Clos Thou - Jurançon - Cuvée Guilhouret 2024

The Cuvée Guilhouret is the flagship dry Jurançon from Clos Thou. Vintage after vintage, this is the wine that most faithfully expresses the gastronomic potential of Petit Manseng on the poudingue terroirs of Gan—the hillside that produces the appellation’s most structured and complex dry Jurançons. 90/100 GMF 2024 for the 2022 vintage.

Clos Thou — Henri Lapouble-Laplace, artisan of organic Jurançon

Clos Thou is one of the most under-the-radar and authentic producers in the Jurançon appellation. Henri Lapouble-Laplace tends his vineyard there using certified organic farming on the steep slopes overlooking the city of Pau, in the heart of the Gan terroir. A philosophy of artisan winemaking: controlled yields, hand-harvesting, and precise winemaking that respects the natural expression of the Pyrenean terroir.

Terroir and Grape Varieties

A typical Béarn blend of Manseng, Petit Courbu, and Camaralet de Lasseube—three indigenous grape varieties of the Pyrenean foothills, now extremely rare outside of Jurançon. Camaralet, in particular, is one of France’s most obscure white grape varieties, grown on just a few hectares. It is this ancestral blend, grown on the Gan puddingstones—those rounded pebbles cemented in a clay matrix characteristic of the Jurançon terroir—that gives Guilhouret its distinctive aromatic complexity and mineral tension. Hand-harvested. Fermentation and aging in stainless steel tanks on fine lees.

On the Gan poudingues—those rounded pebbles cemented in a clay matrix characteristic of the Jurançon terroir—Petit Manseng develops a tension and minerality that allow it to produce dry whites suited for fine dining. Hand-harvested. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks on fine lees to preserve freshness and aromatic purity.

Tasting Notes

Color: pale yellow with golden highlights, luminous.
Nose: complex and expressive—wildflowers, white peach, citrus (lemon, grapefruit), light spicy notes, a hint of minerality.
Palate: full-bodied and structured, with remarkable volume for a dry white wine in this price range. Velvety sensation on the mid-palate, with a lively and fresh finish enveloped in long-lasting fruitiness. The balance between the natural richness of Petit Manseng and the acidity of the Poudingues is perfect.
Serving: at 12–14°C. Peak drinking 2026–2030.

Food and Wine Pairings

Fine fish (sea bass, turbot, John Dory with beurre blanc), seafood, scallops, warm foie gras, poultry with cream and morels, sheep’s milk cheeses from the Pyrenees (Ossau-Iraty). The richness and structure of the Guilhouret make it a versatile gastronomic white wine that pairs admirably with a variety of dishes.

Discover the other vintages from Clos Thou: Cuvée Julie 2024 (sweet Jurançon), Suprême de Thou 2022 (91/100 GMF), and our selection of organic Jurançon wines.