Violot-Guillemard is a hidden jewel in Pommard that has been producing wine since 1880, and a champion of organic farming practices since 1999. In 2016, Joannès Violot-Guillemard took over responsibility of the family’s 8 hectares from his father, Thierry. Since his first vintage, Joannès has continued his father’s focus on sustainable vineyard practices, while making some big changes in the cellar, which has garnered him serious recognition. 

Joannès Violot-Guillemard very much remains a family-oriented domaine. Building on Thierry’s beliefs of wanting to keep his terroirs healthy, along with very limited technical interventions and strict choice of oak, Joannès speaks of the small changes he has introduced: “From 2019, we retained a higher proportion of whole bunches in the red wines than in the past, and I decided to rack the reds from barrel before the autumn”—to draw more purity out from his impressive range.

Across both white and red categories, Joannès is achieving great harmony in his wines. The vineyards are composed of Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, and Beaune, and beyond. In addition to making some of the top 1er crus in the Côte de Beaune, one standout cuvée is his Beaune 1er Clos des Mouches, one that Joannès believes highlights purity, precision, and the specificity of terroir in this part of the Côte d’Or. A region Joannès will continue to push forward with his natural ability as a winemaker and keen understanding of the potential waiting to be unlocked in his home turf.