Guffens-Heynen Estate

The history of the Guffens-Heynen Estate

Sensitivity, Creativity and Passion

Of Flemish origin,Maine and Jean-Marie Guffens-Heynensettle inBurgundyIn 1976, upon settling in France, they decided to dedicate a year to learning French and exploring the world of wine. Their respective backgrounds were far removed from viticulture, as Maine had trained in Fine Arts and Jean-Marie in theater and architecture. Consequently, they had no significant experience in the wine industry at that time, but they possessed a great sensitivity and creativity combined with a genuine passion for wine.

Upon arriving in France, Jean-Marie trained as a winemaker, studying viticulture at the agricultural college in Davayé. Maine, meanwhile, worked alongside the village winemakers. They both learned how to cultivate the vines, and Jean-Marie learned how to make wine. In 1979, they purchased plots of vines inPierreclosStill amateurs at that time, they compensated for this lack of experience by working the vines and making wine almost instinctively.

Today,Jean-Marie Guffensis multifaceted. Man manages both hisVerget trading company,its property ofChâteau des Tourettes(Luberon) and his Château Closiot (Barsac) – all these activities represent challenges for this wine enthusiast. He manages them all so well that his Burgundy wines and estate tours are rare and sought after by connoisseurs.

In the lands of Burgundy

An exceptional terroir

To date, the estate covers 5.3 hectares within the municipalities ofPierreclos, Vergisson and Davayéon the appellationsfrom Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, Mâcon-VillagesJean-Marie and Maine have decided to exclude chemical treatments. The vines are thus cultivated naturally and very simply. During the harvest, the estate picks the grapes by hand at full maturity to preserve the whole bunches. The grapes are always tasted and sorted several times. If they are not good, they are set aside. For Jean-Marie and Maine, “the best wine is made using the best grapes.”

This exacting standard during the harvest is also applied during the winemaking process. Gentle pressing using a vertical press is employed, fermentation occurs naturally (without the addition of yeast), and after bottling (without filtration), the wines are aged on their lees. All these demanding steps allow the estate to produce authentic wines of incredible purity.Guffens-Heynenare recognized worldwide for their authenticity and quality.

The wines of Domaine Guffens-Heynen

Authentic wines of very high quality

The estate produces an average of 20,000 bottles per year. The couple's instinctive and intuitive approach is truly the signature of theGuffens-Heynen Estate.Among the house's iconic vintages, you will find:

• The Saint-Véran Village “Unique Cuvée” ofGuffens-Heynen Estate.This cuvée comes from vineyard plots located in the Saint-Véran appellation. Chardonnay is the sole grape variety used to produce this cuvée, which boasts incredible elegance and richness.
• Mâcon-Pierreclos “Le Chavigne” ofGuffens-Heynen Estateis produced on a plot of just over 3 hectares. The vines are between 10 and 80 years old. The harvest is done entirely by hand. Just like the “Cuvée Unique”,Le ChavigneThis wine from Domaine Guffens-Heynen is produced from Chardonnay grapes. It is exceptionally rich and will delight your palate.