Raphaëlle Guyot is one of France’s most exciting young winemakers. In just her late 20’s she has established her winery in her home region of Yonne. The winery sits on the periphery of what is still considered Burgundy, being geographically almost closer to the Loire than it is to the heart of Burgundian production. After obtaining a BTS viticulture-oenology diploma in Beaune in 2015, she trained in different domains across France (Domaine Thibault Liger Belair at Nuits Saint-Georges, Domaine de la Grange Tiphaine in Amboise, Vincent Pinard at Sancerre, Clos du Rouge Gorge in Latour-de-France).

In 2018, she returned to her native land in Puisaye-Forterre, on the borders of Burgundy and halfway between Sancerre and Chablis. Raphaëlle is intrepid in her viticulture endeavours, seeing potential in the 0.5ha Les Hates parcel that was completely overgrown by wild vegetation and fruit trees, and painstakingly working it back to life to producing outstanding Pinot Noir. The vines she works with are always densely planted, and she believes that working the soils hard and regularly at the start, couple with biodynamic farming, is the key to producing exceptional quality fruit in the future. She began her Domaine with only 1.5ha under vine, and has replanted another 3ha with 6 more to come from a plot of land she has converted to mixed biodynamic farming. Raphaëlle has dreams to increase this to an impressive 15ha, and encourage diversity in the crops on the farm, including oat, wheats and lentils. She is actively integrating cattle and livestock into her vineyards and farms.

All of her wines display a distinct freshness and the deft touch of a mature winemaker who is committed to working in a low intervention manner, but who will intervene where necessary. Although a big chunk of the production is from fruit purchased negociant style, the more she plants and begins to cultivate and produce from her own grapes, the more she believes the quality of the wines will improve and take on a greater identity.