- 1985 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (6/27/2009)
Archetypical Laville; delicate, subtle and very elegant. With air time, it broadened out a bit to display notes of orchard fruit pit, faint hints of vanilla and honeysuckle. "Coquettish" says Brian - you have to seek out its charms, it won't rush out to meet you. Extremely fresh, it seems suspended in time. (92 pts.) - 2006 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (4/24/2009)
Very pale yellow with a tinge of green. Marvellous delicate aroma of sauvignon blanc in the Bordeaux style. Became more fragrant and more elegant with air. High alcohol at 15+% but ther's no hint of heat or over ripeness. Lots of glycerine and long legs. Light to medium weight, modest length, but strictly one-dimensional at this early stage, and not much acidic spine. The '05 was more impressive at age three, but this might improve in the short term. (88 pts.) - 1993 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (4/24/2009)
M. Pontallier chose this example of Pavillon Blance to show us how well it can age, but I was not convinced, at least by tis vintage. Surprisingly, hardly more pigmented than the '06, not even butter yellow. Very strong aroma of resin, which I find off-putting. (I grimaced instinctively when I put my nose in the glass.) Powerful but oxidative in style - not for me. Perhaps others would like it better. M. Pontalier seemed enthusiastic. (78 pts.) - 2006 Château Lynch-Bages Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (4/19/2009)
Decent white Bordeaux for sure, but even at the K&L sale price of $40, just a little too anonymous. Good cut, some minerality, a hint of jasmine on thee nose, but I just kept wanting more. (88 pts.) - 2005 Château Loudenne Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (4/12/2009)
I was curious to see what a $8 bottle of white Bordeaux was like compared to the fancier bottles I had tasted over the years. (I bought it to get a mixed case discount from a Vinfolio sale.) Color was very pale yelow, which is no bad thing. No aroma to speak of and on the palate it isnothing more than water with a tiny bit of minerals but no friuit. Just barely drinkable and not flawed, but why spend even $8 for this? (78 pts.) - 2001 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (1/4/2009)
Nicely pungent and very sauv blanc. Probably not the best choice to accompany the chinese food at PJ Changs, though. It seems simple now but is not fading at all and probably at its peak. (86 pts.) - 1998 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (12/27/2008)
My first taste of this vintage of HBB, and it's a clear triumph. Big, rich, oily. Medium gold. Open knit nose gives off classical HBB aromas of honey, wax and hint of lemon grass. A single sip is enough to fill the mouth and linger for a while. Not quite up to the most impressive vintages of HBB ('89/'90/'94) but it is a close second. Seems to be on the early side of maturity but irresistible now. (93 pts.) - 2006 Château Lynch-Bages Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (12/7/2008)
Nice clean white Bordeaux without much individuality at this stage. Medium weight, good texture, develops slightly as it warms so that some pear and lemon can be discerned but never really blossoms. Still, it's refreshing and crisp. I doubt it will improve much with age, but another year of development could prove me wrong. (88 pts.) - 2005 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (11/22/2008)
This is stunningly good sauv blanc; extremely floral but not sweet, a little toasty, but clean, rich and fascinating. Thick like light cream and luscious; i.e., not at all austere. Completely ready now. For perfection, there could be a bit more acidity. (93 pts.) - 1983 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (10/19/2008)
This was a slippoery one to evaluate; perfect apprerance (from Vinfolio), straw yellow but almost nothing on the nose or palate at first at 53 degrees (per infrared bottle thermometer). Yet over the course of an hour, it took on weight and interest as it warmed by a couple of degrees. Still, a very shy wine but beautifully preserved, delicate and elegant with a hint of Bordeaux grapefruit and minerals. It seems it will go on forever but never gain weight, unlike us humans. (89 pts.) - 1989 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/23/2008)
As per Greg's specific request, I brought this masterpice to accompany the Haut Brions and La Mission Haut Brions we were having this evening. The intensity and sheer beauty are truly remarkable, The dominant flavor is in the honeycomb and caramel register but there's no sense of heaviness of over-ripeness. Flowers and grilled nuts peek out as well and the aroma is equal to the palate. Full in white Bordeaux terms. Great length and it refused to die in the glass as it warmed over a three hour period. Surely at its peak. It's difficult to imagine a better example of the genre. (97 pts.) - 1995 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/3/2008)
At first opening and for another 15 minutes, quite metallic - something wrong. But gradually, either it or I changed for the better and the more classic flavors of grapefruit and minerals appeared.
still, this seemed rather short and weak for a DdeC blanc from a good vintage. (87 pts.) - 2005 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée (7/12/2008)
I admit it - I have a sentimental attachment to all things Chateau Margaux after visiting the property and dining there with Mme. Mentzelopoulous in 2005. So probably the label influenced me. But there's no denying this is mighty fine Sauvignon Blanc (100%). Pale of course but some light yellow in the hue. Extroadinary bouquet for such a baby; first white and pink grapefruit peel, then a whiff of clean cool ocean air. Despite its delicate texture and weight, there is plenty of flavor, subtle but unmistakable. Flat out delicious and even lush in Sauv Blanc terms, I find it completely irresistible, like the shy but pretty girl who stands by the wall but once someone asks her to dance she becomes the one every boy wants to meet - and kiss. (93 pts.) - 1990 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (6/28/2008)
Spectacular white Graves and the epitome of well aged HBB from a very good vintage - not that vintage variations count for much for the early ripening Semillon and Sauvignon blanc. Very big nose, especially by white Graves standards: vanilla, beeswax, dried apricot, dried pear and a whole lot more. The palate fulfills what the nose suggests with that very distinctive flavor profile of high end white Bordeaux; full and even luscious; incredibly complex and satisfying. Intensity without weight. A perfect match with the off-menu lobster duo at Acqua. But saving a little bit in the glass for a couple of hours played big dividends since far from fading, it just grew even richer and kaleidescopically comlex. The color was medium gold and who knows how long it will last, but clearly this is at its apex at age 18. (96 pts.) - 1994 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (6/10/2008)
Very, very dissapointing; could this bottle possibly be representative? Domaine de Chevalier blanc is usually reliably at least good and can last for decades (the '83 and '85 are drinking beautifully now). The bottle appeared to be in perfect shape and the cork was moist and firm. A faint nose of honeycomb and buttered popcorn was pleasant. But on the palate this wine was weak and watery. No corked, not oxidized, not madeirized, just very diluted as if someone came by and stripped the wine of flavor. The finish was over before I could even swallow it. To try again. (77 pts.) - 2001 Château Carbonnieux Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (5/30/2008)
The texture is the best part at this stage; unusually thick for white Graves. But ultimately, the wine is simple with lemon and alcohol predomating. Decent and by no means flawed, but it is gently heading south. (86 pts.) - 1995 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (4/27/2008)
Nothing exactly wrong here, but the wine is somewhat light and diffuse. Still, the idiosyncratic Laville style is in evidence; less waxy/honied semillon and more bitter apricot. The color is light gold and I do not think it will develop much in the future. I like it, I just wish there were more "there" there. (87 pts.) - 1995 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (4/5/2008)
This was a disappointing and underwhelming experience for what should have been a great wine. The bottle (from Vinfolio a few weeks ago) looked perfect; the color was just right, but - not much to it. Faint honeycomb on the nose as it warmed up, but otherwise, just no "there" there. Not spoiled, oxidized, corked, etc.; just too watery. (86 pts.) - 1983 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (12/9/2007)
This recent purchase from Vinfolio looked great with a 1.5 cm level and sound cork and capsule. The color was promising too; mid to dark yellow with no gold. But while not over the hill, the hill was just too low. Very faint aroma and modest typical flavor of wax and citrus. Pleasant enough but short and not up to HBB standards in this good vintage. (86 pts.) - 1994 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (10/27/2007)
Although 13 years is young for HBB, I cannot imagine this will improve. Very rich and lush in white Grave terms. It tastes almost sweet yet it is perfectly dry. Gorgeous flavors of lemon, whipped cream and honeycomb which reflect the aromas precisely. Very, very impressive, consistent and easily one of the top 5 white Pessac-Leognan I have ever been privileged to drink. I see now I have repeated many of the same words from my last note. (98 pts.) - 2001 Château Carbonnieux Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (10/8/2007)
This seems to be taking on additinal color and flavor as it ages and I'd guess it's at peak right now. Light gold, still quiet on the nose, but more pear on the palate. Nicely crisp and successful for what it is. (88 pts.) - 2000 Château Pape Clément Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (9/7/2007)
South Florida does Lafleur (Cafe Maxx, Pompano Beach, Florida): Offered as a "rince bouche" before the grand Lafleur tasting at Cafe Maxx. Light and delicate, certainly correct, but too inconsequential for this fine estate for white as well as red. (81 pts.) - 1983 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/13/2007)
Drank the first half much too warm at Seasons 52, which caused the alcohol to stick out. Finally, after adequate chilling, it showed much better with the hint of honey and decent minerality. Subtle, of course and light but very good grapefruit-like fruit. Still, not as impressive as previous bottles. (89 pts.) - 1985 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (7/28/2007)
This is simply the most elegant white wine I have ever tasted. Gorgeous yet delicate aromas of lemon, lime, vanilla and Madelaine cookie waft from the glass. Absolute purity on the palate; the attack, mid-palate and finish follow in orderly progression like a Mozart piano concerto. Light in weight, yet full in flavor and superbly complex and interesting. Almost too good to marry with food. (97 pts.) - 2001 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (6/24/2007)
This wine is evolving, more strongly flavored and less austere. The wife identified the odor as "cat" which shows the influence of the sauvignon. There's still plenty of tingling acidity and minerality and the future should be even more interesting. Nice accompaniement to pan-seared mahi mahi and sticky rice with citrus ponzu sauce at home. (88 pts.) - 1999 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (3/31/2007)
Steve H. brought 2 bottles to the Saturday night BWE DC '04 event at Charlie Palmer Steak. The only other time I tasted it was at the chateau in 2005, so it is a BWE wine for me. I was reminded how open, forward and interesting this HBB is. The usual waxy semillon predominates but there was lots of other interesting fruits, nuts and minerals to savor. - 1983 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (2/9/2007)
Marvellous example of old white Graves perfectly preserved and still youthful. This is the kind of wine that could get quickly lost in a lineup of bigger and bolder whites, since it's extremely delicate and "tout en finesse." As it warms up, it offers faint but lovely aromas of candle wax, pink grapefruit and cold butter. Remarkably focused. (92 pts.) - 2001 Château Carbonnieux Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (2/2/2007)
Strangely dull and inexpressive this time. Absolutely no flaws, yet not a lot of character either, especially when first poured too cold. Finally a bit of minerality creeps in after a half hour. On the positive side, it's very clean and refreshing. So, either the fruit has dropped out or it's in a moody adolescent phase. (83 pts.) - 1994 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (1/19/2007)
Simply stunning fully mature HB Blanc, purchased last year from K&L. Amazingly luscious for a white Graves; thick, dry but seems almost sweet due to the concentrated honeysuckle essence that roared from the glass. Palate-staining; great length. The orange gold color confirmed that this wine is as good as it will every be; the only question is how long it will hold at this magical level. Kathy guessed it was the '89 HB Blanc which it strongly resembles. (97 pts.) - 1983 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (12/16/2006)
This is strictly for white Graves fanatics, but for those other freaks out there, this is really lovely. Extremely fresh, medium yellow color, very faint nose and mostly minerals on the palate with a hint of wax. A wine of structure more than fruit. Amazingly oily texture for the genre. Austere in the best possible way. It was a good accompaniment to roast turkey and would be even better with shellfish. Very lively. (94 pts.) - 1983 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (10/21/2006)
The best bottle so far from this case, the epitome of mature great white Graves. The cork broke while I was opening it at the restaurant, so unfortunately every one got a dose of cork bits in their glass. But better "cork" than "corked," which this surely was not. Remarkably thick texture for its type, more like whole milk than water. The predominate flavor was pear, but there was so much non-fruit complexity, it's difficult to pin down. Greg immediately called for an order of stone crabs for the table, which was the perfect accompaniment for the wine. Not too acidic, not too minerally, not too anything; just a beatifully balanced glass of pleasure. (95 pts.) - 2001 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (10/13/2006)
This seems to be evolving rapidly. Not quite as austere as before.The color is light gold and the nose is more expressive of citus and rock. Very firm and tight yet flavorful. Excellent with the right food; definitely not to be drunk by itself. (90 pts.) - 2001 Château Carbonnieux Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (9/8/2006)
Classic white Graves; steely, austere, but the texture is becoming thicker so it seems to be more giving than on release. This would be a excellent wine with shellfish, but it did very well with mesquite grilled lemon chicken. (89 pts.) - 1985 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/24/2006)
While not hitting quite the peak of the very best bottles of '85 HBB, this was a distinct improvement over the previous bottle last year. Very subtle but not too severe. Lovely weight and balance, complex and cerebral. It definitely improved and became more expressive as it warmed up in the bottle and glass over two hours. Hugh was very enthusiastic, as was Barry, Kathy and I. It's probably at peak right now, but there's no hint of fatigue. (93 pts.) - 1983 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/18/2006)
This stuff is incredible in its liveliness and freshness. Blind, I would guess it was no more than 10 years old. But its much more than just a vinous fountain of youth. Very elusive and difficult to describe, but I can find some grapefruit in there along with the minerals. Delicate, but not a wimp. It heald up very well in the glass for a couple of hours, but didn't evolve. Strictly for lovers of white Bordeaux. (93 pts.) - 2001 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/11/2006)
The light gold color was unexpected - could this be oxidized? No, not really, but it seemed more advanced than it should for a 5 year old serious white Graves. Very elusive on the nose and in the mouth; paraffin and Indian spice such as cumin made for a strange experience. But
as it warmed, it became more expressive and interesting. I have to try another one soon to see if this was a one off. (86 pts.) - 1985 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (6/10/2006)
Just too mild and gentle. Faint fragrance and flavor of honey and decent acid, but it's fading. Unable to stand up to the ceviches at Ola. (85 pts.) - 1983 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (4/14/2006)
Astonishing in its youthful freshness. Medium butter yellow color. When too cold, it seems bland, but as it warmed up, an intriguing scent of over-ripe pineapple, lemon peel and crushed stone gradually emerged from the glass. On the palate, it's light and would easily be lost in a flight of chardonnays. This is a wine of subtlety and finesse. Very elegant and satisfying in a cerebral way. This iis bottle #1 from a case I bought recently at auction from HDH. (93 pts.) - 2001 Château Carbonnieux Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (12/31/2005)
This wine is gaining strength and interest as it ages. Slightly fuller, more flavorful, more integrated and less tart than before, it is developing a classical Graves profile. Very nice now and I hope it will continue to develop positively. (88 pts.) - 1994 Château Pape Clément Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (11/23/2005)
Much less expressive than previous bottles purchased at the same time from Rare Wine a few years ago. Even for white Bordeaux, it's too austere because there's very little fruit to back up the acidity and minerality. Drinkeable, but not interesting or distinctive. My last bottle. (82 pts.) - 1985 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (9/9/2005)
My last bottle and a great one it was (from CWC). Still butter yellow in color, suggesting the freshness that was verified by the taste. A lot of vanilla on the nose, supplemented by hints of orange. Not exactly fat, but thick and rich on the palate with a pleasing texture. Burst of ripe fruit at the back of the mouth. Clean, subtle, classy. No sign of fatigue. Certainly playing in the same league as Haut Brion Blanc and Laville Haut Brion. (94 pts.) - 1985 Château Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/27/2005)
This bottle, purchased some years ago from Rare Wine Company, was the weakest effort so far, yet still almost outstanding. Excellent level and the cork moist about half way up and the color was a lovely light gold. But trying to describe the bouquet and taste of this wine is a real enigma because it resembles no other, even within the world of white Bordeaux. The texture is a pleasurable one of light cream. Nicely balanced, good length, not too acidic and not flabby, it was an excellent accompaniment to poached halibut on a bed of couscous in a vegetable stock broth. Very nice, but lacks the focus of better bottles - and this can be a 95+ point wine when its on form. (89 pts.) - 2001 Château Carbonnieux Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (7/29/2005)
Good white Bordeaux; nice texture and austerity; very sauvignon blanc. Less expressive than the previous bottle, a little simple; may develop with another year or two, but enjoyable now for its palate cleansing ability. (87 pts.) - 2001 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (7/24/2005)
Good, but not especially interesting this time. Notes of grapefruit and minerals; pretty simple stuff, but clean and dry as always. Will this become more interesting with time in bottle? I have a lot, so I'll see. (86 pts.) - 1994 Château Pape Clément Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (7/17/2005)
This is a splendid example of what white Graves is all about. Still pale yellow and very very fresh. Idiosyncratic nose of lemon, seashell, chalk, iodine and even summer squash. A powerful fruit acid backbone supports intense yet delicate flavors of citrus, rock and sauvignon essence, with just the slightest hint of vanilla in the long finish. Really wipes the palate clean with each sip. Impressive and young. (93 pts.) - 1985 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (7/9/2005)
This is a fabulous example of perfectly mature ripe white Bordeaux, certainly one of the top three I have ever tasted. This is bottle 5 of 8 I purchased at a Christie's auction a few years ago and the best yet. Medium gold, not crystal clear. Very expressive nose of honeysuckle, dried herbs, especially thyme, and candle wax. Unusually thick texture for the genre, like whole milk or even light cream. Remarkable depth of rich, round fruit with just enough lively acidity. Excellent length, although it began to fade after about 30 minutes in the glass. This is rather advanced on its plateau of maturity but demonstrates that 20 years is just the right age for drinking great white Pessac-Leognan. (95 pts.) - 2001 Château Carbonnieux Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (5/30/2005)
This bottle seems better than the previous one just two months ago. Medium yellow, hint of gold. Nothing much on the nose. But there is pleasing depth of clean, slightly minerally and citric flavors in a light to mediium-bodied format. Not the greatest length of finish, but refreshing acidity makes it a fine accompaniiment to the simple meal of poached halibut in vegetable stock broth. (88 pts.) - 2001 Château Carbonnieux Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (3/30/2005)
Nice clear butter yellow color which can be seen vividly through the clear bottle. Faint, but pleasant nose of lemon, chalk and vanilla oak. Viscous for white Bordeaux. But the flavors are quite simple, just lemon and alcohol. Decent finish. O.K. wine for the price ($30), but ultimately not very interesting unless it develops in the bottle. (86 pts.) - 1971 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (3/26/2005)
I want to love this wine, but I can't. It's a recent purchase from AMC. Fill to top shoulder (the lowest of the three in the parcel), capsule cut to confirm identity, very clean label. The cork was soft but came out in one piece, black on the top and moist throughout. No doubt it was the original cork and the bottle was well stored. The color was orange gold and there was a small bit of sandy brown sediment. Very faint scent of paraffin and orange peel. Clean but faded on the mid palate. The finish is quite tart with a lemon flavor. Still drinkable, but sadly, it's too old. (83 pts.) - 2001 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (3/20/2005)
Interesting young white bordeaux. This is "serious" wine, not a casual quaffer. I first had this about 5 months ago and it was extremely tight and minerally. But now it has relaxed a bit and in addition to white rock, a strong note of grapefruit, then mixed green herbs - rosemary, parsely, basil - began to blossom. Excellent, but not shrill, acidity. Most attractive clean white and enjoyable now. Will it close down? (90 pts.)
~stuart
