Château Combel-la-Serre - L'Éléphant blanc 2023
91/100
Bettane & Desseauve
90/100
RVF
"A wine for friends, without any pretensions"
Combel La Serre's "L'Éléphant Blanc" is vinified using a minimalist approach to preserve its aromatics and freshness. The result is an approachable wine with a charming nose of white fruits and citrus. It is a wine with lovely length and plenty of freshness.
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Eye
Gold Dress
Nose
Charming, with aromas of white fruit and citrus, and a few floral notes
Palate
Juicy, vibrant, and crisp
Serve
At 10°–12°C
Drink before
2027
Food and Wine Pairings
It pairs very well with vegetarian dishes, shellfish, a salmon steak, tuna tataki...
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated 91/100
Rated estate (2026 guide): 3*Stars (High-quality production that serves as a benchmark in its sector)
About the estate:
Jean-Pierre Ilbert founded Château Combel La Serre after leaving the cooperative winery in 1998. To promote the estate, the family traveled throughout France. The turning point came in 2011 when his son Julien and his wife Sophie decided to switch to organic farming (certification obtained in 2013). Together, they have breathed new life into this 26-hectare estate. As in Burgundy, the focus is on plot-by-plot selection, highlighting the distinct terroirs in which they strongly believe, and creating stylish cuvées with modern labels. The grape varieties are traditional for the reds but more unconventional for the whites, featuring Vermentino and Albariño, which they are particularly fond of. The wines’ style is precise, fruit-forward, and clearly expressive of the terroir. This close-knit couple channels their ambition and enthusiasm into their wines.
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2025 guide) 90/100
Rated estate (2026 guide) 1*Star (Rising stars or high-quality winemakers producing wines of a good standard—you won’t be disappointed when you taste the wines from these estates)
About the wine:
From Sauvignon to Grenache, from Colombard to Vermentino, all that was missing was Macabeu to give the Éléphant Blanc a vibrant southern character.
About the estate:
Julien Ilbert and his wife Sophie are the driving force behind this vineyard, whose existence has been documented since 1900. Breaking with his father’s model, Julien shifted the focus to bottling; he set out to forge a new identity, adorning his various bottles with expressive, modern labels. His vintages are gaining in stature year after year. He draws the best from the 23 hectares planted with Auxerrois—the local name for Malbec—as well as his Vermentinos and Albariños, southern grape varieties that find here a terroir and climate perfectly suited to them. Alongside the single-vineyard wines Le Lac aux Cochons (iron-rich limestone soil), Au Cerisier (red clay), and Les Peyres Levades (limestone), he is introducing new wines to the lineup that showcase the remarkable evolution of the Cahors vineyards.
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