Les Champs Libres, Guinaudeau, 2019

The 2019 Les Champs Libres, 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Semillon, requires a lot of swirling to bring out notes of fresh lemon peel, elderflower, and white peaches, plus suggestions of white pepper and allspice. The medium-bodied palate reveals a crisp backbone and tight-knit, chalky flavors, finishing zesty. It needs time!

DRINKING WINDOW 2023 - 2034

date of review 05/2023

The 2019 Les Champs Libres conveys composure on the nose, touches of pear, Granny Smith and menthol, fine cohesion, quite flattering at this early stage. The palate is well-balanced with a touch of reduction on the entry, fine acidity, a lot of extract here with white peach and apricot towards its toasty, sesame-tinged finish. Wonderful. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

DRINKING WINDOW 2024 - 2038

date of review 02/2023

The Les Champs Libres 2019 Blanc wafts from the glass with notes of lime blossom, citrus zest, wet stones and pastry cream. Medium to full-bodied, taut and incisive, it's chalky and concentrated, with racy acids, lovely structuring dry extract and a long, mineral finish. It's produced from Sancerrois massal selections of Sauvignon Blanc (and now a tiny percentage of Semillon, too) planted on deep clay soils on the slopes at Grand Village, the Guinaudeau family having sagely concluded that clay is as essential to a great white wine as limestone. Like many of this family's wines, it makes a mockery of Bordeaux's traditional hierarchy.

DRINKING WINDOW 2021 - 2039

date of review 04/2022