Please join me in welcoming Benjamin Guilbert to the world stage with his impressive new entries into the Burgundy landscape. This year I am proud to welcome a Savigny-les-Beaune producer into the fold and showcase what this sub-region has to offer.
Founded in 2020 by Benjamin Guilbert and Réne Gillet, Domaine Guilbert-Gillet was born from the passion of a young winemaker keen to make his stamp on the Burgundy region. Sitting in the region of Savigny-les-Beaune, the estate covers 3.6 hectares of vineyards in Savigny and Chorey.
As a new vigneron, Benjamin Guilbert did not come from a winemaking family. He has carved his own path in the wine world beginning with oenology studies in Macon, followed by an oenologue diploma in Montpellier. He then pursued a Master of Science at the International Organization of Vine and Wine, where he was able to travel across 25 countries in just 11 months! During this period, Benjamin worked at some of the world’s most renowned estates, including Château Smith-Haut Lafitte, Château Haut-Brion, Domaine de Montille, Domaine Zind Humbrecht, Domaine Trimbach, Domaine Guigal, and Clos de Lambrays. Naming his mentor as Jacky Truchot, a former Morey-Saint-Denis based producer, being one of his greatest inspirations.
Thanks to all this indepth study and dedication to the craft, Benjamin and his wife were able to take on their next challenge, their own wine estate.
Not compromising on quality, the couple sought out the best plots they could find and finally landed in the classic Burgundy region, in the heart of Savigny Les Beaune. With entry into the Burgundy region nigh on impossible now, it was thanks to an investor, Réne Gillet, that this project came to life. Thus the Guilbert-Gillet Domaine was secured in 2020. A modest estate with a small house hidden away among the vines, the winery sitting beneath the house ready for production. Remaining small in plots, it allows Benjamin and his wife Caroline to manage the estate as a whole, working tirelessly to bring their first few vintages to life.
Among the vines, Benjamin is committed to organic and sustainable viticulture, keeping the vines pruned and trained on trellising systems. By focusing on the nuances of each plot, they are able to shape their offering into parcel specific cuvees presenting the terroirs of Savigny in all their glory. The family-owned winery operates 3.6 hectares of vineyards, including 0.5 hectares of white, situated in the heart of Savigny and Chorey (only one vineyard). The wines are a true reflection of the unique terroir of the appellation, and they take great pride in producing some of the finest wines in the area, including 1er Cru Rouvrettes, and 1er Cru Les Peuillets.
With each vintage, the wines have continued to evolve. Beginning with 14 negoce and 3 domaine, their 2023 vintage is now all domaine fruit with just a couple of negoce cuvées to round out the selection. They are fast becoming sought after wines demanded on the market to rival that of any top Burgundy producer. Please do not delay in introducing yourself to this collection.
Benjamin Guilbert does not have critics taste his selection of wines. We invite you to interpret your own flavour profile of the wines over time.
- BOURGOGNE ALIGOTE "AUX BOUTIERES" 2022
- BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR "LES PERRIERES" 2022
- BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY "LES PERRIERES" 2022
- SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE RED 2022
From the plots of ‘Les Bas Liards’, ‘Les Planchots’ and ‘Les Prévaux’. - SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE "AUX FOURCHES" 2021
From ‘Aux Fourches’, south of the Premier Cru ‘Aux Fournaux’. - SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE "LES PLANCHOTS DU NORD" 2022
From a Village plot in the south-east of the appellation along the river Rhoin. - CHOREY-LES-BEAUNE "LES BEAUMONTS" 2022
From the village plot ‘Les Beaumonts’ sitting just west of the Savigny-Les-Beaune border. - SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE WHITE 2022
- SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE "AUX PETITS LIARDS" 2022
From ‘Aux Petits Liards’, a south-facing plot south of the Premier Cru ‘Aux Gravains’. - SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE "LES ECHALAS" 2022
- MOREY-SAINT-DENIS "CORVEE CREUNILLE" 2022
From a north-east Morey plot, close to the Gevrey-Chambertin border. - SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE 1ER CRU "LES PEUILLETS" 2022
From ‘Les Peuillets’, an east-facing plot south of ‘Les Narbantons’ and the river Rhione. - SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE 1ER CRU "LES ROUVRETTES" 2022
From the Premier Cru site ‘Rouvrettes’ sitting west to ‘Les Jarrons’ and south to the river Rhion. - POMMARD 1ER CRU "SAUSSILLES" 2022
Bordering Beaune, Premier Cru plot ‘Saussilles’ sits alongside other premier cru sites of ‘Les Pezerolles’ and ‘Petits Epenots’. - MOREY-SAINT-DENIS 1ER CRU "LES MILLANDES" 2022
A central Premier Cru ‘Les Millandes’ sits east to Grand Cru plots of ‘Chabiots’ and ‘Fremieres’. - CORTON GRAND CRU "LE ROGNET" 2022