The village of Pierreclos in Mâconnais region of Burgundy is famous not only for its wonderful terroirs but also for the world-known Domaine Guffens-Heynen. The domaine’s vineyards extend over 5.65 hectares on the slopes of Pierreclos, Vergisson and Davayé. The founder and persistent winemaker of the domaine is Jean-Marie Guffens, who farms his vineyards organically, though not certified.

The domaine makes stylish extraordinary wines, marked with their wonderful purity, minerality and richness. Depending on the vintage and the vineyard, on the labels additional

Details may be indicated such as ‘Tri’ — indicating selected grapes, and ‘Premier Jus’ — that the wine has been made from just the initial, and finest, juice off the press.

The top wines of the domaine are: Pouilly-Fuissé Clos des Petits-Croux, Pouilly-Fuissé Premier Cru Premiers Jus and Pouilly-Fuissé La Roche. The Pouilly-Fuissé Clos des Petits-Croux 1990 scored 100, the Pouilly-Fuissé Premier Cru Premiers Jus 2020 scored 96-98 and the Pouilly-Fuissé La Roche 1990 scored 97 by the Wine Advocate.

Robert Parker’s tasting notes on the Pouilly-Fuissé Clos des Petits-Croux 1990: “Jean-Marie Guffens considers the 1990 Pouilly-Fuissé Clos des Petits-Croux to be the finest wine he has ever made, and while he has produced some other stunners in his long career—the 1995 Chablis Valmur and the 1992 Corton-Charlemagne from Maison Verget spring to mind, along with plenty of cuvées from Domaine Guffens-Heynen—this bottle left little room for disagreement. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of buttered orchard fruit, iodine, beeswax, oatmeal and tarte tatin, it's full-bodied, stunningly multidimensional and searingly intense, with an elegantly satiny attack, an electric sense of energy, chalky underlying structure and amazing concentration. The tongue-tingling finish is almost interminable. One of the three or four best white wines I've enjoyed this year, I'm compelled to give it the highest possible score. Waxing lyrical, Guffens describes it as "a refutation of mediocrity," and it certainly shatters the glass ceiling that so often means that a wine from Pouilly-Fuissé can never garner the same accolades as a wine from Puligny-Montrachet. 588 bottles and 58 magnums were produced.”

Domaine Guffens-Heynen was founded in 1979 by Jean-Marie Guffens and his wife Maine. Since that time they have been managing their estate with love and passion and have led the domaine to world fame.

Jean-Marie Guffens and his wife Maine moved to Burgundy from Flanders in 1976. Jean-Marie Guffens studied viticulture at the agricultural school in Davayé and Maine worked with the village winegrowers. To gain experience, the couple managed a small estate in the Mâconnais for a few years and then purchased their own vineyards on the heights of Pierreclos.

Domaine Guffens-Heynen’s vineyards are managed according to the organic approach, not certified.

The usage of treatments is limited, no insecticides or herbicides are applied. The weeding is done mechanically. The grapes are harvested by hand at maturity.

In the cellars, the winemaker Jean-Marie Guffens prefers vinification with minimal interventions.

Sorting may be done before gently pressing by the vertical press. The fermentation is done naturally, without adding yeast. Maturation is conducted on lees and stirred regularly.