Julien Guillot Bourgogne Rouge Les Crays 2023

Clos des Vignes du Mayne is a family estate in Cruzille, in the south of Burgundy, owned by the Guillots since 1952 and farmed without synthetic chemicals across five generations. Les Crays is a Pinot Noir bottled as Bourgogne Rouge, grown on the clay and limestone soils of the Mâconnais hills. The diurnal swing between warm days and cool nights holds the grape's natural acidity, which is central to the freshness of Pinot Noir at this latitude. Farming is biodynamic and the wine is made naturally, fermented with native yeasts and given minimal sulphur so that the fruit and soil show clearly. Ageing runs to 12 months in used French oak barrels, chosen for gentle oxygenation rather than oak flavour, which keeps the tannins supple and the fruit in front. The colour is pale ruby. The nose offers red cherry, raspberry and plum, with rose petal and a forest-floor earthiness. The palate is medium bodied and fresh, with fine-grained tannins, a touch of mint and a savoury, mineral finish. Serve at 15 to 16 degrees. It pairs naturally with roast duck, chicken and mushroom dishes.