Domaine Saumaize Michelin
Domaine Saumaize Michelin is located in the Mâconnais sub-region of Burgundy, on the slopes of the Vergisson Rock.
It is owned by Roger and Christine Saumaize (nee Michelin), who are meticulous about their vineyards and how it is run, which results in wonderful, small-batch wines that are made in the traditional way.
A Taste of Domaine Saumaize Michelin
Roger Saumaize was born to winemaker parents and began working the vineyard when he was 14 years old. His father taught him everything he knew about winemaking and since then, Roger has been working to advance the family business. In 1977, he was gifted 4 hectares of vineyards by his father and ended up taking over his father’s whole estate by 1978.
Roger’s wife, Christine Michelin (which is where the Domaine name of Saumaize Michelin originates), shares his passion for winemaking and in 1979, the couple purchased another 1.6 hectares of La Roche vineyards in Vergisson. Since then, they have continued to expand their holdings to the 10 hectares estate they own today.
It has been said that Roger Saumaize is like an artist when crafting his wines. He is extremely passionate about what he does, and is guided more by his emotions, intuition and observations of what is occurring in his vineyards during the winemaking process than any specific technique. Saumaize is incredibly particular about the management of his vineyard and has a hand in every stage of production. The winery, as it was with his father, has become a family affair, as he, his wife and their son are all involved in the running of the winery and the production process.
This passion and attention to detail provides his wines with a strong sense of place and has made his vineyard incredibly successful. So successful, in fact, that they no longer accept new clients, due to high demand. His wines have even been praised as some of the finest white Burgundys available today.
Domaine Saumaize Michelin sits on 10 hectares, where 9.5 hectares are devoted to growing Chardonnay grapes and 0.5 hectares dedicated to Gamay, which are used to produce the estate’s Mâcon Rouge wine.
The winery produces around 6,250 cases of wine per year under three appellations: Mâcon-Villages, Saint Veran and Pouilly-Fuisse.
The Domaine is located on 10 hectares of land in Vergisson and lies on limestone, trias rock, and marl soils. The vines on the property are around 45 to 50 years old.
Most of the work on the estate is done by hand in the traditional way, including the pruning, shoot removal, trellising and harvesting. A lot of importance is placed on the bacterial life and micro flora diversity of the soils, with frequent tilling is used in order to encourage the bacterial life.
Since 2005, Domaine Saumaize Michelin has been a biodynamic farm. Biodynamic wine growing can easily be confused with organic, but there are a few things that make all the difference.
Biodynamic farming emphasises the use of manure and composts, while also rejecting the use of synthetic chemicals on crops. Its philosophy views all aspects of a farm, such as the animals, crops and soil, as a single system and that all depend on each other. It also emphasises local production, basing sowing and planting on the astrological movements of the sun and moon. In fact, some producers even incorporate spiritual and mystical practices in order to get the full potential from the land in general.
All of the parcels are vinified separately and all of their white wines are aged in French oak barrels.
Roger and Christine’s passion for winemaking is reflected in their wines, which is why they have become one of the premier white wine producers in the Mâcon region. Each wine they produce is a small work of art and dedication and displays a strong sense of place, as the terroir is evident in the final product.
For you, we have selected the 2012 Domaine Saumaize-Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse Courtelongs.
