Domaine Emmanuel Giboulot is a biodynamic winery founded in 1985 by Emmanuel Giboulot in Beaune, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France. Emmanuel, a second-generation organic farmer, inherited his father Paul Giboulot’s commitment to organic viticulture, pioneered in the 1970s. The domaine spans ~12–14 hectares of mostly rented vineyards across Côte de Beaune, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, Côte Chalonnaise, and Beaujolais, producing ~25,000 bottles annually of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Pinot Beurot (Pinot Gris). Certified organic since 1985 and biodynamic since 1996, Giboulot’s wines, labeled as Bourgogne, Côte de Beaune, Rully 1er Cru, Saint-Romain, and Vin de France, are known for their purity, minerality, and minimal intervention, with no new oak and minimal sulfites (0–70 mg/L). His 2014 legal battle against mandatory pesticide spraying for flavescence dorée cemented his global reputation as a biodynamic advocate, with 70–80% of wines exported to Europe, the US, and Asia. Emmanuel’s mentorship of Pierre Fenals (Maison En Belles Lies) ties him to your Burgundy biodynamic network.

Winemaking Philosophy

• Organic and Biodynamic Viticulture: Certified organic (1985) and biodynamic (1996), with 20–60-year-old vines (25–38 hl/ha yields) on clay-limestone soils in Côte de Beaune (La Grande Châtelaine, Les Pierres Blanches, La Combe d’Eve), Saint-Romain, Rully, and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits (En Grégoire, Sous le Mont). No synthetic chemicals; only organic composts, plowing, and biodynamic treatments (e.g., horn manure, silica, herbal teas) are used, following lunar cycles. Manual harvesting, grass cover, and biodiversity (e.g., wildflowers, butterflies) enhance soil health. Emmanuel tills soils, prunes meticulously, and adjusts foliage to manage humidity, as seen in La Grande Châtelaine’s Chardonnay plots.

• Natural Winemaking: Minimal-intervention cellar in Beaune’s stone barn. Whites (Chardonnay, Pinot Beurot, Bourgogne Blanc, Côte de Beaune Les Pierres Blanches, Rully 1er Cru La Pucelle, Combe d’Eve) are direct-pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts in old oak casks (no new oak since 2003), and aged 10–12 months without lees stirring. Reds (Pinot Noir, Gamay, Beaune Lulune, En Grégoire, Terres Beaujolaises, Morgon) ferment in stainless steel or open oak vats (10–14 days, whole-cluster for some), aged 10–12 months in used 228L barrels. Minimal SO₂ (0–70 mg/L) at bottling; no chaptalization, fining, or heavy filtration. A mechanical screw press ensures gentle extraction, and wines clarify naturally. Lunar cycles guide cellar work. Wines are pure, with fruit-driven reds (raspberry, currant) and mineral-driven whites (floral, citrus).

• Grape Varieties and Cuvées:

  • Whites: Chardonnay (Côte de Beaune Les Pierres Blanches Blanc, 4.0/404, $40–60, mineral, white fruit), Chardonnay/Pinot Beurot (Bourgogne Blanc, 3.9/226, $30–50, refined, rich), Chardonnay (Rully 1er Cru La Pucelle, 4.1/118, $50–70, precise, floral), Chardonnay (Combe d’Eve, 4.1/454, $45–65, vibrant), Chardonnay (La Grande Châtelaine, 3.9/374, $40–60), Chardonnay (Saint-Romain En Chevrot Blanc, 3.8/83), Chardonnay (Terres Burgondes Blanc, 3.8/207).

  • Reds: Pinot Noir (Beaune Lulune, 4.0/160, $40–56, red berry, silky), Pinot Noir (En Grégoire Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, 3.7/50, $32–45, fresh), Pinot Noir (Saint-Romain En Chevrot Rouge, 3.9/134, $35–55), Gamay (Terres Beaujolaises, 3.9/111, $25–40, jammy), Gamay (Morgon, 3.8/61, $30–50), Pinot Noir (Côte de Beaune Les Pierres Blanches Rouge, 4.0/92, $40–60), Pinot Noir (Dessine-Moi Un Pin, ot, 3.8/47).

• Terroir: Côte de Beaune’s clay-limestone soils yield mineral whites; Hautes-Côtes de Nuits’ silty-clay slopes add spice to reds. Rully’s well-drained soils enhance La Pucelle’s finesse; Saint-Romain’s limestone offers balance. Beaujolais plots contribute Gamay’s fruitiness.

Background

• Founder: Emmanuel Giboulot, born ~1950s–60s, grew up on his father Paul’s organic farm in Burgundy, which included ~5 hectares of vines and 80 hectares of grain/crops. Paul pioneered organic viticulture in the 1970s, a rarity then. Emmanuel briefly pursued acting before returning to Beaune in 1975, starting his domaine in 2010 with ~0.8 hectares. Despite skepticism from landowners wary of organic farming, he expanded to ~12–14 hectares by 1993, renting plots in Beaune, Rully, and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. His 2014 court case, refusing pesticide sprays for flavescence dorée, drew global support, reinforcing his biodynamic stance.

• Vision: To craft pure, unadulterated wines that express terroir through biodynamic farming, avoiding chemicals and new oak to preserve fruit and minerality. Emmanuel’s advocacy, via Renaissance des vignes (founded 2001 with Nicolas Joly), promotes organic viticulture globally.

• Scale: ~12–14 hectares (mostly rented, ~5.3 hectares in Côte de Beaune) produce ~25,000 bottles across 13 parcelés cuvées. High demand limits availability; 70–80% exported (e.g., T Edward Wines, US; Dynamic Vines, UK). The team includes Pierre Fenals (viticulture/vinification) and trainees like Yumiko (2006).

• Challenges: Frost (e.g., 2021) and initial resistance to his organic practices (1980s) were hurdles, but biodynamics and his 1996 certification ensure vine health. His 2014 conviction (later overturned) for defying pesticide mandates highlighted systemic tensions, but public support validated his approach.