Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Breze 2022
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The Land
Brézé is a raised plateau of tuffeau rising above the alluvial flats southwest of Saumur, and it is one of the few places in the Loire where Chenin Blanc achieves something approaching real greatness. Tuffeau is the porous, chalky volcanic limestone used in the construction of the Loire's Renaissance châteaux; here it forms the bedrock beneath sandy-clay topsoils, and it gives the wines their signature combination of tension, salinity, and extreme longevity. The legendary food critic Curnonsky considered Brézé one of the grand crus of the Loire Valley. The comparison to Burgundy's finest white wine terroirs is made frequently and not frivolously. Guiberteau's Brézé holdings total 1.07 hectares across two plots, planted in 1933 and 1952.
The Wine
100% Chenin Blanc from two plots in Brézé. Sorted in the vineyard, whole-cluster pressed, fermented with ambient yeasts, malolactic conversion blocked. Aged 15-18 months on the lees in a combination of demi-muids and new and 1-2-year-old barrels, then blended and held briefly in stainless steel before bottling. Filtered. The 2022 growing season was warm and favorable in the Loire, producing wines of ripe fruit and intact acidity. Profile: lemon curd, white peach, wet chalk, beeswax, and a saline, mineral finish with serious length. This is Chenin Blanc at the table, not at the aperitif hour.
The People
Domaine Guiberteau traces to the early 20th century. Robert Guiberteau, Romain's grandfather, recognized the potential of the Brézé hill in 1954 and purchased key parcels there. Robert retired in 1976 and the vineyards were leased out. In 1996, his grandson Romain — who was failing at law school — took over rather than let the leases renew. He made his first 5,000 bottles of red the following year under the mentorship of Nady Foucault of Clos Rougeard, the defining estate of Saumur Champigny. Organic certification followed in 2007. Within a decade the domaine became one of the most sought-after and strictly allocated names in the Loire. Imported by Becky Wasserman.
Food Pairing
A white wine this structured needs real food: butter-poached lobster, roast monkfish with capers and brown butter, seared scallops with leek cream, or a generous wedge of aged comté. Also exceptional alongside roast chicken with a gratin dauphinois. This wine will age gracefully for a decade or more from vintage.
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Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
Chenin Blanc, celebrated for its high acidity and versatility, finds its most iconic expressions in the Loire Valley of France and the sun-drenched vineyards of South Africa. In the Loire Valley, it's the backbone of an array of styles, from vibrant, dry whites to lusciously sweet wines, showcasing the grape's remarkable ability to reflect terroir and respond to winemaking techniques. Meanwhile, South Africa has embraced Chenin Blanc, locally known as Steen, producing wines that range from fresh and fruity to complex and age-worthy, further cementing the grape's global appeal and adaptability.
