Bordeaux Blanc

[BigTex22]

Hello, I'm new to the board, and am interested in trying and possibly obtaining a small collection of Bordeaux Blancs. I'm new to this category and would appreciate any thoughts from this board on strong vintages, key producers, differences in styles, etc. Thanks in advance!

[Nicklasss]

Hi Bigtex22. Not afan of expensive white Bordeaux myself, I can only recommend the Chateau Puygueraud or some light Entre-Deux-Mers for you to try.

But I'm sure some here can help you more.

Welcome.

Nic

[johnz]

My advice -- stock to the Pessac Leognan wines like Carbonnieux, Latour Martillac, Haut Bergey, La Louviere and away from the overpriced newly developed Medoc whites. Pessac has been making great steely/austere white bordeaux wines utilizing Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion grapes for a long time, and at decent prices too -- $40/btl or so . . .

--Gary Rust

[Comte Flaneur]

There are a lot of good under the radar producers. The portes ouvrees I went to with Alex late last year in early Dec was so instructive.

[AKR]

Personally I don't get much out of white Bordeaux, but I will buy/drink some of Denis Dubordieu (decd) stable.

Reynon is inexpensive and good, Clos Floridene blanc is better and a ten spot more.

The latter will easily keep 10 years, if you want.

It is more available today than it was in the past.

Before laying down higher end examples (that others have mentioned) of this category for the long haul, see if you can taste some mature examples to see if you will like how they develop.

I don't really care much for aged white Hermitage either, so maybe that is a cue.

[Winona Chief]

Brought a bottle of the very expensive 2002 Laville Haut Brion to one of this year's BWE convention dinners. It was quite disappointing - I much preferred a $30 white Bordeaux that Rob & Susan brought. I have had some great examples of aged white Bordeaux from Domaine de Chevalier (and one Haut Brion blanc) but at this point I would look for those in the $18 to $40 price range. An area for me with quickly diminishing returns above $40.

Chris Bublitz

[Racer Chris]

White Bordeaux I've enjoyed in the last 2 years includes 47 bottles from these producers:
'14, '15, '16 Ch. Cote Montpezat Cuvee Compostelle Blanc Castillon (87, 88)
'13, '14, '15 Ch. Guibon Blanc Entre Deux Mers (87, 88)
'14, '15 Ch. de Chantegrive Cuvee Caroline Graves (90)
'15 Ch. Ducasse Blanc (88)
'14 Ch. Carbonnieux Blanc Pessac-Leognan (92)
'14 Ch. Villa Bel Air Blanc (89)
'12 Ch. de Chantegrive Blanc Graves (91)
'14 Ch. Bellevue Entre Deux Mers (86)
'14 Ch. Graville-Lacoste Blanc Graves (89)

The Ch. Carbonnieux was the most expensive by far at about $30.

[AKR]

I remember drinking a 79 Laville H.B. with Pappadoc and not understanding it all, he was enthused by its beeswax bouquet, and oily texture.

Carbonnieux's blanc is about as far I think I'll reach upwards in this category. It does keep well though.

[tim]

I personally am a big fan of Bordeaux blanc. Like with Red Bordeaux, there are many producers out there outside of the Grand Crus that are worth checking out.

In terms of the more well known producers, I am a fan of Clos Floridene and Malartic Lagraviere, but perhaps my all time favorite (outside of Haut Brion of course) is Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc. This is absolutely Bordeaux Blanc at its finest.

[JimHow]

The white Bordeaux that Chris mentioned above that Rob brought to the Thursday night dinner was the 2014 Smith Haut Lafitte. I thought it was brilliant myself, although it costs a lot more than $30. Great purity. I have one bottle of the 2014 SHL Blanc that I intend to uncork with Maine lobster this summer.

[marcs]

I don't think the Thursday night white Bdx that Rob and Susan brought was the Smith Haut Lafite first wine. I think it was the white SHL "Hauts de Smith", their second wine. I think someone said it was Sauvignon Blanc only?

Much cheaper than the first wine but the 2014 is also not generally available any more.

But the fact that a young second wine that costs $35 beat an aged first wine that cost $200+ says something about Bordeaux Blanc.

[BigTex22]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all of the great feedback and timely responses. Look forward to participating on the board.

[sdr]

Well, for the newly elevated price of Smith-Haut-Lafitte, I prefer Domaine de Chevalier, so stylish and complete. The 2014 is excellent.

Haut-Brion Blanc at its best can be sublime but somehow the owners (or the marketplace) decided that it is worth almost as many shekels as Pétrus.

On a more realistic level, I like Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc (no relationship to Haut-Brion) for about $25, very delicate and subtle but interesting.

Stu

[JimHow]

Yeah, I paid like $85 for that lone bottle of 2014 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc.

[BordeauxNut]

Clos Floridene is a house white at my place. Really nice White Bordeaux for the $.