Prefer the old site?Launch →

Guiberteau

Romain Guiberteau, vintage 1972, is the eighth generation of his family at this estate. But it was not immediately evident that he would pursue a career in wine. His father had already found a diffent calling. It was only after studying law that he learned the ropes at Clos Rougeard and then returned to work with his grandfather in 1996. Slender and a touch introverted, he answers questions—always on guard—in brief phrases. “Vouvray is flinty,” he explains. “Savennières warm and alcoholic. Saumur is all about chalk. We have only 30 centimeter of soil and then a bedrock of solid limestone.” Here, near Brézé, is the center of white wine production in Saumur. The red varieties are generally planted on deeper, sandier soils. Part of the Guiberteau style, though, is also a function of the barrel aging, with which he began experimenting in 1997. Today his single-vineyard chenin blancs spend 20 to 24 months in wood and, after blending, another six in stainless steel before bottling, “but they still need another three years in glass to digest their oak.” Most of the blocks for these chenins blancs are only about one hectare in size, so production volumes for these collectors’ items are always small, but even more so in the past two years. Quantities were down 60% in 2012 due to frost and hail. Two thousand thirteen was again off 40%. In sum, he has lost one vintage over the past three. “While the 2012s are richer and more immediately expressive,” he explains, “2013 will be a vintage to lay down.” What about the reds? “Sixty percent of our 15 hectares of vineyards are planted with cabernet franc.” Those will be featured in the next article. The whites below, though, all merit a detour.

From Focus on Loire Valley Chenin Blanc (Dec 2014) by Joel B. Payne

Reviews

Wines

Sort by default

2012 Saumur Blanc

Release Price: $26

Color: White

Subscriber Access Only

or Sign Up

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer vitae aliquam odio. Aliquam purus diam, tempor et consectetur vitae, eleifend ac quam. Proin nec mauris ac odio iaculis semper. Integer posuere pharetra aliquet. Nullam tincidunt sagittis est in maximus. Donec sem orci, vulputate ac quam non, consectetur fermentum diam. In dignissim magna id orci dignissim convallis. Integer sit amet placerat dui. Aliquam pharetra ornare nulla at vulputate. Sed dictum, mi eget fringilla lacinia, nisl tortor condimentum mi, vitae ultrices quam diam ac neque. Donec hendrerit vulputate felis, fringilla varius massa.

- By Author Name on Month Date, Year

2011 Saumur Blanc Clos de Guichaux

Release Price: $35

Color: White

Subscriber Access Only

or Sign Up

- By Author Name on Month Date, Year

2010 Saumur Blanc Brézé

Release Price: $54

Color: White

Subscriber Access Only

or Sign Up

- By Author Name on Month Date, Year

2009 Saumur Blanc Clos des Carmes

Release Price: $57

Color: White

Subscriber Access Only

or Sign Up

- By Author Name on Month Date, Year

Guiberteau

2012 Saumur Blanc

2011 Saumur Blanc Clos de Guichaux

2010 Saumur Blanc Brézé

2009 Saumur Blanc Clos des Carmes

Content

Engage

Vinous

Social