Portraits of winemakers

DOMAINE DES FOURNELLES, GUILLAUME DUMONTET: AOC BROUILLY AND CÔTE DE BROUILLY WINEMAKER

“I’ve Been Driving Tractors Since I Was a Little Kid”

For Guillaume, wine is almost second nature. From a young age, he was already familiar with this world. “My grandfather and father were farmers, but they also owned vineyards which they regularly took care of. So, I grew up in the agricultural world from childhood: I’ve been driving tractors since I was very young.” After his studies, Guillaume managed a small agricultural services business. However, meeting Mariannick, who would later become his wife, changed everything. “Alain Bernillon, Mariannick’s father, is a winemaker. I often came over to work on his estate.” Guillaume’s involvement in his father-in-law’s property was so significant that Alain Bernillon hired him to work on the family estate: Domaine des Fournelles. Upon his retirement, Alain Bernillon handed over the entire estate to his son-in-law.

Focus on AOC Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly

Spanning 4 hectares of vines located on the Southeast slope of Mont Brouilly, Domaine des Fournelles focuses solely on two appellations: Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly. “These are two very different appellations,” Guillaume notes. The winemaker is dedicated to extracting the full potential of these two appellations and expressing the uniqueness of their respective terroirs. “Brouilly is the southernmost of the Beaujolais crus. It produces light and fruity wines that can be enjoyed immediately, while Côte de Brouilly wines are tannic and robust with a greater aging potential.”

A White Wine Cuvée Might Soon Be Introduced at Domaine des Fournelles

Holding several awards, including the Gold Medal at the Concours Général Agricole in Paris 2015 for the Côte de Brouilly cuvée, Domaine des Fournelles wines are featured on the wine lists of Parisian restaurants such as La Tourelle and Le Nermod. Although the estate's wine range currently includes only reds, Guillaume plans to address this in the near future. “I am currently working with an expert who is analyzing my soils to determine which type of white grape variety I could plant,” the winemaker explains. Initially, he considered Viognier but wants to broaden his options before making a decision… Stay tuned.