Bordeaux 2014: Pessac-Leognan whites
See the scores and tasting notes for the top 10 Pessac-Leognan white wines from the 2014 vintage, tasted by Jane Anson...
For the best of Pessac-Leognan whites, this is a vintage with high appeal to lovers of fresh, classic wines in the mould of 2001 or 2011, with many that have benefitted from a touch of rounding out through either barrel ageing or lees stirring.
Many Pessac reds are also excellent, with some markers again of 2001, clearly above both 2008 and 2012, which have been the best of ‘non-stellar’ recent years. The tannins are deceptive approachable and soft in many cases but the tannins are high and there are lots of them.
Even with the beautiful September and October sunshine, the fruit quality in the Graves has remained fresh as this was still a cool year overall, so expect raspberries, damsons and plums in the reds, and citrus, fresh cut grass and apricot in the whites. Tannins in the most successful estates are soft and approachable there are some enjoyable drinking wines here.
The best of the reds are fruit forward with well-extracted, firm but silky tannins, and will provide drinking from 5 to 15 years. And there are great whites, but beware the blanket idea that 2014 is one of the great white years acidities run high in some Graves properties.
Top 2014 Pessac-Leognan whites:
See all Bordeaux 2014 En Primeur content
Château Haut-Brion, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2014
A striking purity with real depth of stone fruit and citrus flavour and beautiful grip that holds on for minutes after you have finished tasting....
2014
Château Haut-BrionPessac-Léognan
Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2014
Gorgeous and savoury. A complex array of citrus and stone fruits, with fresh lemon then lemon curd richness; the 72% Semillon (higher than normal) really...
2014
Château La Mission Haut-BrionPessac-Léognan
Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2014
<p>The twist of clean minerality brings a smile. You are in the hands of experts here: citrus fruit and controlled sappy acidity - lovely persistency....
2014
Domaine de ChevalierPessac-Léognan
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, 2014
Highly successful across white and red in 2014, So much character and grip. Firm varietal definition, but with a touch lower acidity than some as...
2014
Château Smith Haut LafittePessac-Léognan
Château Couhins, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2014
<p>Technical, precise winemaking which in 2014 included skin maceration to naturally lower the acidity and 20% new oak. Citrus, cut grass and stone fruit with...
2014
Château CouhinsPessac-Léognan
Château Malartic-Lagravière, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2014
Pessac-Léognan is capable of surprising with its white wines, and this is tasting utterly delicious right now. From a vintage that wasn't always easy, this...
2014
Château Malartic-LagravièrePessac-Léognan
Château Olivier, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2014
The beauty of this wine comes in its persistency, the juicy citrus, nectarine and wet stone crispness that it displays long after the wine has...
2014
Château OlivierPessac-Léognan
Château Carbonnieux, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2014
Knife-edge fresh citrus and lime blossom. Lean mid-palate – again, seems a characteristic of the vintage. 75% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon and just 20% new...
2014
Château CarbonnieuxPessac-Léognan
Château de Fieuzal, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, 2014
<p>Contemporary: gentle vanilla note is gourmet not sweet. Lower acidity than some. Nice lemon curd finish, from regular lees stirring. Hubert de Boüard is consultant...
2014
Château de FieuzalPessac-Léognan
Château Pape Clément, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2014
As ever with this wine, there is clear oak barrel influence from the first attack, giving a rich intensity to the stone fruits, majoring on...
2014
Château Pape ClémentPessac-Léognan
