Sauvignon Blanc, grown in Bordeaux, Les Champs Libres Blanc 2019 is produced by the Guinaudeau family at the Château Grand Village, they are also owner of the Pomerol estate, Château Lafleur, which they also run. A very small amount of Sémillon is added to the blend.
Although the 2019 season was plagued by heat waves and drought, the long, dry summer and a harvest accompanied by sufficient rainfall allowed the production process to proceed smoothly.
Aromas of citrus and orchard fruits harmonize with distinct notes of crushed stone, creating a rich bouquet rather than a flashy one. This wine is concentrated and full-bodied, with a chalky texture and vibrant acidity, which lend it a genuine sense of tension and a long, stony finish. Aged in new oak barrels. This wine is best enjoyed by 2036.
Robert Parker (95)
The Les Champs Libres 2019 Blanc wafts from the glass with notes of lime blossom, citrus zest, wet stones and pastry cream. Medium to full-bodied, taut and incisive, it's chalky and concentrated, with racy acids, lovely structuring dry extract and a long, mineral finish. It's produced from Sancerrois massal selections of Sauvignon Blanc (and now a tiny percentage of Sémillon, too) planted on deep clay soils on the slopes at Grand Village, the Guinaudeau family having sagely concluded that clay is as essential to a great white wine as limestone. Like many of this family's wines, it makes a mockery of Bordeaux's traditional hierarchy.
James Suckling (95)
This is very intense and powerful with dried apple, pear and aniseed. Crushed stone, too. Full-bodied and rather chewy with phenolics and intensity. A real sense of soil and depth. Draws you down. Fantastic finish. 95% sauvignon blanc (95% Sancerre clone), and 5% semillon. Tiny production. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years.
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Nose subdued but serious with citrus and chalky notes. Long and linear on the palate with lots of tension but a depth of fruit to match. Not much Sauvignon Blanc varietal character and unlike most white bordeaux, but fine execution. Difficult to gauge the ageing potential (limited track record) but there’s some stardust sprinkled here. (JL)
Vinous (93)
The 2019 Les Champs Libres conveys composure on the nose, touches of pear, Granny Smith and menthol, fine cohesion, quite flattering at this early stage. The palate is well-balanced with a touch of reduction on the entry, fine acidity, a lot of extract here with white peach and apricot towards its toasty, sesame-tinged finish. Wonderful. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
Jeb Dunnuck (94)
From the Guinaudeau family of Château Lafleur in Pomerol, the 2019 Guinaudeau Vignerons Les Champs Libres Blanc is all Sauvignon raised in new barrels. It's another remarkable white from this team that brings richness and depth as well as freshness, balance, and elegance. Caramelized grapefruits, orange blossom, chalky mineral, and white flowers, as well as hints of green almond, all emerge from this beauty and it's medium-bodied, has good concentration, and racy acidity. It's going to benefit from a year or three of bottle age and evolve gracefully for over a decade.
