GUILLAUME NOIRE
Rablay-sur-Layon
Loire
A fervent interest in environmental movements and organic farming prompted young winemaker Guillaume Noire to leave a career in branding and advertising to pursue a new life in the Loire Valley.
Under the auspices of other local winemakers such as the Ménard family, Guillaume has learned to make wine naturally in both the vineyard and cellar. Today he cultivates just a few hectares, planted at Chenin, Cabernet and Grolleau mainly, in Rablay-sur-Layon in the Anjou district of the Loire Valley.
The local appellation of Côteaux-du-Layon is prized for sweet wines which it exclusively produces, but Guillaume is part of a movement of winemakers making stunning dry wines classified under the humble Vin de France designation.
Guillaume farms without the use of any synthetic herbicides or pesticides. In the cellar, his approach is equally straightforward and sincere. Quite simply, Guillaume’s wines are made from “du raisin et juste du raisin” - grapes and nothing more.
Sa Pet-Nat
Vintage 2023
Style Sparkling
Region Rablay-sur-Layon, Anjou
Varieties Sauvignon Blanc
ABV 11%
Soils Clay, Silt, Sand
Farming Organic
Winemaking The Sauvignon grapes are sourced from vineyards of an average age of 35 years old. 2023 was a difficult vintage due to a particularly wet harvest season. A thorough vineyard selection to pick only the healthier grapes was necessary. In the cellar, the fruit is direct pressed using an horizontal press, and fermented in fibreglass. After a first racking, the wine is bottles with a little residual sugar on 10th of October to complete the fermentation in bottle. Disgorged in March 2024 to be released for the Spring.
Tasting Note A vibrant summery pet-nat with notes of citrus, elderflower and white peach.
Sa
Vintage 2023
Style White
Region Rablay-sur-Layon, Anjou
Varieties Sauvignon Blanc
ABV 11%
Soils Clay, Silt, Sand
Farming Organic
Winemaking This Sauvignon Blanc comes from vineyards of about 35 years old. 2023 was a difficult vintage due to a particularly wet harvest season. A thorough vineyard selection to pick only the healthier grapes was necessary. In the cellar, the fruit is direct pressed using an horizontal press, and fermented in fibreglass. The wine is racked twice during elevage but bottled without filtration, fining and no SO2.
Tasting Note This is beautifully vibrant, a fruit-forward Sauvignon with notes of citrus, lemon zest, fleshy peach and dandelion.
Ch
Vintage 2023
Style White
Region Rablay-sur-Layon, Anjou
Varieties Chenin Blanc
ABV 10.5%
Soils Clay, Silt, Sand
Farming Organic
Winemaking This Chenin Blanc comes from vineyards of about 40 years old. The fruit is direct pressed and matured in fibre glass for 8 months. The wine is bottled without filtration, fining and no SO2.
Tasting Note This is crisp with plenty lemon zest and lifting minerality. The fruit is ripe and soft.
Ch Gg
Vintage 2023
Style White
Region Rablay-sur-Layon, Anjou
Varieties Chenin Blanc, Grolleau Gris
ABV 10%
Soils Clay, Silt, Sand
Farming Organic
Winemaking The vines are an average age of 30 to 40 years old. The Grolleau Gris is processed in whole bunches and the Chenin direct pressed. Maceration last approximately 2 weeks followed by pressing. A blend of free run juice and pressed juiced (just after first stages of pressing is matured in neutral fibre glass for 8 months. The wine is bottled without filtration, fining and no SO2.
Tasting Note The Grolleau offers tropical notes and richness whilst the Chenin adds freshness and layers to the macerated fruit.
SaGaGn
Vintage 2022
Style Rosé
Region Rablay-sur-Layon, Anjou
Varieties Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, Grolleau Noir
ABV 12.5%
Soils Clay, Silt, Sand
Farming Organic
Winemaking A blend of mostly Sauvignon Blanc (approx 90%), Gamay and Grolleau Noir. Vines are an average age of 30 years old. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are processed whole bunch using exclusively the free run juice. This is then added to a one-week co-maceration of Gamay and Grolleau Noir. The white and red grapes are then macerated together for a further seven days. After pressing, the wine matures in fibreglass for six months before bottling. The wine is unfined, unfiltered and sees no sulfur additions.
Tasting Note Dried cherry and spiced quince notes lend to sandalwood and peppery aromas. This has nice grip on palate and visually sits somewhere in between a rosé and an orange wine.
Ga
Vintage 2022
Style Red
Region Rablay-sur-Layon, Anjou
Varieties Gamay
ABV 12%
Soils
Farming Organic
Winemaking The average age of the wines is 45 to 50 years old. The Gamay whole bunches are processed in a mixture of free run juice and pressed juice just after pressing. The wine is then matured in neutral fibre glass tanks for 8 months. This is unfiltered, unfined and no SO2 was added at any stage.
Tasting Note Beautiful wild blackberry and blueberry notes, blend in with aromas of dried flowers and leather tones. Light and earthy.
Cf
Vintage 2020
Style Red
Region Rablay-sur-Layon, Anjou
Varieties Cabernet franc
ABV 13.5%
Soils Silt, Sandy laom, Clay
Farming Organic
Winemaking Fermented in vat using whole clusters over a period of 3 weeks. Maceration for the Cabernet in 2020 was a little bit shorter than the previous vintage aiming for a juicier lighter expression. The wine is aged in fibreglass for 10 months and racked twice before bottling.
Tasting Note This beautiful Cabernet franc is made using whole bunches, resulting in a bright and juicy wine with hints of blueberries, mint and a subtle earthy note. Delicate on the tannins.
Gn
Vintage 2019
Style Red
Region Rablay-sur-Layon, Anjou
Varieties Grolleau Noir
ABV 13.5%
Soils Silt, Sandy laom, Clay
Farming Organic
Winemaking A long semi-carbonic maceration of six and a half weeks. Very gentle extraction avoiding pumpovers but rather simply keeping the cap wet with the occasional hand-punch down. This is also aged in neutral fibreglass vats for up to 6 months. It is racked once and bottled without any added SO2.
Tasting Note This Grolleau shows the rusticity and depth the grape has to offer. Pleasantly structured and grippy, offering voluptuous plummy fruit and spice.
CsGn
Vintage 2020
Style Red
Region Rablay-sur-Layon, Anjou
Varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau Noir
ABV 12.5%
Soils Silt, Sand, Clay
Farming Organic
Winemaking A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Grolleau Noir. Vines are an average of 30 years old. Whole bunches are hand harvested, macerated and fermented for 2 weeks. The wine is composed of a blend of free run juice and pressed must, just after pressing with a vertical hydraulic press. Bottled without SO2.
Tasting Note