2022 Les Champs Libres, Guinaudeau

Made of 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the Les Champs Libres 2022 Blanc reveals aromas of verbena, lemon oil, kumquat, jasmine, spring flowers and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and incisive, it’s built around bright, racy acids and has an ultra-refined texture along with a resonant, perfumed finish. This gorgeous Les Champs Libres represents the essence of what can be produced with grapes coming from a great limestone terroir that also benefit from the impressive expertise of the Guinaudeau family.

The 2022 Les Champs Libres was picked on 24 August. Very delicate and refined on the nose, this opens beautifully, with white peach and orange blossom, and, again, hints of wild peach coming through with time. The palate is well-defined with a touch of stem ginger, almost Burgundian toward the finish. The peach theme continues, with hints of ginger and a touch of almond. This is going to be completely irresistible - don't say I didn't warn you.

The 2022 Les Champs Libres is one of the most promising young whites of the vintage. Lime, white pepper, mint, crushed rocks and bright saline notes are all beautifully sculpted in the glass. The 2022 comes across as quite airy and understated in this vintage.

100% Sauvignon Blanc. Cask sample. Lively white peach and citrus aromas. Long, linear and very focused. Plenty of freshness, too. Atypical but one of the best dry whites this year. (JL)