Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for all 61 dry white wines tasted.
Producer
Appellation
Vintage
Score
Notes
Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
97
A stunning white wine in 2023. Green apple, crisp and alive on the nose. Round and forward, gorgeous density and texture on the tongue, bright and fresh, a dash of sherbet lemon gives the zing, while this has a strict backbone like the red, keeping the focus on the fruit and the tension in equal measure. Alive and bright, not too full or too acidic. Great green apple, a touch of grapefruit and orange too. Gorgeous purity and crystalline aspects with some power underneath but all the while keeping straight and direct. Focussed and intentional. Remarkable. 3.2pH, 4 total acidity.
Château Haut-Brion, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
96
Slightly herbal grassy green apple notes on the nose, a little less demonstrative again than LMHB at this point. Instantly more weight on the palate, really has more fat and texture, a little oily even in terms of the density. Less apparent acidity, a touch more sombre, more on the bitterness side to give an angle and contrast to the fruit which adds body and structure in that way. Still lively, no doubt, lemon and grapefruit, clean with hints of spice on the finish. A fantastic white in 2023 and will be nice to compare it to its sister white in bottle. 3.2pH.
Château Margaux, Pavillon Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
96
Peach, apricot, nectarine, white chocolate, smells a little lemongrass and yoghurt on the nose, some richness on the nose. Weighty with a great texture on the palate. Seeing acidity gives the lift straight away - lemon juice, fully citrus, but so clean and so mineral too with oyster shell and salt on the undercurrent. It’s still quite lean, but graceful and very elegant and very moreish. I love the style, sharp and tangy. Fresh, orange, lemon and peach, lovely bitter elements with juiciness and some richness in terms of texture. Bright and alive. It’s very good. I like the tang on the super long finish. Well constructed. The teams picked between August 23 and 30 just in the mornings and pressed gently to preserve acidity. 3.15pH - a little higher than in 2021. 37hl/ha yield. 45% grand vin production, 50% second wine.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
96
Strong aromatics, on the expressive side with herbal accents, spiced wood, green apple, quince, apricot, mango, peach honeycomb and elderflower. Very floral. Fresh and expansive, mineral and direct, but a good body full of fruit, freshness and honey characters. Definitely more opulent and exotic than the others in the range with hints of tropical fruit - pineapple and mango but also some lovely bitterness which adds tension to balance it out. A good combination, more vibrancy and energy than in previous years. Succulent and sumptuous with salinity. Very good and very easy to drink. Ageing 50% new oak.
Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2023
96
If you have a vintage with a heatwave, you can count on this estate to outperform, and it did again in 2023, with wine marked by refined aromas of wet stone, lemongrass, verbena, fresh herb, lime, quince and kiwi. This kaleidoscope of aromas and flavours is encapsulated in a smooth and vivacious palate that remains precise and with exciting precision through to a long finish. The somewhat high alcohol is balanced by the acidity as the team picked to attain ripeness, while not doing any malolactic fermentation to preserve freshness.
Château Cos d'Estournel, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
95
Some herbal elements on the nose with peach, lime and a hint of mango, white chocolate and vanilla. Lovely weight and body, enough to be mouth filling and give some density and concentration on the palate. Lively, supple, a great richness and a touch of sweetness that gives it roundness while the Sauvignon Blanc adds crisp apple and green stone fruit. Extremely low ph of 3.14 keeps the focus on the freshness and acidity really countering the ripe fruit. A great effort this year.
Château Couhins-Lurton, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2023
95
A gorgeous wine that exudes both clean citrus and inimitable Loire like silex and salinity. Tasted twice, and while the sister estate Château La Louvière shows more seductive breadth, the Couhins-Lurton should win in the long run with superior seashell freshness, purity and precision. Yes, much tangier than the La Louvière, but ageing (in 30% new oak) will build breadth and depth.
Château La Garde, Blanc
Pessac-L̩ognan
2023
95
Gooseberry, green apple, lemongrass, a hint of vanilla and verbena - lovely fragrance and aromatic on the nose. Clean and crisp. Juicy and alive, really focussed but this has such a vibrancy to it and perfect weight in the mouth. Gorgeous and because of the almost fleshy aspect you don’t get any harsh acidity. No aggressivity. A stunning white wine, gorgeous density, layered but precise too, it is crisp no doubt, there’s a firm line driving from start to finish with movement all the way through but then you get the expansive fruit, juiciness, soft chew and weight as well as a hint of sweetness. Fleshy peach, orange, grapefruit, lemon, apple, - so much going on here. A wonderful white from 2023. 3.09pH. 4% new oak for ageing, used to be 15%.
Château Malartic-Lagravière, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2023
95
Green herbs, white flowers, floral and scented with wet stones, limes and green apples apples on the nose. Lovely energy and vibrancy, forward and lively, but so well balanced and harmonious. Oyster shell, salt, lemon balm and green lime skin. Scintillating, succulent and juicy in the best way. Just feels very welcoming with licks of stone on the finish. This has flesh and chew and power but is hidden by the acidity and raciness. I love this because it’s calm and hands off, nothing too much or too little. Great stuff. One of my favourites! Ageing 50% new oak. 3.25pH. Yield of 49.48hl/ha.
Château Pape Clément, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
95
Combining orange clementine, pink grapefruit and kiwi aromas, this is one of the brightest - and most non-opulent Pape Clément whites that I can recall tasting from en primeur. It reminds me a bit of the 2021 vintage. The finish shows a hint of pineapple but the wine is far more citrus driven, with breed and polish, excellent acidity and wet stone mineratlity. I am not sure about 96 points just yet, as it seems just a bit light on its feet for a Pape-Clément. Let's see how the barrel ageing will expand the palate, with a strong potential for a higher score. Tasted twice with similar results.
Château Suduiraut, Pur Semillon
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
95
A gorgeous Burgundian-textured white, with plenty of quince, vine peaches and spring floral bouquet. Careful lees stirring lends richness as this 100% Sémillon ages in 50% new oak (only about 2,500 bottles). If you can get some, do not hesitate.
Les Champs Libres, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
95
Acacia and chamomile, so aromatic on the nose, expressive and open. Really alive and forward. Juicy and energetic, high toned with a brightness, sweetness, sourness and bitterness. Really well constructed, so much going on and layers of flavour and texture. Wide with a soft grip that lingers on the tongue and cheeks, almost sherbet like. This has a herbal and green fruit tang with some peach and lime element too. It’s expansive but keeps a really distinct linear and firm backbone but there’s ample edges too. Not harsh or austere with such a long finish, really goes on and on.
Château Bouscaut, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2023
94
A superlative wine combining vivid opulence marked by the ripe Sémillons and verve from the Sauvignon Blanc, with beeswax, acacia, spring meadow freshness and a combination of white stone fruit and lemon rind. The palate showcases more exotic notes like quince, passion fruit and pineapple, but overall there is a sense of structure and depth. The ageing - in 30% new oak - will only broaden this already excellent wine, and likely lead to a higher score.
Château de Fieuzal, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
94
This bright and tangy wine echants the senses with a cornucopia of flavours, ranging from lemon and ripe peach to camomile and lanolin. Mid palate richnesss, smoothly delivered is balanced by the acidity. Yet more excellent dry white wine from Pessac-Léognan.
Château de Rouillac, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
94
Bright nose, tropical and lively, with crisp green apple and some pineapple elements. Tangy and super lively on the palate. A touch of sherbet with lemon and lime touches, apricot stone fruit and some peach fleshiness but keeps a straight line. Some steeliness on the undercurrent. Nice energy and focus, good drive and this has a really approachable and enjoyable expression with a dose of mouthwatering sweetness on the mid palate and steeliness come the finish. Nothing too over the top with flavours that last a long time. Great balance. 3.2pH. A yield of 55hl/ha.
Château Latour-Martillac, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2023
94
Yet more proof of how the dry whites tend to outpace the dry reds (with notable exceptions) in Pessac-Léognan as this gorgeous wine exhibits ripe grapefruit, honeysuckle and juicy peach aromas and flavours. The tangy and fresh palate shows breed, with linear precision not without some opulence, ending on a long, iodine finish.
Château Mouton Rothschild, Aile d'Argent
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
94
Lovely sweet, rich nose, some honeyed notes with dried flowers, lemon balm, tangerine and oyster shell. Ripe and clean, a great balance of soft sweet lemon and peach with stony apricot and touches of lime. A great initial burst of flavour with high acidity giving a mouthwatering freshness. Clean and precise, fresh, finessed and deep. 0.5% Muscadelle completes the blend.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
94
A touch of honey and honeycomb on the nose, some caramel, green herbs, apple and white stone fruit. Nice weight on the palate, this has some density and structure with a slightly honeyed core. Mouthwatering creamy peach with salinity, a touch of graphite and wet stones that lingers on the finish. A touch of bitterness too, but this has excellent energy and harmony with movement, subtle power and a long finish. Friendly and easy to approach. Ageing 50% new oak.
Château Suduiraut, Vieilles Vignes
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
94
An excellent dry white, exuding acacia and orange blossom aromas, it has a delicate yet deep palate profile, with white peach, grapefruit and spring flower leading to a long, seashell fresh finish. Yet more proof of the success of the dry whites in 2023. Ageing in 9% new oak will result in greater palate breadth.
Clos des Lunes, Lune d'Or
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
94
Only 200 barrels made from this special 100% Sémillon wine, which combines opulence and focus as expressed in pulpy white stone fruit, honeysuckle, sweet herb, verbena and liquorice. A complex wine that will only gain from barrel ageing as the expression of the Sémillon is at this stage somewhat delicate and not as fleshy, but that will come over time.
Château Brown, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
93
Slightly honeyed, butterscotch, vanilla, white flowers - very aromatic on the nose - gooseberry and green apple notes. Round and filling, this has a real life-force with depth and push. Lots of sweet lemon and apple, with a touch of bitter grapefruit and orange towards the finish. Lively and very pure with some clear oak influence and element of butteriness giving some fat. Much bigger and fuller than the second wine, serious but still with lift and energy. It needs to settle, but this is pure and precise. Lemon, lime, peach and apple. Crisp but also creamy. Very nice, balanced and drinkable. Ends steely and mineral which is lovely. Ageing eight months, 50% new oak, 50% one year barrels. A yield of 50hl/ha. 3.14pH.
Château Caillou ,
Barsac (2ème Cru Classé)
2023
93
I love the energy and spearmint like freshness, despite a rather high pH of 3.8. A nuanced wine with enough opulence but can be easily served for an apéritif. While it lacks the depth of top wines tasted this vintage, it is more than solid. 140 grams of residual sugar per litre.
Château Carbonnieux, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2023
93
With its lemon rind and grassy notes, this Sauvignon Blanc dominated wine - ever reliable - continues to appeal in 2023, although it does have some varietal aspects that come across as less nuanced when compared to some of its peers. Nonetheless, this is excellent white wine, with grip, juiciness, depth and freshness. To be served confidently with fish in a cream sauce.
Château Chantegrive, Cuveé Caroline
Graves
2023
93
Like the regular format from the Lévêque family, this wine shows off pleasing lemon and lime aromas and flavours as well as basswood, acacia and more prominent white peach. The oak ageing with lees stirring lends richness and a tasty, toasty character that makes the wine more be ideal for richer gastronomy.
Château d'Aiguilhe, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
93
Generous and weighty, lovely density and honey aspects. Chalky tannins, a bit of peach flesh, some orange, some green apple but this is calm and so relaxed. Really approachable with such a generous but charming weight and tone of flavour. Mouthwatering, bright and clean. Really incredibly drinkable. Chalky on the finish with a slight hint of orange and grapefruit bitterness. Fat comes from the concentration - great balance of sapidity, acidity and fruit. 3.1pH. Yield of 28hl/ha.
Château Haut-Brion, La Clarté de Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan
2023
93
Green herbal notes, some honeyed elements, lemongrass, hay, elderflower and green apple. Juicy and clean, nice lifted style on the palate. A good weight on the tongue, this has some fat, a touch of honey with crystalline aspects some peachy flesh and lime and grapefruit rind. Not super long or super persistent but nicely formed. Mouth watering acidity, subtle, balanced, nothing too much, all in one line. Really easy to like and enjoy for sure. I love the softness and the soft edge of bitterness. 3.2pH, 4 total acidity. This usually has a majority of Semillon but this year has 56.4% Sauvignon Blanc.
Château La Louvière, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
93
Chamomile, herbal, with lime aspects. A smooth, even creamy, palate with breadth and energy as well, showing off white peach and clementine orange, with agreeable toasty oak accents (the wine is ageing in 30% new oak barrels of 500 litres). Long finish, frank and a bit tart, but in a nice way. Ageing will make this a sure winner and the wine has the needed acidity and dry extract for more long-term keeping.
Château Lagrange, Arums de Lagrange
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
93
Crisp green apple, hints of citrus and white stone fruit and some pear and clementine notes. Smells clean and fresh. Fresh and lively, bright and round. Lemon leanness with some peachy fleshiness and a hint of both honey and wet stone minerality. A lovely dash of sweetness nicely balances and counters the acidity with some soft spiced and bitter grapefruit edges giving the frame. Well balanced, really easy to drink yet on the refreshing side of the spectrum. A great white in 2023. Ageing seven months in oak barrels, 40% new oak. 3.2pH.
Château Les Charmes-Godard, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
93
A touch of lanolin, wax, honeyed lemons on the nose, you get the cool elements of Semillon on the nose. Clean and crisp, amazingly pure and precise on the palate but with a dollop of lemon yoghurt, wet stones and lime juice that gives equal measure of brightness, depth and zing. It’s got some toastiness on the back of the palate, from fermenting and ageing in oak (15% new) but this, and the Semillon, adds character and structure. I like it a lot, almost plump but energetic too. I'd wait a little before opening this, but it’s lovely. 3.12pH. Yield of 54hl/ha.
Château Puygueraud, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
93
Varietal nose, fully Sauvignon Blanc with green apple, elderflower and some lemon balm touches. Racy and alive, lean and steely but with sweet lemon sherbet, ripe apple and even some pineapple as well as small touches of orange bitterness. Great energy and focus and enjoyable peach fleshiness too - this is a really good wine. Juicy and succulent, the ripe fruit suggests a warm vintage, but there's plenty of cool and fresh elements too with no underripe accents. Already bottled. 3.12pH.
Clos des Lunes, Lune d'Argent
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
93
A textbook example of excellent dry white in 2023: you get the sumptuousness of ripe Sémillon with nectarine juiciness and the verve and citrus punch, in this case kiwi, from the Sauvignon Blanc. No malolactic fermentation to maintain acidity, given the summer heatwaves, and voilà. This wine also has some classy pear on the finish, but above all a juicy mid palate.
Clos Marsalette, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
93
White stone fruit aromas like nectarine combine with iodine tonicity in a wine that conveys both depth of tangy flavour and bright fruit, with an agreeable toasty aspect from the new oak (20%) for ageing. Picking dates in early September thread the needle of obtaining some richness while maintaining needed acidity for verve.
Château Bastor-Lamontagne, Confidence
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
92
Aging in fine lees in 300-litre barrels, this Sauvignon Gris dominated blend is fresh and aromatic, evoking pear, peaches and lemon. It conveys gastronomically creamy opulence (lees stirring to excellent effect), but with zest and energy, bright and tangy fruit: in a word, balanced. Far better than the unfussy B de Bastor, which is merely OK, this dry white is well worth your while!
Château Brane-Cantenac, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
92
Quite a Sauvignon Blanc nose; green apple, peas, elderflower and lemongrass. Crisp and tart, almost searing acidity but then almost immediately countered by some sweet lemon, honey, ripe apple and peach with a touch of bitter grapefruit around the edges. Good weight the whole way through with no dip in the mid palate. Tense and grippy. 3.19pH. Ageing eight months on fine lees.
Château Chantegrive ,
Graves
2023
92
An excellent example of the success of the dry whites in Bordeaux, and here a Graves that offers bright citrus fruit, energy and a savoury palate: the Sémillons provide richness while the Sauvignons plenty of zing. Aged only in stainless steel, with a clean and smooth palate leading to a medium, lemon/lime finish ideal for oysters on a half shell. 3.31pH.
Château d'Eck, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
92
Cool, fresh and driven by citrus notes, this flavorful white has a rather sumptuous mid-palate paired with freshness and refinement, ending on orange bitters - a tonic finish. Look out for it!
Château de la Rivière, Le Blanc de Château de La Rivière
Bordeaux
2023
92
Fresh herbal and white stone fruit aromatics presage a medium bodied palate with verve and juiciness with notes of ripe apricot, peach, apple and exotic fruit. Picking from 4-6 September, the 100% Sauvignon (Blanc and Gris) handled the heatwaves well, as the wine is crisp with lively acidity. A new oak component (ageing in 25% new oak) lends a subtle note of vanilla, leading to a pleasingly long finish. Yet more proof of how good the dry whites of 2023 can be.
Château de Rochemorin, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
92
Lovely aromas of pink grapefruit, green apple, white flower and biscuit aspects introduce a rather creamy texture with elegance and saline tension leading to a medium finish. Fermented in large barrels with lees stirring lends that biscuity aspect with richness, and the freshness of the vintage balances the wine nicely.
Château de Saint Marie , Vieilles Vignes
Entre-Deux-Mers
2023
92
With the harvest between 29 August to 14 September, this estate bid for ripeness and won! A lovely, very juicy, wine with plenty of mid-palate sap combining notions of peach, pink grapefruit and spring flower. One of the most enjoyable whites in its class to buy and to drink from 2023, and it will not dent your wallet. Try with pasta in a cream sauce with mushrooms.
Château George 7, Blanc
Fronsac
2023
92
White stone peach aromas, clean with elements of florality and tropical fruit on the nose too, very welcoming. Juicy and succulent, streamlined and straight, a lovely core of minerality keeps the wine centred with hints of juicy lemon, peach and pear. Clean and precise, refreshing and easy to drink. A touch steely but a dollop of sweetness gives lift and bounce.
Château Grand Village, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
92
Clean on the nose, green stone fruits and some soft herbal elements. Peach pit and some crisp green apple. Tangy and alive, but not out of balance in terms of acidity despite the low pH. Lemon, citrus with a touch of salty, iodine notes that counteract the brightness. Complex - one to sit with and think about. I like the contrast of citrus, salinity and bitterness. Energy and fun - sharp, mouthwatering and clean.
Château Loudenne, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
92
This is better than their 2021 Blanc, also tasted recently, with more ripeness expressed in Mirabelle peach and citrus. The should be proud of their 2023 white for its bright expressions. Even if not the most supple and long among the dry whites in Bordeaux, it has freshness and fun. Indeed, there is a dollop of lovely richness to the wine that complements favourably the energy of the majority Sauvignon Blanc in the blend.
Château Lynch-Bages, Blanc de Lynch Bages
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
92
Green apple, crisp and fresh on the nose with some lemon citrus bitterness. Mellow and round, this has a nice weight on the palate, the acidity is masked by the ripeness of the fruit only lingering in the soft bitter orange on the back palate. Lemon, peach, some vanilla edges and a touch of yoghurt but overall clean and direct with lots of length. Calm, round and easy to drink. This has the highest percentage of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. Bottled during the first week in April 2024 but won't be released until September. 3.12pH.
Château Marjosse, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
92
Although initially a bit varietal aromatically, with Sauvignon Blanc coming to the fore, as it sits in glass, I appreciate the energy and the subtle opulence coming from the Sémillons, which exude the expected white stone fruit but also with lemon peel and plenty of friendly, Indian tonic freshness on the medium finish. Ageing several months on lees in concrete tanks, with regular lees stirring, with only about five percent ageing in oak barrels. A wine to enjoy on its own or with seared scallops and risotto.
Château Nardian, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
92
Crafted since 2000, this Sauvignon Blanc-dominated blend reveals iodine freshness, ripe grapefruit and toasty oak-derived notes that accentuate rather than dominate the wine's profile (ageing in 50% new oak). The palate has saline tonicity with juiciness and richness - touches of butterscotch - while remaining fresh through to a medium finish. A pleasure to drink, but only 15 barrels produced.
Château Olivier, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2023
92
A solid dry white that takes time to coax its lemon peel and wet stone aromas. The smooth and crisp palate also reveals some passion fruit and even rambutan, reflecting the heat wave. The medium finish is marked by yellow kiwi and salinity.
Château Sainte-Marie, Vieilles Vignes Blanc
Entre-Deux-Mers
2023
92
With the harvest between 29 August to 14 September, this estate bid for ripeness and won! A lovely, very juicy, wine with plenty of mid-palate sap combining notions of peach, pink grapefruit and spring flower. One of the most enjoyable whites in its class to buy and to drink from 2023, and it will not dent your wallet. Try with pasta in a cream sauce with mushrooms.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Les Hauts de Smith Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
92
Aromatic, fresh and floral, lots of apple and elderflower. Bright and open, high acidity but not too high, actually quite calm with a touch of sweetness and some creaminess. Lots of apple, peach and apricot. Easy to approach, great for sooner drinkability. Ageing 50% new oak.
Château Cos d'Estournel, Les Pagodes de Cos Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
91
Green apple, chamomile, citrus fruit, lemon and lime, hints of just ripe peach and lemongrass. Juicy and succulent, nice level of concentration and a hint of sweetness with some tropical pineapple accents. A touch of smoke gives a reductive element. I like the balance between ripeness and clear minerality and cleanness. Really lovely and very easy to enjoy.
Château de France, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
91
Always a good value when it comes to dry whites from Pessac-Léognan, Château de France does not disappoint in 2023, with clean and crisp white stone fruit and citrus flavours. Ageing in 30% new oak will broaden the palate to complete the wine.
Château Lespault-Martillac, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
91
As one could guess, the Sauvignon Blanc dominated blend yields plenty of lemon peel and citrus punch aromatically and on the palate, which is smooth and almost creamy, reflecting ripe fruit and some peach from the Sémillons. There is enough balancing acidity for balance, leading to a medium finish with zesty lift.
Château Malartic-Lagravière, Comte de Malartic Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2023
91
Buzzy nose, citrus and green apple. Sweet and sour, lively - an initial burst of fresh fruit makes way for creamy and slightly honeyed tones giving a sense of straightness but weight too. Lemon, peach, apricot - lots of wet stones, graphite and chalkiness. Easy and approachable with a bit of bitter toast and grapefruit skin that elongates the length. Ageing 10% new oak. 3.4pH. Yield of 49.48hl/ha.
Château Picque Caillou, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
91
Pleasing aromas of green apple, chamomile and crushed herb presage a crunchy palate that borders on tart. I return to the aromas, admiring floral aspects and salinity that develop with time in glass. There is brisk freshness to the palate, bit not quite the follow through one is expecting from the lovely aromas. Let's see how the barrel ageing will influence the final outcome.
Château Suduiraut, Les Lions de Suduiraut Blanc Sec
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
91
With linden, orange rind and iodine aromatics presaging a fresh, linear palate that is sheer joy to drink, this wine will be perfect for opening your summer party or serving at a high-end picnic, with the Suduiraut name. The majority Sémillon lends mid palate opulence. I like the balance between the acidity and the alcohol. Barrel ageing will give this more delineation and breadth - and potential for a higher score.
Domaine de Chevalier, Esprit de Chevalier Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
91
An excellent second wine, certainly lighter that the grand vin, but with plenty of lemon zest but also hints of tropical notes like mango and kumquat. Plenty of freshness and verve on the palate, with a length that surpasses some quality first white wines from Bordeaux.
Domaine de la Solitude ,
Pessac-Léognan
2023
91
Earlier harvest to preserve acidity from this estate with gravel soils but thankfully cooler clays as well, resulting in an easy-going wine not without some warmth, but marked by ripe pear, peach, orange zest and lemon, more fruit forward than complex – and a pleasure to drink.
Château de Cruzeau, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2023
90
Engaging lemon/lime aromas introduce a straightforward palate with some varietal character that is fresh and easy going. While this will not be a long-term drinker, best to pop corks upon release and enjoy over tapas. A pleasure to drink. Ageing in 10% new oak.
Château Reignac, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
90
A bright white dominated by Sauvignon Blanc and Gris, with lemon cake, yellow stone fruit, with touches of mango. It comes across both rich and taut, nicely incorporating the oak ageing, with fresh acidity and medium length.
Dourthe, N°1
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
90
Lemon grass, apple, pear - lots of citrus notes. Bright and clear, pristine, not so weighty, but all balanced and harmonious. Easy drinking, nothing harsh, no greenness, instead there’s succulence and bright lemon sherbet accents. A reliable wine and success in 2023.
Le Clos du Beau-Pere, Blanc du Beau-Pere
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
90
With bright grapefruit, apricot and pear, albeit a bit reductive as it had been aged on the lees, this wine is a recent small production project from Jean-Luc Thunevin: from vines grown on 0.5 hectares of gravel soils in Pomerol! The palate shows off tangy green kiwi and lemon rind. The finish is a bit short, but otherwise, a lovely dry white wine made in Pomerol, aging in 60% new oak.
Clarendelle, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2023
88
Bright but balanced, slightly creamy as well as having al lick of citrus fruit, creamy peach and apricot. Calm, doesn’t shout so much, but it’s a lovely example to have on a warm sunny day. Clean and clear.
