A New Loire Wine from Saumur Stars Guiberteau & Stater-West

A New Loire Wine from Saumur Stars Guiberteau & Stater-West

There are certain winemaker names that immediately make us pay attention, and Romain Guiberteau is one of them.

Over the past two decades, Guiberteau has become one of the benchmark producers of Saumur, crafting highly sought-after Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc from the Loire’s limestone soils. After studying law, he returned to his family vineyards in the late 1990s and was mentored by Nady Foucault of legendary Clos Rougeard, an influence that helped shape his restrained, terroir-driven style.

So when our team heard there was a brand-new wine from the Guiberteau family and Brendan Stater-West, there was a lot of excitement before we even pulled the cork.

2024 is the first vintage of Chai de La Dive, a new project created by Romain with his daughter Camille, her partner Alex Crochet, and Brendan Stater-West. Brendan has worked alongside Guiberteau for more than a decade while also building his own highly regarded domain in Saumur, so there is a remarkable amount of experience behind this new label.

What really sold us, though, was the wine itself.

We were especially taken by its bright, tart cranberry fruit, savory herbal notes and delightful streak of minerality. There is pepper, earth and freshness underneath it all, but the wine stays light on its feet, energetic and incredibly easy to keep coming back to.

That is exactly what makes it so good at the table. We’d enjoy it with Food & Wine’s Chicken & Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie with Parsnip Mash, where the mushrooms and herbs echo Cabernet Franc’s savory side beautifully. It is just as comfortable with simpler dishes built around fresh herbs and fennel.

First vintage. Romain Guiberteau. Brendan Stater-West. Classic Saumur Cabernet Franc.

We were thrilled to discover it, and even happier once we tasted it!