Tasting Notes
It may be in the starting range of the Guiberteau Cabernet Franc’s but this wine is in a different league to the local Loire restaurant wines I tried a decade or so ago. From first smell you get fine dark fruits with some savoury spice hints and the ever-present Loire violets. First taste fills the mouth with elegant dark fruits and some Asian spicy notes. Many cab franc winemakers would love to get these silky fine tannins. Joyful! And it’s at the start of the range. 12.5%alc. - Michael L
Guiberteau’s Les Moulins captures everything we love about Cabernet Franc from Saumur – bright, fragrant, and full of life. The nose is perfumed with redcurrant, raspberry, violets, and a subtle leafy spice that feels precise and lifted. On the palate it’s fresh and energetic, with juicy red fruits wrapped in fine, chalky tannins and a thread of savoury earthiness that speaks to the limestone soils. The finish is long, mouthwatering, and perfectly balanced between fruit purity and savoury depth. This is an effortless, elegant Loire red that’s equally at home with charcuterie and bistro fare as it is enjoyed on its own. A benchmark bottle from one of the region’s most admired producers. - Chris L
Domaine Guiberteau has rapidly ascended to cult status in the Loire Valley, producing some of the region’s most thrilling expressions of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Based in Saumur, the domaine is centred on old vines planted in the Brézé area, a terroir long regarded as one of the Loire’s greatest for Chenin Blanc. The vineyards sit on chalky tuffeau limestone with clay and sand topsoils, yielding wines of striking tension, depth and longevity.
The domaine’s history dates back to the early 20th century, but its modern renaissance began in the late 1990s when Romain Guiberteau returned to take over from his grandfather. With guidance from Clos Rougeard’s Nady Foucault, he embraced organic viticulture, rigorous vineyard selection, and a philosophy of minimal intervention in the cellar. Today, Guiberteau farms around 9 hectares, all certified organic, with a focus on low yields and precision.
His range spans from the vibrant and saline Saumur Blanc and Saumur Rouge, to single-vineyard bottlings such as Clos de Guichaux, Les Arboises and the legendary Brézé, each reflecting the nuances of their specific sites. The whites are crystalline and mineral, often compared to great white Burgundy, while the reds show Cabernet Franc at its most refined, combining perfume, texture and intensity.
Domaine Guiberteau has become a touchstone for the new generation of Loire growers: a domaine that delivers wines of both immediate drinkability and profound cellar potential, with authenticity and terroir at their core.
| Product Type | Wine Red Cabernet Franc |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire Valley |
| Sub Region | Saumur |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |