Jerome Guichard

In southeastern Burgundy, away from the famed Côte-d’Or, Jérôme Guichard cultivates 2.5 hectares of Chardonnay and Gamay, producing bold, unconventional natural wines. A former landscape architect, Jérôme sharpened his approach to ripe fruit and careful barrel ageing working with Beaujolais grower Philippe Jambon. In 2011 he purchased Guy Blanchard’s domaine in Montbellet, inheriting old vines, a limestone farmhouse and a simple cellar. Guy’s rich, pure Chardonnay style, established since 2007, remains central to Jérôme’s winemaking.

Jérôme practises deeply natural viticulture. His old, moss-covered vines sit among grass, herbs and wildflowers that grow between the rows and lift aromatic complexity in the wines. Since 2019 he has stopped ploughing and ceased using copper sprays for mildew—even when permitted under organic rules—accepting lower yields as part of a commitment to healthier soils and more expressive fruit.

In the cellar Jérôme follows a minimalist philosophy: no additions, no removals. He begins with very ripe grapes and allows long, steady fermentations. Wines may age for up to five years, or longer when needed, until the wines’ sometimes sharp acidity finds balance with fruit. His Chardonnays are generally vinified and bottled parcel by parcel to highlight each site’s distinct character.

Local terroir defines Jérôme’s range. A ten-minute walk from the winery, Bouchat Chardonnay sits on mainly clay soils and demonstrates the grape’s range of density and texture; it is his most traditionally Mâconnais expression, with gentle floral notes. Ten minutes further, beyond a 13th‑century Hospitallers’ church, Les Perrières is planted on large limestone and, in good vintages, can reach the noble stature of a great white Burgundy. Since 2017 he has also planted Gamay at Promess, a steep east-facing slope near Viré-Clessé; despite the cooler exposure, ripeness is normally achieved and the Gamay shows a deep, almost carob-like mix of brooding weight and bright textural detail.

As natural winemaking spreads, Jérôme Guichard’s patient, careful approach remains distinctive. With plain labels and no gimmicks, his wines speak softly but clearly: a vigneron who waits and listens, proving that less often produces more and that slower, deliberate work yields better results.