits red will become a Fixin Rouge appellation wine. For now, the 2023 is astonishingly bright fruited and intense with complex layered aromatics of crushed raspberries and black cherry compote with a seductive wild strawberry component. Such incredible energy and vibrancy on display, showing an overtly generous accessibility and an invitingly sweet fruited opened knit texture with expertly integrated silky oak spice tannins. If the final bottling comes close to this deliciousness, it will be a “must buy” wine for short to medium term drinking. Drink from 2025 to 2032+.

(Wine Safari Score: 91-93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey Chambertin Les Jeunes Rois 2023

Tasted from multiple Francois Freres barrels including new French oak barrels (that will make up circa 30% of the final blend) as well as used barrels, this fabulous lieu dit ‘single vineyard’ wine already displays deep dark alluring aromatics that whispers notes of black currant, sloe berries, dark forest berries and sweet Christmas spices. There’s a medium bodied silky soft fine texture together with beautifully suave sophisticated supple tannins interwoven with cool bright acids and incredibly intense finish that’s long and pure fruited with an unobtrusive kiss of oak spice. A genuinely sophisticated 2023 Gevrey that offers a notable mid-palate tension and structure that is seemingly lacking in many other domaines’ wines. Drink from 2025 to 2035.

(Wine Safari Score: 93-95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey Chambertin Champ ‘Cuvee 93’ 2023

Again, tasted from multiple Tonnelerie Hermitage new French oak barrels as well as new Cadus barrels, this wine coming from 2 hectares in the Champ lieu dit is packed full of alluring blue and black berry fruits laced with exotic Christmas spices, clove and cinnamon stick, before damson plum and savoury bramble berry spice. The acids are deliciously tangy and mouthwatering, the palate texture sleek and finely polished, coating the mouth with a weightless old vine concentration of red and black raspberry fruits. Sophisticated but also very subtle and seductive with the Cadus barrels adding a little more fatness and flesh as well as crispier acids and impressive tension on the finish. Drink from 2025 to 2034.

(Wine Safari Score: 92-93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey Chambertin Clos Champ Monopole 2023

Tasted from multiple second fill Francois Freres French oak barrels including some new Rousseau oak barrels, the wine is already incredibly lifted and perfumed with exotic aromatics of creme de cassis, black berry compote and saline black currant. Such invigorating energy and vibrancy reverberate through the wine, showing sun raisined black cherry, beautifully polished marble tannins and a cool, taut, pinpoint focus on the delicately brûléed oak spice finish. Super complexity and class from this monopole vineyard make this another ‘go-to’ wine for avid collectors in 2023. Drink 2026 to 2035+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93-94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Le Guellec-Ducouet Pernand-Vergelesses Les Belles Filles Blanc 2024

The maiden 2023 vintage of this (non-domaine) wine was simply a revelation and this new 2024 edition, tasted from a 500-litre new Cadus French oak barrel, shows deliciously succulent notes of yellow citrus fruits, white peach, lemon cordial, bergamot and crushed limestone minerality. The texture is supple and gentle, unforced, nakedly pure and sophisticated with a pervading elegance and finesse, finishing with a delicate stone fruit persistence. A subtle, understated, but supremely classy white wine. Drink from 2026 to 2034+.

(Wine Safari Score: 92-94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Le Guellec-Ducouet Savigny Les Beaune Blanc 2024

This is an exciting new white for the (non-domaine) Le Guellec-Ducouet range made from bought in fruit. Tasted from a 500-litre new Cadus French oak barrel, complex aromatics of lemon balm, lemon grass, sweet herbal tea, citrus pastille, and waxy incense notes waft from the glass. Despite its rumbunctious juvenile state, the palate is notably creamy and delicately lactic but with the purity and pithy limestone intensity of top notch white Burgundy. Already impressively harmonious and accessible, this is a wonderful new addition showing great potential. Drink from 2026 to 2032.

(Wine Safari Score: 91-92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Fixin Rouge 2024

An early examination of the 2024 Fixin Rouge in barrel (previously the Hautes Cotes de Nuits Rouge), reveals itself as aromatically seductive and smoky with deliciously broody savoury black berry fruits, earthy black currant, and smoky savoury damson plum nuances. Plush, polished, and sophisticated on the palate, this shows a gentle elegance and seductive, light touch accessibility. Very early days but developing very nicely indeed.

(Wine Safari Score: 89-92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Musigny Wines. Email andrew@musigny.wine for an En-primeur 2023 offer.

The force of gravity is more intense in Burgundy. Why else would time move so slowly there? Occasionally, a domaine will pass from father to daughter, or from mother to son. Sometimes a few rows of vines may be sold from one grower to another. But as the sun sets over the top of the region’s south-east facing slopes, it sets on the same patchwork of Grand Crus, Premier Crus and Village wines generation after generation.

Romanée-Conti is Romanée Conti, and Chambertin is Chambertin. Yet spend enough time amongst the vines and occasionally you’ll spot an anomaly. In Gevrey-Chambertin, the anomaly is a young man with a look that’s more Santa Barbara County than Hospices de Beaune: hipster beard, possibly a sleeve tattoo under his plaid shirt, an easy, laid-back personality. It’s Michael Le Guellec who is definitely not part of the old guard, but scratch below Michael’s surface and you’ll find that his vineyard land has been in his family since 1920, with some of his oldest vines planted just ten years later. You’ll find a respect for tradition – for Michael’s winemaking grandfather of course, but also for the terroir, for the environment, and for the style of wines typical of Gevrey-Chambertin: rich, flavoursome, powerful, and muscular, yet with incredible finesse. Pinot Noir that can only come from one place on earth.

For now, the domaine is still relatively unknown. Since Michael’s grandfather retired in 1990, winemaking has been on the backburner, and it’s only since Michael took over with his friend Arnaud Ducouet in 2018 that the renaissance has begun. That the domaine is already producing such exquisite wines is no accident. With winemaking overseen by Pierre Millemann, it is no surprise that the wines are luscious and elegant. This is a grower destined to become one of the must-haves of Gevrey-Chambertin. For the time being, just a few thousand bottles are being produced each vintage – from Clos Champ, the only walled vineyard in the lieu dit (planted in 1930) and from Les Jeunes Rois (planted in 1965). Other vineyards are being reworked before they’ll be considered worthy to produce wines under the domaine’s label. Eventually around 15,000 bottles could be made – and the whole world will want them. These are fabulous wines being made by imaginative, energetic, and passionate young people who want to carry their region forward, while remaining true to its history. They’re also an absolute steal… for now.

The total Pernand-Vergelesses production.

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Pernand-Vergelesses Les Belles Filles Blanc 2023, 13% Abv.

Another new wine and a rather pleasant surprise to taste it for the first time in the Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet cellars especially seeing as their consulting oenologist is Pierre Millemann, who’s own top Corton-Charlemagne white 2022 made from grapes just down the road, was recently rated 99/100 in Decanter Magazine. This new Pernand Blanc is still embryonic but already shows a certain ripeness and aromatic complexity for a warmer year, with notes of honeysuckle, waxy citrus rind, lemon pastille, white peach and warm white toast wafting out the glass. The palate is taut and crystalline with a chiselled acidity, hints of freshly baked buttered pastries and a pronounced stony, liquid limestone minerality on the finish. All components tasted from new large oak barrels but already this wine shows a wonderful core of fruit with vibrant acids and a certain linearity on the finish. An utter delight.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Looking up to the home of Michael Le Guellec.

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Bourgogne Cotes de Nuits Village 2022

Produced from grapes sourced from vineyards lying between Brochon and Fixin, the 2022 reveals a rich, intense aromatic tapestry of violets, purple rock candy, blueberry and vanilla spice. Creamy and cool, the wine shows a fabulous balance and purity with saline black currant and pithy black cherry hints. Full and compact with a sleek mid palate density and a vibrant, energetic finish. Really quite superb.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey-Chambertin Les Jeunes Rois 2022

This famous lieu dit is blended from a mixture of new and used oak barrels and displays a smoky, intense aromatics of piercing black fruits, cassis, black cherry, and black berry oyster shell reduction. Full and very fine with notable intensity, weightless concentration, supple sweet tannins, tangy mouthwatering acids, and a soft, seamless, harmonious finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Looking into Clos Champ… the walled monopole.

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Champ 2022

Produced from a wonderful old 0.8 hectare walled vineyard planted in 1930, like its sibling Les Jeunes Rois, it is a majestic blend of new and older oak portions that show a multi-layered elegance with great minerality and limestone linearity, freshness, and focus. Subtle oaking lends an added presence to the perfumed aromatics of Parma violets, black cherry, blueberry, and bramble berry fruit notes tempered on the palate by a cool glassy freshness, sweet tangy acids with purity but also great focus. A vibrant, concentrated wine that’s beautifully balanced and shows plenty of promise.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

‘Clos Champ’ Mini Vertical Tasting: 2019 to 2021

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Champ 2021, 13% Abv.

This small, concentrated vintage exhibits a spicy complexity of crushed limestone, gun smoke, and sappy spice with delicate notes of frais de bois, red plum and earthy red currant confit. The palate is incredibly compact, cool and concentrated with superb purity and precision, a beautifully harmonious creamy mouthfeel and a long, blood orange and pomegranate-tinged fleshy finish. Cool and very classy.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Champ 2020, 13.5% Abv.

The 2020 vintage consisted of six barrels with a 30% whole bunch portion included in the fermentation. The aromatics are wonderfully vibrant, with a lifted exotic perfumed expression and the exoticism of a warm dry vintage. The nose shows strawberry and raspberry notes over dusty crushed limestone minerality before a sleek, fine grained polished texture with savoury red fruits, spicy blood orange, strawberry compote, and a creamy, sappy savoury finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Champ 2019, 14% Abv.

Another rich, savoury expression that opens with perfumed aromatics and lifted exotic red fruit nuances, strawberry compote, kirsch cherry and earthy red currant. The texture is soft and fleshy, quite gentle, silky, and harmonious with a supple, elegant spicy finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Andrew Pavli at http://www.Musigny.wine

Contact: andrew@musigny.wine