Old Vines, New Vision: The Story of Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet
We are pleased to introduce Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet as one of the newest additions to our portfolio.
The Brochon-based domaine was founded by Michaël Le Guellec and his friend Arnaud Ducouet. Michaël left his family's winery years ago, but returned to the estate in 2018 to revive the winemaking tradition that had been dormant since his grandfather's retirement in 1990. Arnaud left the banking industry for this project. With a new vision, they retrieved and rejuvenated the vineyards that had been previously leased out, and began crafting terroir-driven wines from their own parcels.
The 3.7ha estate comprises small, hard-to-come-by parcels including the monopole 'Clos Champ' , as well as the 96-year-old (as of 2026) vines in the lieu-dit 'Champ'. These precious holdings allow the domaine to produce focused cuvées that highlight the character of each parcel.
Michaël and Jack, his cat, at the entrance of the estate.
The oak treatment in the cuvées demonstrate the precision in Michaël's and Arnaud's winemaking. Different brands, sizes and ages of barrels, have been experimented and applied to individual cuvées, to enable the best expression of each terroir.
The 2023 vintage marks only their fifth release, yet the wines already show remarkable confidence and clarity. Reviews in notes and points given by professionals and in community platforms are consistently positive. In tastings, they easily stand alongside wines from their more-established neighbours. The wines have also performed well beyond their classification.
What immediately stands out, when you drink the wines, is the energy and precision. They taste youthful, present layered aromatics, vibrant lift, and polished tannins. The balance reflects careful vineyard work and thoughtful winemaking, while the oak is used with restraint to support the character of each terroir.
Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet represents the new generation of Burgundy growers who quietly build a reputation through serious vineyard work and thoughtful winemaking. We would like to think they are in the pipeline from being today's under the radar to tomorrow's cult. Hence, enjoy the experience of discovering 'Burgundy's Brightest New Talent', without hype, without hefty mark up, without annoying allocation games.
One of the 228-litre Rousseau barrels in the winery spotted during our 2022 visit. Michaël and Arnaud aged the previous vintages of 'Les Jeunes Rois' in Rousseau barrels, but thought the oak did not integrate that harmoniously with the wine. They switched to Françoise Frères for the 2023 vintage and were much more satisfied with the outcome.
We have these cuvées:
Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Pernand-Vergelesse 'Les Belles Filles' 2023
This is a new cuvée, the 2023 vintage is its inaugural release. It is a négociant project produced from purchased grapes. The wine is crafted in consultation with renowned oenologist Pierre Millemann, whose own Corton-Charlemagne is widely regarded as one of the finest white wines in Burgundy.
About the 'Les Belles Filles':
A well-regarded climat at the foot and on the north-east of the Corton hill, Cote de Beaune. The terroir is characterised by very calcareous clay and limestone in the soil. Its proximity to the prestigious Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne gives wines from this vineyard a similar taste profile to its prestigious neighbour - citrus rind, saline minerality and flinty reduction. You have most likely come across this site from the likes of Domaine Ramonet and Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey.
Grape: Chardonnay
Parcel : ‘Les Belles Filles’, a lieu-dit in Pernand Vergelesses
Soil : Clay-Limestone, marl
Fermentation: In casks with indigenous yeasts. Fining for protein stability
Ageing: 11 months in 1 Cadus 500-litre new barrel and 3 used 228-litre barrels.
Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey-Chambertin 'Les Jeunes Rois' 2023
'Les Jeunes Rois' is a village-level lieu-dit in the northern part of Gevrey-Chambertin, near Brochon. Wines from this plot often demonstrate intense red berry, plum, and earthy notes, with supple tannins, minerals and elegant structures.
Grape : Pinot Noir
Parcel : 'Les Jeunes Rois', 0.34ha estate-owned plot in North Gevrey-Chambertin
Soil : Clay-Limestone
Yield : 50 hl/ha in 2022
Average age of vines : 60 years old.
Type of agricultural practice : sustainable agriculture with products authorised for the French organic label and biocontrol products. No herbicides. Certified HEV (High Environmental Value).
Fermentation: cold pre-fermentation in stainless steel tanks, indigenous yeasts, mostly pumping overs, all destemmed. No filtration, no fining
Ageing: 15 months in barrels (30% new oak from tonnellerie François frères), then 2 months in a tank.
Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey-Chambertin Champ ’93’ 2023
'Champ' is another village-level lieu-dit in northern Gevrey-Chambertin, near Brochon. It is a cool site, and often features old vines in various domaines.
Grape : Pinot Noir
Parcel : 'Champ', 0.67ha estate-owned plot in North Gevrey-Chambertin
Soil : Clay-Limestone
Yield : 50 hl/ha in 2023
Average age of vines : Plot planted in 1930
Type of agricultural practice : sustainable agriculture with products authorised for the French organic label and biocontrol products. No herbicides. Certified HEV (High Environmental Value).
Fermentation: cold pre-fermentation in stainless steel tanks, indigenous yeasts, mostly pumping overs, all destemmed. No filtration, no fining.
Ageing: 15 months in barrels (30% new oak from tonnellerie Cadus and tonnellerie Ermitage), then 2 months in a tank.
Cat @ Clos Champ (@domaineleguellecducouet)
Domaine Le Guellec-Ducouet Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Champ 2023
'Clos Champ' is a walled, monopole vineyard solely owned by the Le Guellec family.
Grape : Pinot Noir
Parcel: Clos Champ, 0.8ha estate-owned plot in Gevrey-Chambertin
Soil : Clay-Limestone
Yield : 50 hl/ha in 2023
Average age of vines : Mostly 90 years old, and a small part 40 years old
Type of agricultural practice : sustainable agriculture with products authorised for the French organic label and biocontrol products. No herbicides. Certified HEV (High Environmental Value).
Fermentation: cold pre-fermentation in stainless steel tanks, indigenous yeasts, mostly pumping overs, all destemmed. No filtration, no fining.
Ageing: 15 months in barrels (30% new oak from tonnellerie Rousseau), then 2 months in a tank.