Domaine Jean-Michel Guillon & Fils La Riotte, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru, France 2020

Born in the vibrant city of Paris to parents with a military tradition, Jean-Michel Guillon took a different path. In 1980, he began his wine venture with just over 5 acres of land. Importantly, he apprenticed with the one and only Henri Jayer. He transformed this humble beginning into a sprawling estate that now encompasses 37 acres spread across more than 20 appellations. It's a story of dedication, love for the land, and the pursuit of perfection.

Alexis spent two years training at the legendary Domaine G. Roumier, one of Burgundy’s most revered estates. That kind of experience doesn’t just teach winemaking—it shapes a master. Alexis makes more than twenty wines each year, only from plots that the family owns. He believes producing wines with longevity means oak aging, and most of the wines see 100% new French oak for 15 months. These are wines that are delicious and bold in their youth and hit a wonderful stride after 3-5 years with the top wines gracefully improving for 25+ years.

Situated at the foot of grand cru Clos-Saint-Denis, La Riotte is a cru full of small stones, and it possesses a distinctively vivid, tight-grained minerality from which all other elements of the wine seem to flow. Beneath the dominating calcareous elements are gorgeous red fruits, wispy spices, and a notable floral character. Aged in one-quarter new wood for 18 months, “La Riotte” is a formidable wine that nonetheless refrains from drawing undue attention to its power.