Saumaize-Michelin was founded in 1977, when Roger Saumaize received 4 hectares of vineyards from his father. Roger had grown up in the vineyards and began working them at age 14. In 1978, he completely took over his father’s estate.
Roger owns the estate with his wife Christine, whose maiden name is Michelin, hence the winery name. Their logo represents the Roche de Vergisson, a huge rock formation, just on top of the Village of Vergisson.
Roger and Christine built their winery & expanded their vineyards over time. In 1979, they purchased 1.6 hectares of “La Roche” vineyards in Vergisson. In 1985, they decide to vinify their parcels separately. They added:
Two new cellars were built in 2007.
Lisa, the daughter, joined the team in 2020. Together with her brother Vivien, they represent the new generation. Learning the fundamentals from the experienced Roger and Christine.
Today they have 10 hectares (24.7 acres) of vineyards, growing 9.5 hectares of Chardonnay and 0.5 hectares of Gamay. Roger makes around 6,250 cases of wine per year under three different appellations: Mâcon-Villages, St Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé.
The vines are 45-50 years old of age on average. The vineyards are farmed according to biodynamic principles. In the cellar, all white wines are 100% barrel fermented with 100% M-L fermentation.
