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Beautiful, exotic aromas of green mangos and pineapples. Pears, too. It’s full and creamy with a gorgeous texture and a vivid finish. Harvested very early with fantastic results. Sauvignon blanc and sauvignon gris.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2020 Monbousquet Blanc is a blend of 62% Sauvignon Blanc and 38% Sauvignon Gris, aging for six months in 25% vats, 38% new oak barrels and 37% one-year-old barrels. It springs from the glass with exuberant notes of fresh Bosc pears, white peaches and green guava, plus and undercurrent of lime blossoms, lemongrass and chalk dust. The medium-bodied palate is clean and refreshing, with a seriously zippy line of freshness cutting through the pear and tropical fruit flavors, finishing long and zesty.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2020 Monbousquet Blanc was whole-bunch-pressed and matured in 38% new oak. The bouquet has a pleasing edginess that might have been missing in a couple of recent vintages; more of the terroir seeps through, touches of crushed gravel intermingling with white flowers. The well-balanced palate delivers orange peel, lemon zest and just a touch of grilled hazelnut, and fine depth and plenty of energy on the finish. This white Saint-Émilion comes recommended.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMFleshy nectarine and peach, this is a less weighty Monbousquet blanc than in certain vintages, still rich with texture but enjoyable and well placed.Decanter | 92 DEC

One of the whites of the vintage, the 2020 Château Pape Clément Blanc is based on 62% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Semillon, 4% Sauvignon Gris, and the remaining 1% Muscadelle, all of which was raised in a mix of new and used oak. This beauty stopped me in my tracks and offers a massive nose of honeyed limes, white flowers, tropical fruit, crushed stone, and orange marmalade. With the vintage’s vibrant sense of freshness, full-bodied richness, a stacked mid-palate, and a fabulous mouthfeel, this truly sensational white is an incredible achievement, and hats off to the team at Pape Clement! Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDI like the richness and focus to this with sliced cooked apple, lemon and light toffee character. Candied pineapple. Hints of meringue. Full-bodied and layered. Really delicious and flavorful now with a solid balance of phenolic structure. Classy. Agile. Drink after 2025 but hard to stay away.James Suckling | 97 JSThis is a step up, as it’s larger in scale, brighter and more defined than most of its brethren, featuring long tarragon and thyme threads that pull gooseberry, star fruit and white peach notes along. Offers lots of energy through the finish, which ripples with sel gris and oyster shell echoes offset by a hint of salted butter. Really gorgeous. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Best from 2024 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2020 Pape Clément Blanc has a bright nose with scents of orchard fruit, orange pith and lime cordial scents, well defined and focused. The palate is fresh and mineral-driven, quite taut, much less oaky than other vintages and displaying more terroir towards the finish. One of the best whites from this estate that I have tasted. Tasted three times with consistent notes.Vinous Media | 94 VMA delicious Pape Clément blanc, this has flesh, power, depth, character and a ton of juicy minerality with white pear, peach, and a slate-filled texture that adds grip and saline freshness. Well balanced and easy to recommend. Tasted three times.Decanter | 94 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

The 2020 Château Valandraud Blanc is both deeper and richer, with a more concentrated, medium to full-bodied style as well as incredible aromatics of ripe melon, white fits, lemon, minty herbs, and chalky minerality. With integrated acidity, an almost red wine-like structured mouthfeel, and a great finish, this easily belongs up with the greatest whites in the vintage. It will evolve for two decades if you’re so inclined.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2020 Valandraud Blanc opens with the most gorgeous perfume of orange blossoms, honeycomb and allspice, leading to a core of pink grapefruit, lemon tart and lime cordial, with a waft of aniseed. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with layer upon layer of tropical and citrus fruits, supported by a crisp backbone and satiny texture, finishing with epic length and perfume. Stunning.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2020 Valandraud Blanc, centered upon 60% Sauvignon Gris, an underrated variety, has a nicely focused bouquet with apple blossom, lemon verbena, chamomile and light pear aromas. The 80% new oak is neatly enmeshed. The palate is well balanced with a fine thread of acidity, quite complex with a modicum of spice and stem ginger. There is something different about this white Bordeaux emanating from the grape varieties, a wine with character and sufficient salinity to tempt you back for another sip. Just 3,000 bottles made.Vinous Media | 94 VMHerbal lemon, caramelised patisserie, baked lemon tart with some apple flecks. Round, unctuous, strong and bold, but clean and clear with a honeyed, caramel pastry tang on the palate balanced by a shot of zesty lemon, lime, orange and peach - the citrus fruits holding the backbone with high acidity and freshness. Richly layered and powerful but also friendly, generous and lively. It’s serious but with elements of fun!Decanter | 94 DECDense, complex white with sliced fennel, grapefruit, clove, burnt vanilla pod, green pineapple and herbs on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied, textured and phenolic, with slightly bitter herbal and spice character. Better after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSJuicy and fresh, with lots of deliciously bouncy gooseberry gelée and lemon peel flavors streaking through. Laced with quinine and fleur de sel notes on the finish. Sauvignon Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2024. 350 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThis is a powerfully rich wine, with ripe citrus and yellow fruit flavors. Acidity is balanced by the dense texture and spicy undercurrent. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The 2021 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is a powerful, medium to full-bodied beauty with straight racy acidity as well as beautiful notes of tart melon, chalky minerality, charcoal, and white flowers. I love its mid-palate depth and balance, but it’s going to require bottle age. It will be very long-lived. The blend is 55.2% Semillon and 44.8% Sauvignon, aging in 53% new barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDPeach and waxed-lemon character here. Some fennel and aniseed, too. Very fresh. Medium to full body with a round, creamy palate. A little closed for now at the end. 55.2% semillon and 44.8% sauvignon.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc marries the natural energy of this cool year with lovely mid-palate creaminess and texture. Understated yet persistent, the 2021 presents a gorgeous display of pear, white flowers and mint, along with a subtle touch of oak that frames the finish. Today, the 2021 is quite a bit less expressive than it was en primeur. It was also bottled in May 2022 (versus May 2023 for the reds) and may be in a closed period, which is not unusual for wines from cold years. We shall see.Vinous Media | 95 VMWhite chocolate, satsuma, lemon peel, peach and white flowers on the nose. So much intensity on the palate but in the purity of detail so you get the expansive flavour, succulent lemon and orange, zest grapefruit, crisp apple and delicate creamy patisserie elements all underpinned by a salinity and crushed stone texture. It’s focused but so expansive as well, chiseled and detailed. A great combination where you get so much flavour in such delicate and defined packaging. Really very delicious and moreish.Decanter | 95 DECComposed of 55% Semillon and 45% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion blanc requires a fair bit of swirling to reveal notes of grapefruit, lime zest, and yuzu, with hints of sea spray and lanolin plus a touch of coriander seed. Light to medium-bodied, the palate shimmers with energy and citrusy layers, supported by a crisp backbone and satiny texture, finishing long and chalky.The Wine Independent | 93-95 TWIA fresh, incipiently complex bouquet of pear, grapefruit, freshly baked bread and wet stones prefaces the 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine with a satiny attack that segues into a taut, structured mid-palate built around chalky dry extract, which lend this a more tightly-knit, mordant profile than the broader, fatter and more enveloping Haut-Brion Blanc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

This is a really serious white. Vibrant and tangy with fantastic energy. Plenty of lime zest, pineapple, crushed stone, cedar, anise and white lavender. Grapefruit, too. Medium body. So much tension at the end. Focused and precise and it just keeps on going. The pH is 3.04, yet it has intense ripeness. A masterpiece of sauvignon blanc. The chateau says it is the best Pavillon Blanc ever. 100% sauvignon blanc.James Suckling | 99-100 JSWhile the red gets all the love at this heralded address, don’t miss their white, which has hit incredible heights over the past 7-8 years. Coming from a selection of 52% of the production and all Sauvignon Blanc, the 2021 Blanc De Margaux offers a vivid perfume of white grapefruits, salted citrus, and honeyed minerality. This carries to a medium-bodied, vibrant, vivid white with bright yet integrated acidity, plenty of mid-palate concentration, and a great finish. It needs 2-3 years of bottle age, but it’s a brilliant wine in the making.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JDGorgeous peach tone on the nose, with bright lemon, clementine, green apple skin and crushed stones too. Super sharp and fresh straight out the gate, this is searing, focussed and neat with a shot of lemon juice, so zingy on the mid palate giving a green apple and peach freshness towards the end. Fruity and extremely lively. It has an unctuous texture, not weighty but delectably textured with a silkiness. You have the acidity but also the opulence, it’s both sharp and immensely layered. A joyful combination of freshness and power - supremely impressive with vibrancy and mass appeal.Decanter | 97 DECThe 2021 Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux sings of lemongrass, lime leaves, orange blossoms, and sea spray, followed by nuances of elderflowers and paraffin wax. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers super-intense notes of tightly wound citrus and mineral layers coupled with a racy backbone and incredible length. This should age very well!the Wine Independent | 96+ TWIThe 2021 Pavillon Blanc is stellar. Vibrant and chiseled, with fine depth, the 2021 impresses with its total sense of harmony. Lemon peel, mint, white flowers, crushed rocks and a kiss of French oak are all finely delineated. All this needs is a few years in bottle to shine.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe wine, as always, shows a tropical side of Sauvignon Blanc. Having said that, the wine also has the purity of mineral acidity and citrus freshness. Wood aging has softened the intensity of the fruit and rounded out the wine. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2021 Pavillon Blanc is likely to be remembered as a reference-point vintage for the new racy, incisive style that Château Margaux has favored with this cuvée for several years now. Wafting from the glass with notes of lime, pink grapefruit and pear mingled with white flowers, green almond and mint, it’s medium-bodied, bright and racy, with tangy acids and a penetrating, saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Very Carbonnieux with apple and oyster shell character as well as a medium to full body and a delicious finish. Well done.James Suckling | 93-94 JSA blend of 65% Sauvignon and 35% Sémillon, the 2022 Carbonnieux Blanc reveals a delicate bouquet with aromas of lemon, jasmine, linden, smoke, pear and peach, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated palate that’s deep and harmonious, with a bright core of fruit and a zesty, mineral-driven finish. Built around racy acids, this is a very classy Carbonnieux Blanc that’s built to age with grace. Harvest here began early, on 16 August.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2022 Carbonnieux Blanc is a steely, finely cut dry white. Lemon peel, mint, chalk, white pepper and sage are all beautifully delineated. The taut, intensely saline style is quite appealing.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMThe 2022 Château Carbonnieux Blanc offers a light gold hue as well as a bright, racy, juicy style in its citrus, pineapple, and minty herb-like aromas and flavors. These carry over to the palate, where the wine is medium-bodied, has notable purity, and outstanding length.Jeb Dunnuck | 91-93 JDA shot of bright lemon and lime with orange and grapefruit elements - citrus acidity, vibrancy and bitterness all combine to give quite a nuanced and exciting mouthful that carries the flavour to a long finish. Feels a bit tense and strict, not so fleshy and open, but well worked with intensity and detail. I like the style and the frame and this sustains interest with mouthwatering acidity and just enough fruitiness to balance it. Cool and crisp. HVE3 certified. Tasted twice.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2022 Carbonnieux Blanc scoots out of the glass with playful notes of juicy pears, pineapple, and lime zest with a touch of orange blossoms. The medium-bodied palate is seriously zippy, with intense citrusy flavors and a steely finish.The Wine Independent | 88-90 TWI