July 26, 2022
Save 32% on Bordeaux Blanc
Pre-order this wine future for delivery in Fall 2022
I picked my favorite Bordeaux Blancs from the Wine Paris tasting last Spring and have assembled them here for just $169/case (vs. $250-$300+). All of these are drinking very well now with the 2018 and 2019 having another 7-8 years of life left on them. I highly recommend buying a couple cases and cellaring these.
The wines are crisp, expressive and gorgeous not to mention magnificent!
Please find my notes below.
2018 Clos des Lunes, Lune D'Argent Blanc - 93-Points Wine Spectator, 93-Points James Suckling
Clos des Lunes was founded by legendary Domaine de Chevalier winemaker Olivier Bernard with a sole focus on transitioning the amazing terroir of Sauternes and its noble anchor varietal, Semillon, into a glorious dry white. The Lune D'Argent bottling is a no-expense spared, barrel-aged and bone-dry blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc from this Grand Cru terroir. The result is a wine of precision, grace and tremendous refinement.
Intense and complex nose of honeyed acacia blossoms, exotic white fruits and citrus mixed with flint. The bouquet takes on deeper dimension with air turning more tropical adding mango and peach notes along with creamy guava and beeswax. The palate is rich, generous, ample, and intensely fruity, with very good tension. The Sauvignon Blanc lemon juice delicately coats the exotic sweetness (lychee, mango) of the well-ripe Semillon. The finish is a work of art, simply blasting with rock perfume, vetiver spice, lemon blossoms and guava. Decant for an hour or two or 24-hour decant recommended. Drink over the next 7-8 years.
2019 Chateau Thieuley, Cuvee Francis Courselle Blanc - 91-Points Decanter Magazine
50% Sauvignon and 50% Semillon and aged for 9-months in French oak, this gorgeous, icon-level cuvee has the structure and depth age another 7-8 years. Its cracking open nicely now with two-years in bottle but a good decant or 24-hour decant is recommended.
The bouquet is fresh and lively with apple and citrus notes complexed with toasty, flinty, mineral notes and a hint of mint. Robust on entry with with flint and mint notes in a tightly wound structure and huge length swaddled in baby fat. However, guava and papaya notes complex the bouquet with air adding layers of vetiver perfume and rock as she opens up. The palate spreads it wings as well becoming fleshy with cascading layers of rock, flint, tropical fruit and creamy citrus adding perfumed mineral notes in the lovely retronasal blast. Magnificent stuff. Do yourself a favor, be patient with this wine and allow it to blossom. Drink over the next 7-8 years.
2021 Chateau Sainte Marie, Entre Deux Mers Vielles Vignes - 91-Points James Suckling.
This old vine offering is a classically styled combination of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon with a splash of 5% Muscadelle. The bouquet is fresh and pure with no oak influence. Complex aromas of white flowers, lemon crusted mineral, flint and riverstone frame passionfruit and citrus notes. Fresh, bright and lifted, the bouquet adds apple skins with air. Round and supple on entry, medium-bodied, this wine quickly turns crunchy and zesty, exploding on the midpalate with apple skin and pink grapefruit crusted minerality, citrus and rock that lead to a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink over the next 3-4 years.