LES CHAMPS LIBRES BORDEAUX BLANC

Société Civile du Château Lafleur

APPELLATION

Bordeaux

GRAPE VARIETIES

95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon

WINEMAKERS

Jacques Guinaudeau
Sylvie Guinaudeau
Baptiste Guinaudeau
Julie Guinaudeau

TECHNICAL DATA

Alcohol
13.7%

2019

95POINTS

Decanter

MAY 2020

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BACKGROUND

Les Champs Libres was born in 2013 from an impulsive idea that came from Julie and Baptiste Guinaudeau. This new cru is the fruit of long lasting experience combined with precision work in the white parcels at Grand Village.

In the past ten years they have applied an extremely qualitative approach both in the vineyard as in the cellar, investing much energy and time in the elaboration of these white wines.
In 2012, they kept apart two barrels of Sauvignon ”À Louima”, which showed exceptional aromatic complexity and were bottled separately. The resulting 240 bottles and 120 magnums were baptized as “À Louima 2012”. They represent the departure on a new adventure.

In 2013 they decided to blend the best barrels coming from three key Sauvignon parcels: À Louima, Les Pêchers and Les Acacias, to create Les Champs Libres 2013. A new parcel, Mathilde, joined in 2014 to complete this new cru.

TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES

The vines originated from Sancerre’s great vineyards. As at Lafleur, they practice shoot removal, leaf plucking and gentle bunch removal when needed. They accompany each vine through the season, adapting to each and every climatic context. Soil and sub-soil: 0.7 hectares of clay-limestone soil. Sub-parcel selection of the best Sauvignon Blanc, with small percentage of Sémillon in rare occasions. The vineyard is farmed under sustainable viticulture.

The climatic conditions of 2019 revolved around very clear and marked sequences or episodes. Winter and the month of February were particularly mild. The soil heated up very quickly, which resulted in an early bud-break. May, surprisingly, was cooler than the average. Flowering was homogenous. June and July were quite hot, reaching a peak with two heatwaves: first at the end of June, followed by a second wave at the end of July. Water stress accompanied the vines to the end of the season. Even if August was slightly cooler than the two preceding months, 2019 registered as the hottest summer of the last 30 years.

WINEMAKING & AGEING

Hand harvested and double sorted bunches, which allows the pressing of grapes at perfect ripeness. Low pressure pressing. Vinification in new barrels. The 2019 whites were racked and blended in mid- May, to prepare for their bottling this June. Tastings of the whites just after racking, a delicate moment, showed great promise.

Eight months aging on the fine lees, including 5 months of gentle lees-stirring. Bottled at the beginning of summer the year after harvest.

TASTING NOTES

Les Champs Libres reveals a floral and complex nose. On the palate, the wine is rich and mineral, showing great freshness, balance and a remarkably long finish. Les Champs Libres is dedicated to all lovers of great white wines. It is a rare bottle, elaborated with the same convictions employed at Lafleur.