Wines Sancerre Alain Gueneau - La Guiberte - 2023

Viniou Reviews

Alain Gueneau's Sancerre "Cuvée La Guiberte" 2023 is a prime example of the classic Sancerre style. Crafted exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc, the wine displays a vibrant pale gold hue and opens with aromatic notes of citrus, white blossom, and subtle flinty minerality. The 2023 vintage benefited from a temperate growing season, allowing optimal ripening while preserving the grape's fresh acidity. Carefully hand-picked from chalky Kimmeridgian and Silex soils on the rolling hills around Sancerre, the grapes are vinified in stainless steel to retain their pure fruit and vibrant aromatics. The result is a dry white wine that balances lively energy with a long, crisp finish marked by minerality and hints of gooseberry and grapefruit.

Sancerre sits within the Centre-Loire subregion, an area renowned for producing some of the world’s most sought-after Sauvignon Blancs. The continental climate, with its cool nights and moderate summers, preserves the natural acidity crucial for the style. The region's soils—a complex mix of limestone, clay (Kimmeridgien), and flint (Silex)—impart characteristic freshness and stony nuances, with the limestone contributing finesse and the Silex imparting a distinctive smokiness known locally as “pierre à fusil”. Sancerre’s winemaking heritage dates back to the Middle Ages, with its white wines gaining global renown for their elegance, precision, and transparent expression of terroir.

For food pairings, this Sancerre is exceptionally versatile. Its bracing acidity and mineral backbone enhance a classic pairing with fresh goat’s cheese, particularly the local Crottin de Chavignol. It also works beautifully with seafood—think oysters, langoustines, or a lemon sole fillet—and bright salads with citrus vinaigrette. Poultry dishes with spring vegetables or a mild asparagus risotto also harmonise with its delicacy and verve.

For ideal enjoyment, serve well chilled at 8-10°C. Avoid overchilling, as excessive cold can mask its aromatic complexity. Decanting is not required; simply pour and let the wine reveal its expressive bouquet and brisk palate. This cuvée is delightful in its youth but will also develop subtle complexity over the next two to three years.