TN: 2013 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Clos des Carmes Monopole

• 2013 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Clos des Carmes Monopole - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (8/19/2018)
  This is such an interesting wine, the nose is full of yellow apples, and pear yet there is a flinty salinity that is lingering in the back that’s almost undetectable. A light medium gold in the glass there’s a real sense of richness and depth on the nose that’s immediately intriguing. The palate is unapologetically lean and dry, the acidity drives a path down the palate like Big Papi Ortiz was driving a home run clean over the second-baseman’s head and out into the stands. I can see this turning a lot of people off because it is so very different from what the nose seems to be promising. However, I couldn’t be happier. What a brilliant wine…Outstanding!!!

Posted from CellarTracker

Kirk,

Any idea offhand how many bottlings from Breze Guiberteau does?

(Yes, I could go look, but I’m lazy - and I enjoyed a 13 Breze Rouge Friday.)

Kirk, I had this last year. The 2012 was brilliant, but very difficult to find, so I checked out the 13. Very different wine (as I kind of expected from the vintage). Just a bit too lean and tart for me, not in the mouthwatering way that accompanies some good fruit intensity, it was dominant for my palate. I’m looking forward to trying the 14 at some point.

Alan,
Do you know why the '12 was hard to find?

Kirk,
Nice note!

This sounds great, Kirk. Thanks for the note. I see these wines pop up from time to time, but have yet to try.
Need to. Thanks.

I think at the time I first tasted it, there wasn’t any around. Then I never remembered to look for it, though it showed up in a few places eventually, by then the price was higher than I was willing to pay.

12 is ultra tasty. I agree with your assessment on 13. The 2010 is still the benchmark for me on this wine

I didn’t have the 2010 in its youth. Did pick up a couple bottles, but they weren’t as fresh as I would have liked, a little advanced.

premox dooms all regions

I have a few bottles of the 2010 and they’ve been fine…but reading this makes me think I need to check in on one soon. Thank you for sharing.

I’m hoping it was more heat than premox…the 2 bottles I had were tight and indicated that they had a good long life ahead…I hope I’m not wrong.

Kirk, that could easily have been. They were purchased grey market, couple of years after release.

Thanks, Alan. Out of curiosity, when it comes to this wine, at what price point does the wave break for you?

I guess it’s hard to pay more than $50 for even great Chenin Blanc, though I know there are a number of bottlings out there that cross that line.

Cool. That most definitely puts the Carmes out of your willingness zone these days. Even the “Breze” bottling is north of $50 now.

I’m thinking I may check in on a 2010 Carmes again in a few weeks.

Kirk … maybe I missed it. But is this note for the 12 or 13? Your post says 13 but the image is 12. Not sure if the image is some kind of old screen grab from CT?

thanks.

Yes, this is a note for the 2013. It’s an image grab from CT. I didn’t bother uploading a new photo of the ‘13 in CT.

Have you tried Richard Leroy and Stéphane bernaudeau? Both of those cost about $100/btl on the secondary market and yet remain great value. The Richard Leroy recently beat a d’auvenay and a roulot in a blind tasting with some serious connaisseurs at my place!

2013 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Clos des Carmes Monopole - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (5/23/2020)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over a few hours on Day 1; revisited on Day 2 –

NOSE: initially tight and a bit oaky; hint of anejo tequila; a strong note of cilantro would come and go, as well. Broadened a little on Day 2.

BODY: green-yellow color of medium-light intensity; medium bodied.

TASTE: tart; very high acidity; medium+ oak (wish it was less); tight fruit; a touch creamy; would like to see more fruit and mineral — for now, at 1.5 hrs in, it’s just mostly very acidic. Never really moved-off its acid and into a spectrum with much flavor. Day 2 offered a sliver of hope for the future. Gut impression score: 90ish, and that is largely derivative of my hope/assumption this becomes more attractive with age. Hold.