Domaine Landrat-Guyollot La Rambarde 2024: A Pouilly-Fumé with a Sharp Tongue and a Gentle Touch
Pouilly-Fumé has a reputation for smoky, flinty Sauvignon Blanc, but not every bottle needs to smell like a freshly struck match. Domaine Landrat-Guyollot’s La Rambarde 2024 takes a brighter, more immediate route: vibrant citrus, delicate white flowers and an incisive acidity softened by a surprisingly generous texture.
There is nothing austere about this wine. It has the nervous energy of a good Loire Sauvignon, but also a round, almost caressing middle palate that keeps its sharper instincts under control. The result is a fresh, expressive white with considerably more personality than the standard catalogue of grapefruit and green herbs might suggest.
The Basics
- Producer: Domaine Landrat-Guyollot
- Wine: La Rambarde
- Vintage: 2024
- Appellation: Pouilly-Fumé AOC
- Region: Loire Valley, France
- Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Average vine age: 30 years
- Soils: Marl, sandy clay and flint
- Harvest: From 15 September 2024
- Vinification: Gentle pressing, static settling and low-temperature fermentation
- Malolactic fermentation: Not performed
- Ageing: Five months on lees
- Residual sugar: 0.69 g/l
- Serving temperature: 10–12°C
- Bottle size: 750 ml
- Ageing potential: Approximately 5–6 years
The Estate and Its Vineyards
Domaine Landrat-Guyollot is based in Pouilly-sur-Loire, on the right bank of the Loire, opposite the vineyards of Sancerre. Its history stretches back to the seventeenth century, when the property was known as Domaine Chatelain.
The name La Rambarde comes from the flat-bottomed boats once used to carry local wines along the Loire and through the waterways connecting the region with Paris. An appealing piece of history, but fortunately the wine has more to offer than a picturesque name.
La Rambarde is assembled from several vineyard sites rather than a single prestigious parcel. The soils include marl, sandy clay and flint, the three geological elements that contribute to the varied character of Pouilly-Fumé.
The domaine cultivates approximately 12.6 hectares for this cuvée, with vines averaging thirty years of age. The blend of different soils is deliberate: the aim is to combine aromatic expression, freshness and texture without sacrificing the recognisable identity of the appellation.
Across the Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc can be lean, grassy, smoky or surprisingly expansive. Pouilly-Fumé is particularly admired for its ability to marry concentration with an almost saline tension.
How It’s Made
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes were harvested from 15 September 2024, followed by gentle pressing and static settling of the must.
Fermentation takes place at low temperatures to preserve the variety’s aromatic character. Malolactic fermentation is deliberately avoided, retaining the acidity that gives the wine its crisp structure.
La Rambarde then spends five months on its lees. This is an important detail: the wine gains a little substance and roundness without requiring oak barrels or sacrificing the clarity of its fruit.
With only 0.69 g/l of residual sugar, it is thoroughly dry.
Unlike the monumental, ageworthy expressions of Pouilly-Fumé represented by wines such as Baron de L, La Rambarde is intended to offer a more immediate interpretation of the appellation.
It also illustrates a fundamental distinction between Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, the Loire’s other great white variety. Where Chenin can develop remarkable waxy depth and formidable acidity, Sauvignon relies more directly on its aromatic intensity and lively, citrus-driven character.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale straw yellow with delicate green reflections, bright and youthful.
Bouquet: Lemon zest and grapefruit open the nose, followed by white flowers, a suggestion of exotic fruit and a faint herbal accent. The aromas are clear and lively rather than aggressively green. A delicate flinty suggestion emerges in the background, but there is no overpowering smokiness.
Palate: Fresh, taut and surprisingly supple. The opening has a brisk citrus bite, followed by a rounder texture that gives the wine more presence than its pale colour suggests. Acidity is precise rather than punishing, while a delicate bitterness lends definition to the fruit. There is an attractive chalky sensation towards the finish, with none of the excessive tropical sweetness that can make Sauvignon Blanc tiresome.
Finish: Dry, persistent and lightly savoury, with grapefruit peel, a restrained herbal note and a clean, mouthwatering conclusion.
Our Verdict
La Rambarde 2024 is an agile, expressive Pouilly-Fumé, with sharp citrus fruit, restrained flinty nuances and a lovely contrast between acidity and texture.
It does not possess the extraordinary depth of the appellation’s greatest bottles, nor does it pretend to. Its appeal lies in precision, freshness and an unexpectedly generous palate. A smart Sauvignon Blanc for anyone who prefers elegance to pyrotechnics.
Price
€24.00.
Food Pairings
Paella, vitello tonnato, chicken curry, pulled pork, empanadas, hamburgers.
