The domaine
“Si vis pacem, para vinum”
"If you want peace, prepare the wine"
The history of Les Vignes du Maynes dates back to the year 910—the earliest written record mentioning the existence of the Clos in Cruzille. For many years, the monks of the Abbey of Cluny farmed these vineyards, which were then known as “Moynes” (a French archaic spelling for monks). In 1540, the name evolved from “Vignes du Moynes” to “Vignes du Maynes.”
The Clos was marked by a series of boundary stones bearing the coat of arms of the Abbey of Cluny. One of these stones is currently on display in the tasting cellar, while five others remain in their original locations throughout the estate.
A story of pioneers
Long owned by the Lords of the Château de Cruzille, the estate then belonged to five generations of farmers before being acquired in 1952 by Pierre and Jeanne Guillot.
From the outset, Pierre elected to make wines using organic farming, without any chemicals, weedkillers, insecticides and without sulfur.
First Organic Market
In 1972, in Brançion (Saône-et-Loire), local producers organized the very first organic market in France. Fruits, vegetables, poultry, meat, and wine... all guaranteed to be free of chemical products, with a public that was won over from the very first edition! At the head of the organization, Pierre Guillot!
Les Vignes du Maynes is a member of the European Federation of Cluniac Sites, and their bid to be included on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The heritage and the knowledge of the monks of Cluny is a constant feature at Vignes du Maynes, and it continues to be promoted through dynamic and innovative actions, making it a living site more than ever.
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The domain has always been chemical-free
Committed organic farming
Alain led the estate in this same philosophy. Speaker at the Beaujeu school next to Susanne Michon, Xavier Florin, Claude and Lydia Bourguignon as well as Pierre Rabhi, he was very involved in the legislative aspect and, as President of the National Federation of Organic Agriculture (FNAB), he was responsible for having Philippe Vasseur, Minister of Agriculture, sign the recognition of the logo AB as well as all specifications.
Warranty certificate – 1967
Warranty certificate – 1976
Communication document from the 80s - Front
Communication document from the 80s - Back
Communication document from the 90s
Maynistan Libre
Julien joined his father in 1998 where he introduced the first biodynamic preparations. He officially took over the estate in 2001 and decided to convert all 7 hectares to this method of cultivation. In addition to the 7 hectares of the domain, Julien and his team have been operating Clos Fourneau (0.4 hectares) since 2017 and Martailly (1.25 hectares) since 2018 on a lease basis.
Vive le Maynistan libre !
