One of Burgundy’s most eye-opening domaines, Saumaize Michelin is owned by Roger Saumaize and Christine Michelin and the wines really are something else. Unsurprisingly we are not the only ones enchanted by this small domaine in the Mâconnais... Neal Martin, Allen Meadows and William Kelley are all worshipping at the altar of Saumaize-Michelin, and it's time we all joined them!
We have been lucky enough to taste the range and we were shocked by how well they stood up to the Cote d'Or, outshining even the odd Puligny 1er Cru. Allen Meadows continues to wax lyrical about each cuvee.
The Saumaize-Michelin family, led by Roger Saumaize and his daughter Audrey Michelin, continues a legacy of winemaking that spans generations. Their vineyards in Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint-Véran embody their commitment to the land, cultivated sustainably and organically to produce grapes that encapsulate the Mâconnais terroir.
The Wines
Roger Saumaize and Christine Michelin are based in Vergisson, which is to Pouilly-Fuisse as Montalcino is to Tuscany, and home to the region's greatest producers, including Domaines Guffens-Heynen & Daniel Barraud. They have been farming old vines (aged 50+) biodynamically since 2005, with a focus on "optimum expression of terroir" and an attempt to "capture the energy of the place". The grapes are hand-picked, and the wines undergo some gentle lees-stirring during elevage and judicious usage of new oak.
The resultant wines are utterly gorgeous. There's richness and volume, the faint hint of something exotic, but then there's also incredible tension, drive and energy.
Domaine Saumaize-Michelin's portfolio features captivating Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint-Véran wines, each a testament to the Mâconnais landscape. From the expressive Pouilly-Fuissé "Clos sur la Roche" to the mineral-driven Saint-Véran "En Crèches”.
