Domaine Céline et Frédéric Gueguen
Overview
Domaine Céline et Frédéric Gueguen is based in Préhy, in the southern part of the Chablis region. Their vineyards are concentrated on the south side of Chablis, which spared them the worst of the 2024 frost and hail damage. They produce an unusually wide range including Saint-Bris Sauvignon, Bourgogne Aligoté, a Sacy Coteaux Bourguignons, and several Chablis premier crus and one grand cru (Bougros). Frédéric and Céline were both born in 1975 — hence their old-vine cuvée “La Vigne de 1975” (“our young vine bottling,” jokes Gilman).
Appellations
- Chablis (villages, vieilles vignes “La Vigne de 1975,” premier crus: Vosgros, Vaillons, Vaucoupin, Fourchaume, and grand cru Bougros)
- Saint-Bris Sauvignon “Curiosité de Bourgogne”
- Bourgogne Aligoté “la Vigne de Marie-Louise” (planted 1965)
- Bourgogne Chardonnay “Côtes Salines” (Kimmeridgian soils in Préhy, outside Chablis AOC)
- Petit Chablis
- Sacy Coteaux Bourguignons “Cépages Confidential”
Key Wines
- Chablis “Vaucoupin” (premier cru, 50yo vines) — 93 pts in 2024: “excellent backend energy and lift”
- Chablis “Vaillons” (premier cru, 60yo vines) — 92+ pts in 2024: “excellent bottle”
- Chablis “Vosgros” (premier cru) — 92 pts in 2024
Style Notes
Pure, mineral-driven Chablis across the range. Frédéric is particularly attentive to the southern microclimate of Préhy, which regularly results in better yields than the northern sections. The old-vine cuvées are the stars of the lineup.
2023 Vintage Notes (VFTC #115)
Visited January 2025. “Simply beautiful wines in 2023 and they may well be the finest collection I have ever tasted from him” — Gilman has followed the Gueguens since 2004. Harvest September 12–23. Most of lineup bottled July–August 2024, recovered nicely. Beautiful fruit tones, perfect ripeness, never overripe, exquisite terroir expressions. Very good acids; many will drink beautifully from release. First Chablis “les Preuses” tasted by Gilman (bottled since 2020).
2023 Scores:
- Chablis “Bougros”: 95 pts (2031–2070) — from Fontenys side below les Preuses; “stunning”
- Chablis “les Preuses”: 95 pts (2031–2070) — “stunning in 2023”; first tasted by Gilman
- Chablis “Vaucoupin”: 93 pts (2027–2050) — vines from 1975; “superb premier cru in the making!”
- Chablis “Fourchaume”: 93 pts (2025–2050) — “exceptional”; first Gueguen wine Gilman ever tasted (2004)
- Chablis “Vosgros”: 92 pts (2027–2050) — most southerly premier cru
- Chablis “Vaillons”: 92 pts (2025–2050) — 60-year-old vines
- Chablis “la Vigne de 1975”: 91 pts (2027–2050) — vieilles vignes
- Chablis: 90 pts (2025–2045) — “first class Chablis AC!”
- Saint Bris Sauvignon: 90 pts (2025–2035)
- Cesar Coteaux Bourguignons: 90 pts (2025–2035+) — first Cesar Gilman ever tasted; “outstanding”
- Irancy “les Mazelots”: 90 pts (2029–2045) — all pinot noir
2024 Vintage Notes
One of the better-positioned Chablis domaines in 2024 — southern vineyards avoided most frost and hail damage. Yields of ~50 hl/ha in many parcels (exceptional for 2024). Only Vosgros (~30% loss from hail), Vaillons (<30 hl/ha), and Fourchaume were adversely affected.
My Tastings
(none yet)
Sources
sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC Jan-Feb 2025 #115.txtsources/articles/VFTC/VFTC Jan-Feb 2026 #121.pdf(pages 20–23)