MICHEL GUIGNIER
France, Beaujolais

Michel Guignier is cultivating 7 hectares of vineyards using organic and biodynamic techniques in Vauxrenard, Beaujolais, located on the foothills of the Central Massive on the borders to Fleurie and Chiroubles. Michel got into agriculture out of respect for the soil and future generations, certified by Agriculture Biologique and Demeter, he is passionate about biodiversity and soil quality. The soils are friable granite with degraded sandstone and vines are between 30 to 75 years old. He has chicken, rabbits, cows and his horse Bistère, who is helping him to plow, walking freely in the vineyards.

Harvest is done by hand selecting the finest grapes for the semi-carbonic maceration. Using natural occuring yeasts for fermentation brings out all the potential flavours in the grape; fruit, flowers and spices. Michel never use additives as the wines pass stages of natural subsidence and cultivation. No filtering is done. His wines develop extremely well after some years in the celler. Michel Guigniers words does make a lot of sense:

“For me wine is created in a vineyard, but not in the cellar; there we only watch it”