TN: 2012 Guiberteau - Saumur Blanc "Brézé": (France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur)

Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m · January 31, 2023, 5:45pm

Head-scratcher there’s no thread on this one yet, particularly because this is the fourth note I’ve written on it … anyways, might as well put them all here now, starting with the most recent.

2012 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Brézé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (1/6/2023)
– decanted approx. 45 min. before initial taste –
– tasted non-blind over 2.5 hrs. –

NOSE: high-toned; orange oil; expressive; powdery floral aspect; this did tighten-up over the course of 2.5 hrs. tasting.

BODY: medium amber color; medium-full bodied.

TASTE: very high acidity; Sweet Tarts candy flavor on the finish; citric; some oak, but not too much; alc. not noticeable. Excellent bottle. Drink or Hold.

50, 5, 12, 18, 8 = (93 pts.)

2012 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Brézé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (11/5/2021)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind over approx. 90 min. –

NOSE: kumquat, and light notes of honey, hay, and toasted pecans.

BODY: medium bodied; slightly aged color – dark golden yellow or light maize.

TASTE: clearly has some age on it, but doesn’t come across as older than it is; this features a pleasant woody-orange note — like an Old Fashioned; a touch gueuze-like; med.-light oak; strong acidic spine; excellent, and in its prime window. Gut: 93 - 95.

2012 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Brézé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (2/7/2020)
– decanted immediately before service –
– tasted non-blind over 2.5 hours –

Very good, but much more advanced than my last bottle in May of 2018. This bottle was probably pre-moxed, but it hadn’t fully taken effect.

2012 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Brézé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (5/19/2018)
Very good, but will be better with time. Salinic, with high acidity. Confirms my working notion that I prefer Chenin of this style over the similar presentation of Chardonnay from Chablis.

Tvrtko_C · January 31, 2023, 8:02pm

Not really sure I’ve ever had this vintage, but Guiberteau’s Breze is a wine I’ve always “wanted” to like, somehow falling just short every time. It’s always something… sometimes the Geuze-like touch is a bit more pronounced than I’d like (actually, I’d prefer none at all, to be honest), sometimes it’s the acidity that’s a bit too pronounced undermining the wine’s overall sense of balance, sometimes the wine seems a little older than it should be, sometimes what I perceive as oak sticks out a bit too much… Maybe eventually I’ll luck out some day :-).

Matthew_King · January 31, 2023, 9:15pm

It also seems like Chenin in wolf’s clothing … White Burgundy!

Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m · January 31, 2023, 9:16pm

Funny, everything you’ve said resonates with me, but I think most of those things don’t bother me as much as you. My two complaints about Guiberteau are (1) sometimes oakier than I’d prefer, and (2) I’ve had a couple bottles that were more advanced than they should have been. Aside from that, I love 'em. Different strokes, and all that …

Alan_Rath · January 31, 2023, 9:16pm

Appreciate the notes!

If its anything like the 2009 Carmes I had 4 years ago, it should be fantastic right now.

Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m · January 31, 2023, 9:17pm

But better!

Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m · January 9, 2026, 9:06pm

2012 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Brézé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur (11/18/2025)
– uncorked 1 hr before initial taste –
– tasted non-blind over 3.5 hrs. –

NOSE: rich, slightly aged aromatics: rich, ripe pineapple-inflected persimmon; papaya; kumquat; slight honeyed butterscotch note.

BODY: cork soaked nearly all the way to the top, but the wine still has acceptable color for the variety and age – a luminous maize; medium-light to medium bodied.

TASTE: high acidity; absolutely gorgeous, moderately-aged, Chenin Blanc strutting its stuff right here! Orange oil, persimmon, and kumquat are supported by gentle oak tones. 13% alc is not noticeable. Wonderful wine in a perfect spot right now. It would be fine to continuing Holding this wine, but it would also be extremely unfortunate to not experience this stage of its development, particularly if you are holding multiple bottles. For my preferences, this is in its prime window. Solidly excellent. Gut: 93 – 95.

Ah-so tine indicating point to which cork was soaked.

Alan_Rath · January 9, 2026, 9:08pm

So great when you get a bottle like this. Trouble is, they’re not all like this.

Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m · January 9, 2026, 9:13pm

Yep, that is the truth. I love 'em enough to play the game of roulette, which is really saying something because that’s a game I’m almost never willing to play (I also do it with Baudry and their brett; and I do it with Bel Air / Gauthier and their mouse; I cant think of any other producer I repeatedly buy where I go into it knowing there’s an increased chance of problems.)