2018 Saumur Le Clos de Guichaux

The 2018 Saumur Bizay Clos de Guichaux is from another monopole the family holds in Saumur. Planted in 2003 on silt and sand topping relatively soft limestone bedrock, picked by hand, fermented naturally and aged for nine months in older oak barrels, the intensely yellow-golden 2018 opens with intense and perfectly ripe and aromatic fruit on the immediately attractive and charming nose. Full-bodied, round and juicy, with remarkably finessed acidity and a really friable limestone character, this is a very attractive yet concentrated, dense and substantial, textural Saumur Chenin. Not only for immediate pleasure, the wine can age for years, if not even decades. Its finish is intense, and long yet also fine and fresh and reveals fine tension and mineral grip. Very stimulating and clearly limestone-driven but in a very charming manner. Tasted in May 2021.