2019 Benoit Courault “Gilbourg” VDF Blanc, Loire Valley, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

The Benoit Courault "Gilbourg" 2019 is a highly regarded natural white wine produced from 100% Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley, France. Known as the "crown jewel" of the domaine, it is crafted from old vines (roughly 40–50 years old) grown on clay and schist soils in Faye-d’Anjou.

For the 2019 vintage, the wine is described as deep and structured with a complex, slightly wild profile. Aromas of ripe white fruit, apple, beeswax and herbs come together on a fresh, crisp palate, with a subtle viscosity. 

Benoit Courault follows low-intervention, organic farming practices, including horse-drawn plowing to maintain soil health. The wine is fermented spontaneously with native yeasts and aged for approximately 8–12 months in used French oak barrels. Finally, the wine is bottled with minimal or no added sulfur, which contributes to its "wild" and authentic character.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Loire native Benoit Courault grew up the son of a horse trader before setting his sights on winegrowing. He enrolled in oenology school in Beaune and was taught the full roster of conventional techniques: systematic sulfuring at harvest, fermentation by lab yeast, etc. But after discovering the wines of so-called naturalists like Yvon Métras, he knew he wanted to adhere to a different set of rules—those that focus on soil health, a view of the vineyard as part of a harmonious ecosystem, and winemaking free of synthetic entrants. He followed up his studies with apprenticeships at L’Anglore in Tavel and Domaines des Sablonettes in the Côteaux du Layon before finding a humble 12-acre plot in Faye d’Anjou planted to vines, with an old shed he could transform into a winery and an airstream trailer he could call home.

Courault farms his Cabernet Franc, Grolleau and Chenin Blanc meticulously and is quick to tell any visitors that it took years for the soil to recover from the use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers and regain life and its natural balance. He also keeps an entourage of farm animals, including a draft horse that helps with plowing and transporting harvest bins to the winery. And in another bout of bootstrap ingenuity, he set up a cooperative with Olivier Cousin and other local growers to share the cost and use of expensive farm tools.

All of Courault’s grapes are hand harvested and pressed using a manual vertical press. The wines are racked into used barrels once the fermentation has started and are bottled after just over a year of élevage with little to no SO2, depending on the cuvée.