Famille Lieubeau : Château Thébaud 2022

Tasting Notes and Characteristics of Château Thébaud 2022 by Famille Lieubeau

Tasting

Appearance
This white wine reveals a beautiful pale yellow colour, offering a visual appearance that is both clear and particularly bright.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet proves complex and seductive. It unveils intense notes of candied citrus fruits, harmoniously complemented by smoky touches, as well as herbaceous nuances reminiscent of fennel and aniseed.

Palate
On the palate, this wine stands out for its remarkable freshness and lovely vivacity. It offers a rich texture and great length, supported by an elegant mineral framework that perfectly balances the fruity expression.

Food and wine pairings
This gastronomic wine sublimates seafood, such as lobster, scallops or fine fish served with a beurre blanc sauce. It also pairs wonderfully with flavoursome meats such as confit shoulder of lamb, as well as with dishes featuring vegetal or Mediterranean notes.

Serving and ageing
To fully appreciate Château Thébaud 2022, serving between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius is recommended. This is an ageing wine with excellent cellaring potential that can flourish in the cellar for several years before being enjoyed.

The mineral and complex expression of a great Muscadet Sèvre et Maine by Famille Lieubeau

The estate
The history of the estate officially began in 1816 in the Loire Valley region, south of Nantes. Today, the Lieubeau family still heads this historic property, which extends over some sixty hectares. A true benchmark in the Nantes vineyard area, the estate stands out for its strong environmental commitment, embodied by an organic farming certification obtained in 2015. The property thus brilliantly combines a two-hundred-year heritage with sustainable winegrowing practices to produce wines of the highest quality.

The vineyard
The vines used for this cuvée from the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation flourish on the prestigious Aulnaye hillside, which majestically overlooks the confluence of the Sèvre and Maine rivers. This exceptional terroir is composed of gneiss, schist and sandy soils. It is a plot selection from the estate's oldest vines, which are 80 years old. The vineyard is managed organically, with low yields and soil work carried out using horses. The harvest is done by hand, accompanied by rigorous sorting directly in the plot.

The vintage
2022 proved to be a great success in the Nantes region. The mild weather conditions allowed the old vines to reach optimal phenolic ripeness and excellent sugar development. This favourable growing cycle gave rise to perfectly healthy grapes, offering an ideal balance between beautiful natural acidity and ripe fruity expression, without requiring any chaptalisation whatsoever.

Winemaking and ageing
The making of Château Thébaud 2022 begins with a gentle pneumatic pressing of whole bunches, followed by a meticulous selection of the juices. After a light cold settling, fermentation begins naturally thanks to indigenous yeasts. The wine then benefits from a long ageing of 36 months on its lees, carried out in underground vats. This maturation period is punctuated by regular bâtonnage, bringing the wine all its complexity and characteristic texture.

Grape variety
100% Melon de Bourgogne