Brightest stars of the Loire: Domaine Guiberteau & Thibaud Boudignon
We've been championing the Loire Valley for years! This region boasts a remarkable diversity of terroirs, micoclimates and grape varieties. Among them, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc truly stand out!
It's also worth noting that amidst the ever-growing prices of Burgundy and Bordeaux, you can enjoy some of the most outstanding wines in France at Premier Cru or Grand Cru level, and for a fraction of the price!
It is a pleasure to offer you today wines from two of the hottest producers in the Loire: Domaine Guiberteau from Saumur and Thibaud Boudignon from Anjou!
DOMAINE GUIBERTEAU
“Romain Guiberteau’s hedonistic winemaking style is increasingly earning him a reputation as Rougeard for a new generation.” Jon Bonné, PunchDrink.com
“Romain Guiberteau’s white wines made him famous. When they hit the mainstream, they blew everyone’s minds with their power, energy, and sharpness. These wines are so potent and high energy as to require some time in bottle, so don’t open too early. The standout white is les Clos des Carmes. The reds are great, too. Some contend Romain Guiberteau is in fact a better red-wine maker, despite his white-wine fame.” Rajat Parr, The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste
2022 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc - $84 (limited)
This is 100% Chenin Blanc, grown on the calcareous soils in and around Brézé. More precisely, it comes from younger vines in Clos de Guichaux and Clos des Carmes, as well as some old vines from the Bas de Pentes terroir of Brézé. Then, there is a splash of Les Chapaudaises from Bizay. As any Saumurois will tell you, these terroirs are some of the crown jewels (particularly Clos des Carmes, which sits on the chalky mother rock of the Brézé hill, just below the Château de Brézé). The plantings range from 1935 to 2012, so this wine has plenty of old-vine stuffing. With all this in mind, perhaps the quality shouldn’t come as a surprise.
All Guiberteau’s whites are pressed as bunches and ferment with indigenous yeasts. Historically, this wine has been vinified entirely in tank, although more recent vintages have been partly aged in tronconique oak and used barrels to broaden the textural range and mitigate reduction. The 2022 did not go through malolactic conversion. It strikes the palate with laser-guided confit lemon and kaffir lime, with mouthwatering acidity cutting through the wine’s sleek texture like a hot knife through butter. Closing with the quivering, chalky length typical of the region’s top whites, it’s a thrilling Saumur blanc; we bought every bottle we could. Lovers of fine Riesling and white Burgundy should jump on this. - Bibendum Wine Co.
“This 2022 Saumur Blanc from Domaine Guiberteau, crafted from various estate parcels, with one-third aged in tanks, one-third in vats and one-third in used barrels, exhales aromas of lemon oil, sweet spices, orchard fruits and herbs, followed by a medium-bodied, sappy and juicy texture and concluding with a long, delicate and saline finish. This is a great effort.” 90 points, Yohan Costaing, The Wine Advocate
2021 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Rouge - $92 (limited)
100% Cabernet Franc. Guiberteau’s village rouge is sourced from three parcels of old-vine Cabernet Franc (planted from 1955 to 1957) on silty/sandy topsoils over limestone on the Brézé hill. Made entirely from destemmed grapes, this fruit-forward bottling fermented naturally in concrete before spending 12 months in large tronconique barrels. This reverses the logic in the white releases, where the Moulins is elevated above village level. Romain Guiberteau clearly thought the same, hence the pricing. The cool 2021 vintage has gifted a delightful example of this cuvée. Seductive aromatics of raspberry, nettle and earthy sage lead to a vibrant, tangy palate with lovely pulp and savoury mineral edge. The long, lingering finish suggests crushed berries, meat juices, violet, and woody herbs. If you like more fruit, go for Les Moulins. If you prefer more tertiary or savoury nuance, then this is your wine. - Bibendum Wine Co.
THIBAUD BOUDIGNON
‘Thibaud Boudignon approaches each vintage with spectacular precision and dedication … he offers wines of purity, tension and finesse with virtually no rivals in Savennières. Their depth and density reveal the fantastic terroirs of Clos de Frémine and Clos de la Hutte … Boudignon patiently waits for full grape maturity before harvesting and practices gentle, slow pressing during vinification … He performs meticulous work in the vineyard, planting only massal selections of Chenin Blanc and advocating for permanent cover cropping. His attention to detail in the winemaking process, precise viticulture, dedication and passion for the terroirs mark him as one of France’s foremost vignerons and winemakers today’
Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate, January 2024
“His attention to detail in the winemaking process, precise viticulture, dedication and passion for the terroirs mark him as one of France’s foremost vignerons and winemakers today.”
— Robert Parkers Wine Advocate, January 2024
“The wines of Boudignon were the best dry chenins that I tasted at the Salon of Angers, we are at the level of 1er Cru and Grand Cru Burgundy.”
— Michel Bettane
2022 Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc - $112 (limited)
From 40 year-old vines which are in conversion from organic to bio-dynamic, planted at 8000 vines/ha on shallow soils of grey schist and rhyolite in St Lambert du Lattay. Fermented in stainless steel with native yeasts for 2-3 weeks with no malo, followed by maturation in 300 and 750 litre barrels (30% new) for 15-18 months.
‘The 2022 Anjou Blanc from Thibaud Boudignon reveals a perfumed, exotic bouquet with aromas of green mango, pineapple, pear and spices intertwined with a touch of toast. More depth and fleshier than the 2021, it’s medium-bodied, perfectly balanced with a seamless, layered texture and a delicately bitter finish. 30,000 bottles produced. Drink 2023-2030.’ 93 points, Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate, January 2024.