Domaine Guiberteau “Les Arboises” - Saumur, Loire Valley
From one of the Loire’s most acclaimed and sought-after estates, Les Arboises is a powerful, refined expression of Cabernet Franc grown on Saumur’s prized limestone soils. Domaine Guiberteau farms this vineyard organically and biodynamically, crafting a wine that is both intensely structured and wonderfully precise - built for ageing but already showing remarkable depth.
The nose is striking and complex, with aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, graphite, crushed violets, and subtle herbal notes. On the palate, Les Arboises is taut, elegant, and beautifully concentrated: fine-grained tannins, vivid acidity, and a long, mineral-driven finish that echoes the vineyard’s chalky bedrock. It’s Cabernet Franc at its most serious and sculpted.
Grape variety: Cabernet Franc
Style: Structured, mineral, age-worthy Saumur red
Drink window: 2026–2038+
Perfect for: Decanting with roast lamb, duck breast, mushroom dishes, aged cheeses, or cellaring for future enjoyment
Profound, precise, and full of terroir-driven character, Guiberteau “Les Arboises” is a benchmark Saumur and one of the Loire’s most compelling Cabernet Francs.
Technical notes from the producer:
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Vineyard Size: 1.00 ha (2.47 ac)
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Varietal: Cabernet Franc
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Vine Age: Planted in 1957
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Terroir: Monopole on the hill of Brézé, south-facing, rocky, sandy-silt soil over a chalky limestone bedrock.
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Viticulture: Organic (AB, 2007)
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Vinification: Sorted in the vineyard, 100% de-stemmed, 2-4-week ambient yeast fermentation in concrete tanks, aged for 18 months in barrels (80% new, 20% 1-3-years-old), blended and aged for an additional few months in steel tanks, bottled and aged for a further few months before release, filtered.
