ROMAIN GUIBERTEAU

I chased after the wines of Nady and his brother (may God bless him) Charly Foucolt, better known as Clos Rougeard. Unimaginable. And then, when my buddy Antoine Petrus finally managed to organize a visit for us on October 19, 2015, it was already too late. Nady was tired and said in a good mood that after more than 40 vintages, it was time to retire. We were struck by lightning in Clos Rougeard's damp tuffeau cellar.

Nady must have sensed how hard his decision hit me, now that I thought I had made it, becoming a partner and being able to represent Clos Rougeard in German-speaking Switzerland.

“Don't worry, my friend, you will represent the best wines of the Saumur appellation, perhaps the best Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc in France, only the winemaker's name will be Guiberteau instead of Foucolt,” Nady said as he stood next to me and poured me his stunning 2010 Le Bourg.

Just a few months later, Nady and my buddy Antoine had set up an appointment for us with Romain Guiberteau, who, incidentally, had learned his trade from none other than the famous Foucolts.

Romain Guiberteau is an incredibly fine guy who makes equally fine wines. Wines that are dense but never heavy, shaped by the terroir, telling stories, playing on a completely forgotten keyboard of flavors that show us what unique wines can grow from Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, thrive in the right locations under the supervision of an expert, without the winemaker wanting to achieve too much in the cellar.

Guiberteau, the current king of Saumur, lord of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, was enthroned by none other than Nadja Foucolt!

Best regards

Carl J. Studer