2023 Saint Véran, Lieu (Inter)dit

“The maverick of the Mâconnais may be nearing retirement, but Jean-Marie Guffens hasn't lost his touch. In fact, he's producing some of the most virtuosic wines of his entire career”.

So writes William Kelley, Editor in Chief and Burgundy reviewer for the Wine Advocate.

We have been importing Jean-Marie’s wines – both Domaine Guffens-Heynen and Maison Verget - for more than 30 years now and our enthusiasm for the wines is as strong as ever, as is that of our customers. We taste the wines regularly and can state without hesitation that there is no better value to be found in Burgundy. These wines will stand up to, and frequently knock sideways, much grander names from the Côte d’Or.

The brilliant Saint-Véran Lieu (Inter)dit from Maison Verget is one of Jean-Marie’s benchmark wines, and is back with the 2023 vintage. Jean-Marie rates his 2023s as a match for his outstanding 2020s, as does William Kelley, and so do we.

The fruit for “Lieu (Inter)dit” comes mostly from the the “Côte Rotie” vineyard – a name bizarrely banned from use on the label due to risk of confusion with the red wines from the Northern Rhône – with a small amount fruit from the tiny “Terres Noires” vineyard. Only the juice from the first press is used. The literal translation of Lieu Interdit - forbidden place – is a small dig at the authorities by Jean-Marie. 

At £220 per dozen in bond, or £210 per dozen for two cases or more, there are few wines, if any, that will match this for quality. Drink it this weekend, or watch it develop over the next decade (or both).

“Domaine Guffens-Heynen may be the label that makes collectors line up in wait, but Maison Verget has long ranked as one of the Mâconnais's top addresses in its own right. The 2023 vintage, a strong rival to the house's 2020 portfolio, only underlines that.” – William Kelley