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White peach, ripe grapefruit, lime, coconut, white flowers and smoky, vanillin oak on the nose. Ripe, sweet and supple, but comes across as quite firmly structured. Strongly spicy character on the very persistent finish. Very well balanced and harmonious.Vinous Media | 90 VMDisplays plum and berry aromas, with hints of decadent meat and currant. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long, rich finish. Lovely mouthfeel. Just right.—’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now. 9,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Rich and powerful, with apple, lemon, caramel and vanilla bean. Full-bodied, with good acidity and a long flavorful finish. Serious juice. Drink now. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Instantly impressive nose with pristine lemons and limes as well as subtly flinty, reductive notes. The palate has power and direction, not to mention impressive yeast lees influence and perfectly integrated oak. Power, impressive tension and length. Drink this young or with some considerable age. It will deliver at both ends.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2015 Chevalier Blanc is as brilliant now as it was on release yet still needs 4-5 years of bottle age to show at its best. Crushed lime, lemon zest, crushed rocks, and beautiful white grapefruit notes all emerge from this racy, beautifully concentrated, focused white that checks in with the crème de la crème of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2015 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is every bit as captivating from bottle as it was from barrel. Time seems to have given the 2015 more depth and freshness, which is obviously a very good thing. A host of lemon peel, crushed rock, green pear, mint and dried apricot notes develop in the glass, but as is so often the case here, it is the wine’s textural brilliance and persistence that place it among the world’s great wines. The 2015 is simply magnificent.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGWhat sets this estate apart is its consistency for so many years since the current owner Olivier Bernard took the helm in 1983. The cooler vineyard surrounded by forest was ideal for the warmer 2015 vintage and compares favourably with the 2014. A more exotic and opulent style for the estate, exhibiting juicy white stone fruit - pear and peach - but wonderfully floral with a wet stone freshness marking the long, precise finish. Over time, shaved almond and fresh cut hay emerge. It is worth nothing that 2015 is the first vintage to use Diam cork, and the superior freshness compared to the 2014 is noticeable. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 96 DECThe Domaine de Chevalier 2015 Blanc is composed of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon, fermented in barrel (35% new), and aged for 18 months on the lees with stirring. It opens with lovely lemon tart, fresh grapefruit and pineapple with a waft of honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate is very tightly knit with wonderfully crisp acid and a citrusy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis has a full and enticing feel, with a shortbread note leading off, followed by lemon curd, peach, tangerine, salted butter and yellow apple flavors. Light verbena and heather hints show up through the alluring finish. This has outstanding range and a really gorgeous mouthfeel, and should age wonderfully. Drink now through 2024. 1,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSSpice and ripe fruit aromas lead into a wine that has both richness and a crisp, fruity herbal character. Acidity shines through, giving the wine a tangy, mineral edginess. It will be a delicious fruity wine. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Very impressive pear and dried-peach fruits with very subtle mealy, savory notes. The palate delivers impressive weight, amazing power and depth here. Richness and great prowess. Tight now. Give it three or four years to open.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2015 Château Pape Clément Blanc is sensational stuff, and along with Domaine de Chevalier’s Blanc, a candidate for the white wine of the vintage. Made from close to equal amounts of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, with 10% Sauvignon Gris, from a 7.2-hectare section of the Pessac Vineyard, it offers a perfumed bouquet of lime, lychee, crushed rocks, and green citrus. Fabulous on the palate as well, with full-bodied richness and a ripe, sexy, concentrated style, it stays fresh and lively, and is an absolute joy to drink. You can drink bottles over the coming 4-5 years or cellar for 15+. Tasted twice and rated it 96 and 97, so I’m being conservative on the rating.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2015 Pape Clement Blanc is blended of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sémillon and 10% Sauvignon Gris, fermented in 55% new and 45% one-year-old oak barrels. It aged for 16 months in barrels, with the entire time spent on the fine lees. It has quite a closed, reticent nose featuring ripe peaches, musk perfume and struck flint notes with a suggestion of lemon curd and honeycomb plus a touch of coriander seed. Medium-bodied with a crisp backbone, the intense citrus and stone fruit flavors trail off beautifully into a lingering honeyed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA wine of real beauty and class, the 2015 Pape Clément Blanc has been nothing short of deeply impressive every time I have tasted it from barrel or bottle. Like most of Bernard Magrez’s wines, the Pape Clément Blanc is rich, textured and racy in style. Orange peel, exotic white flowers, mint, chamomile and a dash of new French oak infuse this creamy, sensual Blanc. Drink it over the next handful of years. Even with all of its intensity, the Blanc is remarkably vivid. The decrease in Sémillon and a move towards larger format barrels are two of the recent developments with the Blanc. The blend is 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sémillon and 10% Sauvignon Gris. | 95 AGRich, already attractive, this wine sums up the whites in this vintage. With its opulent character and great fruit, it is rich, tangy and lightly herbal. It is a very complete wine and will be delicious from 2023. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is a large-scale version, with a prominent brioche and macadamia nut frame around creamed Jonagold apple, pear and white peach flavors. The long finish is scored by heather honey and singed coconut notes. Powerfully rendered, but with its own form of purity as well. Drink now through 2024.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRipe white stone fruit includes jammy aspects, as this is the most opulent of all the wines assessed in this tasting. While the 2014 is clearly the better wine, with more precision and focus, the general style at Pape Clement stresses richness, so readers seekIng more linearity and focus at Pape Clément should seek cooler vintages like 2014. But if you love the ostentatious style, 2015 is your ticket: a big wine with enough balancing acidity. Drinking Window: 2020 - 2026Decanter | 92 DEC

The white of the vintage is the 2016 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, which comes from a high-density planting of 30-year-old vines located west and south of the town of Léognan. A blend of 75% Sauvignon and 25% Sémillon raised in 35% new barrels, it offers a massive bouquet of crushed citrus, salty minerality, white flowers, and grapefruit. Racy, full-bodied, concentrated and beautifully textured, it’s a brilliant wine that has more flesh and texture than the 2015 and will keep for two decades or more. Hats off to the team at Domaine de Chevalier for this brilliant, brilliant white!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDStill very shy on the nose, but the candied citrus, fresh melon, pear and quince notes come through on the palate, together with discreet, toasty oak. Although this is really concentrated, the power is underplayed and the enormous, herbal and mineral depth steals up on you slowly and then whisks you away. You could enjoy it now, but there’s enormous aging potential. A blend of 70 per cent sauvignon and 30 per cent semillon. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 98 JSThis luscious wine from old-vine Sauvignon Blanc is filled out even further by the 30% Sémillon in the blend. It is rich in feel and intense in a white fruit flavor, with touches of spice from the wood aging. It is fresh and textured on the finish. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEIntense and focused. 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon. Oak imparts extra complexity to this wonderfully concentrated wine. Restrained and refined yet powerful. A great vintage and benchmark Pessac-Léognan white. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2016 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has a well-defined bouquet of white peach, apricot and light candle wax aromas and nicely integrated oak. The well-balanced palate leads with quince and orange peel on the entry, revealing a pleasant bitter undertow and fanning out with confidence toward the saline finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis flirts with a tropical hint, as peach and nectarine details peek in on the core of meringue, lemon peel, shortbread, melon and yellow apple fruit flavors. Heather and macadamia nut notes gild the finish, which is rounded along the edges but still racy through the middle. This needs a little time to settle in fully. Best from 2021 through 2030. 1,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe Domaine de Chevalier 2016 Blanc is a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon. The nose reveals spiced pears, waxy lemons, honeysuckle and yuzu with wafts of lime juice and green guava. Medium-bodied with great intensity and elegance, it has a racy line cutting through the citrus and tropical layers, finishing long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

The white of the vintage is the 2016 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc. It’s a magical elixir based on 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris, and 5% Sémillon that was brought up in 50% new oak. Deep, layered, and powerful, yet also vibrant, it has sensational notes of crushed citrus, liquid rock, white flower, lime pith, and honeyed grapefruit. It shows the classic, balanced style of the vintage yet offers thrilling depth and concentration and is a tour de force in white Bordeaux. Drink it any time over the coming two decades. Get it if you can!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDFabulous aromas of white-peach pie, lemon, grapefruit and cream. Complex. Full-bodied, dense and linear. Bright and creamy texture. Gorgeous grace and complexity. Lasts for minutes.James Suckling | 97 JSOne of Bordeaux’s finest dry whites. With a refined palate, subtle oak, perfect balance of luscious lime fruit and fresh acidity, this is beautifully constructed. Intense, with a touch of pepper on the palate and a hint of lanolin, this will age beautifully. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 96 DECThe Smith Haut Lafitte 2016 Blanc is a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Sémillon matured in 50% new oak. It reveals gregarious pineapple and green guava notes giving way to tantalizing fresh grapefruit and green apples scents plus wafts of orange blossom, crushed rocks and honey drizzled peaches. Medium to full-bodied with a gorgeous satiny texture, the palate is jam-packed with tropical and citrus flavors, finishing long and deliciously savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is well defined on the nose of apple blossom, orange pith, Japanese yuzu and light crushed stone aromas, one of the prettiest and most harmonious dry white aromatics you will find in this vintage. The palate is fresh and vibrant with a lovely waxy texture. Very expressive Sémillon here, delivering great depth and reassuring complexity on the finish. This is an outstanding effort. Brilliant.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis rich, full wine shows intense spice, fruits and a ripe texture that is nearly fully developed. A hint of tanginess emphasizes the richness of this powerful wine that brings in bits of spice and minerality. Drink now.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis has a showy persona, with an alluring brioche note emerging already, carrying friendly creamed yellow apple, white ginger and pear flavors. The finish lets macadamia nut and verbena accents glide in seamlessly. The finish is long and refined thanks to well-buried acidity. Best from 2021 through 2029. 1,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Beautiful aromas of lime curd, dried pear, grilled white peach and flint on the nose. So exotic on the nose. Some cream and honey, too. It’s medium-bodied with bright, tangy acidity. Creamy and focused with lingering dried-citrus and crushed-gravel notes. Long. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSA beauty from the start, with shortbread, acacia and honeysuckle details leading the way, quickly followed by fennel, tarragon, salted butter and lemon peel notes. Long, focused finish is carried by superfine acidity that puts everything in perfect lock step. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle. Best from 2022 through 2030. 1,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSAlways high on the richness scale, this estate’s white wine is vibrant with white fruits and hints of apricots. It is structured with wood aging and a tight texture that shows that the wine needs to age. The wine will be ready to drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2018 Blanc is a blend of 57% Sauvignon Blanc, 39% Sémillon and 4% Muscadelle. It was aged for around 14 months in 55% new and 45% second-fill French oak barrels. It races out of the gate with flamboyant scents of pineapple upside-down cake, lemon meringue pie and honey-drizzled peaches, plus suggestions of orange blossoms and yuzu peel. The medium to full-bodied palate has a decadent touch of oiliness to the texture with loads of spicy sparks to the tropical fruit layers, finishing long with a refreshing burst of zestiness. It’s a richer expression, for sure, but it really works and it is seriously scrumptious.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis estate has fashioned a pretty, elegant white in the vintage. Light gold-hued, with lots of pineapple, lemon curd, white flowers, and a touch of honeyed citrus and chalky minerality, the 2018 Château Pape Clement Blanc hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, solid depth of fruit, and a great finish. It doesn’t match recent great vintages, but it’s a balanced, layered, outstanding white to enjoy over the coming decade or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2018 Pape Clément Blanc is quite pretty and understated. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, mint and chamomile all grace this wonderfully expressive dry white from proprietor Bernard Magrez. As with all of these wines, the Blanc is done in a less opulent style than in the past, an approach that works beautifully here. Antonio Galloni | 93 AGHoneysuckle and lemon curd, pretty tropical, rich and powerful, just lacking some lift on the finish although this has gourmet patisserie notes and is enjoyable. (Drink between 2021-2032)Decanter | 92 DEC

I loved the 2019 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc, which has the crisp, racy, yet concentrated style of the estate that few others can achieve. Gorgeous white peach, mandarin orange, honeyed minerality, and a kiss of toast all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, integrated acidity, plenty of concentration, and a great finish that picks up some obvious minerality. This stunning juice needs 3-4 years of bottle age and will evolve for 2-3 decades if stored correctly. It’s probably the white of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe latest release of this legendary white wine comes from a mere 17 acres of the 165-acre vineyard. Wood aged and rich in ripe Sauvignon Blanc, the wine bursts with energy and white fruits, touched by spice and with a long aging ahead of it. Drink this wine from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEDomaine de Chevalier’s 2019 Blanc is performing brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with notes of citrus pith, white currants, crisp orchard fruit, spring flowers, lemongrass and beeswax. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s concentrated and structured, with terrific depth at the core, racy acids and a long, sapid finish. This is a white Bordeaux where the vulgarity of Sauvignon is sublimated rather than emphasized, and the result is a compelling wine of considerable complexity and aging potential.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPVery pretty with lovely apple, cream, lavender, pineapple and light honey. Full-bodied, yet creamy and refined, with great length and polish. Fresh acidity, but the finish is polished and pretty. Subtle. 70% sauvignon blanc and 30% semillon. Drink in 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSA round and inviting nose full of creamy lemon, green apple and white peach aromas - smells pure. Gorgeous clarity on the palate, this is a serious wine with power and concentration. The palate is definitely marked by the wood in terms of texture and spice but there is also a crystalline aspect to the fruit which is appealingly presented. Juicy green apple, lime zest and orange touches. Still extremely youthful but so promising. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2036.Decanter | 94 DECPlump and with good underlying juiciness, this lets white peach, lemon peel and fleur de sel notes move through at a steady pace, featuring flashes of acacia and brioche on the finish. Understated and nicely done for the vintage. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2028. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2019 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is a rich, powerful wine. Lemon confit, dried flowers, marzipan, sage and mint all open. In 2019, the Blanc has a distinct orchard fruit and savory character. Ultimately, it feels a bit heavy and lacking in freshness. That said, the Blanc has a track record for developing beautifully for decades, so let’s see what happens. I must say I expected more energy and delineation.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

Aromas of green apple, lime, kumquat, fresh thyme, flint, stone and oyster shell. It’s medium-bodied with tangy acidity and a saline, mineral and zesty palate. Vibrant and intense. So much energy and freshness. Lots of vivid acidity. Tight at the end. Give this another three to four years of bottle.James Suckling | 97 JSThe flagship white of the château is the 2019 Château Pape Clement Blanc, which is a mix of 46% Sauvignon, 40% Semillon, and the balance Sauvignon Gris. Its light gold hue is followed by a gorgeous perfume of mandarin orange, honeyed grapefruit, white flowers, and chalky minerality. I love its freshness and vibrancy on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a supple, sexy, opulent mouthfeel, good acidity, and a great finish. It’s a beautiful, seamless, complete Bordeaux Blanc that will keep for 15 years or more in cold cellars, although it’s stunning even today. The style of the white here today is one of more finesse and elegance compared to the richer, more sexy style of the past.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDLovely dark red fruits on the nose, a gorgeous sultry florality to it, something a little bit savoury too, pencil led and smoke - extremely welcoming. Great succulence on the palate, juicy and alive, really fresh with the charm of Merlot fully on show. Characterful, structured, mouthwatering and approachable with soft and smooth tannins. Seductive and so enjoyable. From a single 9ha block estate, a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 900m away from Haut Bailly. (Drink between 2024-2030)Decanter | 94 DECThis vintage shows swathes of ripe fruits that have a youthful, textured character. Wood aging has added spice and rounded out the white-fruit-flavored texture. This complex wine will age and should be drunk from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEEnticing, featuring a flash of brioche amid the white peach, verbena and lemon peel notes, with a subtle echo of salted butter through the finish. Stylish and sneaky long, too. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink now through 2027. 1,665 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2019 Pape Clément Blanc is a hard wine to read. In 2019, the Blanc is rather airy and ethereal, which is to say quite different from the more unctuous style Bernard Magrez once favored here. At the same time, though, the wine also feels disjointed and a bit elusive. I admire its freshness and energy, and yet also wish it had a bit more depth. Antonio Galloni | 92 AGBursting with aromas of grapefruit, gooseberry, tropical fruits and fresh bread, Pape Clément’s 2019 Blanc is medium to full-bodied, bright and vibrant, its elegantly fleshy core of fruit animated by lively acids and chalky dry extract that lends pleasing grip to the finish. This is a seamless, refreshing Sauvignon-dominated (in percentage as well as personality) blend that is drinking well out of the gates. Though this derives from a warm terroir in a warm vintage, that’s not especially evident, and this is far less unctuous and overtly oaky than was the case a decade ago. Equally, though it can’t be faulted in terms of haut couture winemaking, the lack of yesteryear’s pronounced signature reveals a wine that’s just a little simple.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

A dense, creamy DC white with lots of rich cooked-apple, mineral, cream and praline character. It’s full and very layered with chewy intensity and a long, bitter-lemon and almost honey finish. Pretty phenolic tension, too.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThis classic white wine reveals impressive potential as it unfolds. Along with its enveloping white fruits and crisp citrus it also has a wrought texture that will push it forward for the long term. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEAnother terrific vintage for this wine, the 2020 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc unwinds in the glass with aromas of nectarine, pear, nutmeg, passionflower and hazelnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with racy acids and a bright, pure profile, it nips at the heels of the brilliant and somewhat racier, more refined 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA very young, powerful, coiled-up white, with verbena, mirabelle plum, quinine, gooseberry gelée and fleur de sel notes weaving together. The long finish has a flash of bitter almond but keeps a nice nervy feel, with an underlying mineral hint. One to cellar a bit and let unwind. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Best from 2024 through 2029.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2020 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc marries power and tension so well. Lemon confit marzipan, chamomile, dried orchard fruit and crushed flowers all build effortlessly into the expansive, beautifully resonant finish. Above all else, the Blanc is a wine of savory/mineral complexity and structure. I wouldn’t dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. Tasted two times.Vinous Media | 95 VMRipe melon, honeyed mint, and dried herb notes all emerge from the 2020 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc, a medium-bodied, rich, concentrated, yet tight and backward white built for the cellar. Mostly Sauvignon yet with a good chunk of Semillon, this balanced, focused, incredibly impressive dry white needs 3-5 years of bottle age and, I suspect, will evolve for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDRound with a soft medicinal, herbal element and toasted spice framing the lemon, lime, elderflower, pear and peach fruit with a core of salty, wet stones. Bitter, sweet and acidic - all the elements melding together harmoniously with an appealing weight. I like the overall sleek and crisp expression, feels well worked and well structured. A great buy.Decanter | 95 DEC

A tight, phenolic white with light tannins that give the wine form and balance. It’s full-bodied and lightly chewy with dried apple, lemon and peach. Minerally and chewy. Flavorful. From organic grapes. 90 sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA tight, phenolic white with light tannins that give the wine form and balance. It’s full-bodied and lightly chewy with dried apple, lemon and peach. Minerally and chewy. Flavorful. From organic grapes. 90 sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon.James Suckling | 95-96 JSButterscotch, vanilla, a soft honeyed caramel, lemon and orange notes with green apple. Quite bitter straight away, the lemon and orange rind and grapefruit juice elements all to the fore alongside a hit of bright, lemon juice acidity. Then it settles, almost closes, or narrows into a funnel, quite tight and sleek, definite tension there, but there’s power and structure still with elegance. It’s not giving, generous and approachable right now but this has been well made - really focused and polished. Body, freshness and structure with lovely hints of minerality and such a wide aerial, aerated finish. It’s serious - this is bold but with something so special about it. Ageing 50% new oak, 50% one year old barrels, 12 months with three months in vats before bottling.Decanter | 96 DECSuave and caressing in feel, this drapes beautifully, with creamed yellow apple, gooseberry and lemon curd notes on the flattering side, offset by hints of tarragon, blanched almond and salted butter on the racier side. The finish is enhanced with paraffin and smoke hints. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink now through 2030. 2,400 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is superb. Élevage has done wonders in lending energy and brilliance. The 2020 shows the soft curves of the warm vintage, but it has tons of energy, too. That makes for an absolutely brilliant, compelling white that delivers on so many levels. The 2020 offers enough approachability to drink well now, but also the energy to develop well in bottle for many years to come.Vinous Media | 95 VMA strong effort, the 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of nectarine, pear, lemongrass, Sauvignon botanicals, toasted bread and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s rich and concentrated, with ripe acids and chalky structuring extract. It’s not quite as vibrant and precise as the 2019, but it’s a success nonetheless.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP