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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

This is a fantastic white. The greatest Ornellaia white so far. Very complex and dense yet, at the same time, energetic and vivid. This shows so much richness and density with a pretty, phenolic texture that keeps you entranced. Full-bodied with lots of honeysuckle, green-melon and cooked-apple character. Very long and flavorful. Dynamic and great wine. Drinkable now, but better in 2021.James Suckling | 99 JSThe star of the show with regard to the whites is unquestionably the 2016 Ornellaia Bianco. It’s reminiscent of a great vintage of Domaine de Chevalier with its incredible purity, precision, and length, displaying notes of clean citrus, melon, white flowers, and honeyed minerality. Fresh and vibrant as well as rich and powerful, it’s medium-bodied, seamless, and flawlessly balanced on the palate, with a thrilling finish. While it’s beautiful today, it should keep for 10-15 years or more. The 2016 is 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was brought up in 30% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA cooler but drier year than 2015, making an interesting comparison between Ornellaia Bianco’s only two 100% Sauvignon Blanc vintages. Smoky lanolin notes lead to a concentrated, intense and juicy palate with creamy nectarine, grilled pineapple and citrus zest. Despite heading towards all-out exoticism, however, the 2016 is corseted and refined, demonstrating a push-pull between juicy, ripe tropical fruits and mineral restraint, suggesting there is much more to come from this wine. The individual base wines were fermented in barriques (30% new) with no malolactic fermentation, then aged on the lees for up to 18 months with occasional batonnage. A final three months on steel was completed before blending and bottling.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2016 Ornellaia Bianco is a beguiling wine, even a bit deceptive when you get down to facts. This is indeed the central part of its irresistible charm. For one, this edition is a mono-variety wine made solely with Sauvignon Blanc. (The other protagonist of the blend, Viognier, is said to return in 2017.) However, the complexity of the bouquet could mistakenly make you think the blend is more intricate. You get white rose, crisp apple, saffron, toasted pine nut, cinnamon and wild sage. The aromas show brilliant detailing. In addition, the wine is expansive and creamy in terms of mouthfeel. However, none of the whites at Ornellaia—including this wine—undergo malolactic fermentation, though the creamy and richly textured mouthfeel might lead you to conclude otherwise. This classic vintage is especially generous and rich. The wine does see barrique aging, but only a third of the wood is new. Those spicy endnotes serve to frame the beautiful fruit that sits squarely at center stage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2016 Ornellaia Bianco has more nuance, freshness and layers of flavors than the 2015 tasted alongside it. I very much like the delineation and energy that are such signatures of the 2016.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThe 2016 Ornellaia Bianco looks more mature than the 2015 and Heinz comments that it may have had a little too long in oak - 18months - which was longer than in other vintages. Although 2016 was cooler than 2015 - so you might expect more freshness - it was also much drier than 2015. This 2016 has an orange-gold tone to the color and a slightly, nutty, dried fruit aromatic profile with lightly perfumed spice notes. The texture is great, more of a full, voluptuous style with a medium-long finish. The 2016 is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, perhaps lacking a little freshness and vibrancy, but has a lovely silky weight and a gentle savory finish.The Wine Independent | 93 TWI

A step up over the Carmes de Rieussec, the beautiful 2016 Château Rieussec has remarkable purity and freshness while still packing beautiful depth of fruit. Honeyed peach, apricot, flower oil, and even a hint of wet stone all emerge from this full-bodied, thick, opulent effort. I love it. It has a rounded, sexy style ideal for drinking any time over the coming 15-20 years. The 2016 is a final blend of 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSo much botrytis on the nose with spice, dried mushrooms and nutmeg. Dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied and medium sweet with density and, at the same time, lightness. I like that it is full of botrytis on the palate at the beginning and then turns fruity and very pretty at the end with citrus and fruit. Balanced, creamy and rich. Try after 2024, but already gorgeous.James Suckling | 97 JSPale lemon colored, the 2016 Rieussec comes sashaying out of the glass with a beautiful floral and citrus perfume of orange blossom, pink grapefruit, yuzu, lime leaves, lemongrass and fallen leaves with hints of nutmeg and candied ginger. Having shed a lot of the puppy fat from when I last tasted this from barrel, the palate reveals loads of elegant, tightly wound layers and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPA great Sauternes with a wonderful brightness and freshness, this gathers speed through the palate, developing flavours of cinnamon, caramel, white pepper, clove and smoked pineapple, all wrapped in an extremely silky texture. It’s still in barrel, and will be for another few months. Around 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECMade by the Lafite-Rothschild team, this is a powerfully dense wine. It has intense botrytis and fine acidity, as well as sumptuous ripe marmalade and apricot flavors. This is certainly for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 Rieussec has plenty of botrytis on the nose, along with scents of honey, white peach, saffron, lanolin and walnut that gain intensity with aeration. The very well balanced palate presents a viscous opening and a fine bead of acidity. Generous and poised, with hints of marzipan and Turkish Delight decorating the finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMQuite fresh, with acacia and honeysuckle notes out front, followed by a stream of mirabelle plum, yellow apple, pineapple and white peach flavors. Offers an unctuous feel on the finish while staying on the brighter side. Among the top efforts in the vintage. Best from 2022 through 2035. 500 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is, unusually, dominated by Sauvignon Blanc at 62.7%, with 37.3% Semillon making up the blend. It needs a fair bit of swirling to coax out notes of lime leaves, lemongrass, and shaved ginger, over a core of gooseberry preserves, apple tart, and chalk dust. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has electric intensity, featuring mineral-sparked citrus layers and a silken texture, finishing long and energetic.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIRanking with the top 3-4 whites in the vintage, the 2016 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is Sauvignon-dominated in 2016 and is 62.7% Sauvignon and 37.3% Sémillon. Vibrant and racy, with beautiful tension and purity, it offers a classic perfume of tart apples, dried herbs, lemon curd, and a liquid rock-like minerality that develops with time in the glass. The buzzwords here are vibrant, bright, tight, and great.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAlthough this has great freshness, candied-lemon and complex dried herb character, it also has a rich and waxy side, plus a touch of vanilla. Rich and powerful with a lot more structure than most Pessac-Léognan whites. It also has wonderful tension and drive that’s rooted in the vibrant acidity, but supported by the mineral and lemon-zest notes. A blend of 62.7 per cent sauvignon blanc and 37.3 per cent semillon. Better from 2021.James Suckling | 96 JSConditions were a little challenging for the Sémillon this year, and the blend of the La Mission Haut-Brion 2016 Blanc is, unusually, dominated by Sauvignon Blanc (62.7%) with 37.3% Sémillon. It reveals subtle notions of mandarin peel, fresh grapefruit and pineapple with touches of crushed rocks, white peaches and coriander seed. Medium-bodied, the palate has a racy line of freshness cutting through the vibrant citrus and tropical layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Considering the challenges, this is a very impressive result!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThis is both bold and bright, with a flood of white peach, lemon cream, Jonagold apple, honeysuckle and verbena notes streaming through, all stitched with a fine quinine thread and caressed by a suave hint of shortbread on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2032. 547 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRising vertically through the palate, it has lift, juiciness, savouriness, and a delicacy that matches the intensity of flavour beat for beat. There is richness and weight through the mid-palate, with almond touches, and I love the mouth-watering salinity on the finish, it’s just so moreish. Unusually there is a majority Sauvignon Blanc in 2016 as there were very high yields in the Sémillon that meant a touch of dilution, plus the heat of the summer meant they were grateful for the fresh kick of Sauvignon Blanc.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc has improved on the nose since en primeur, offering gently unfolding white peach, red apple, chalk and light yellow flower aromas. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and linear and a little wavier than its Haut Brion Blanc counterpart, leaving a touch of lemongrass on the aftertaste. A refined, cerebral proposition that will age like those great Lavilles of the past.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis wine is is rich in oak tones that are accompanied by tangy citrus and minerality. The richness and the structure will allow this wine to age further, certainly for the medium term. Drink from 2022. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

This is really powerful and structured with superb muscle and phenolic tension. Yet, it’s formed and polished, layered and dense. Full-bodied, but energetic and focused. Vibrant acidity. Goes on for minutes. Citrus, stone, straw, salt and chalk. Incredible. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSThe grand vin, the 2017 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc is a more serious, concentrated, medium to full-bodied effort that has awesome notes of crushed citrus, white peach, lemon zest, and obvious minerality. With a touch of background oak, a great mid-palate, and stunning balance, give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis shows a gently buttered frame around a core bristling with white peach, gooseberry, tangerine and verbena notes. Exhibits weight, tension and detail, with tarragon, chamomile and fleur de sel accents skittering through the finish. Seriously long and built to age. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Best from 2021 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 96 WSDomaine de Chevalier 2017 Pessac-Léognan. This wine is dense, with concentrated spice plus rich white and kiwi fruits. Acidity is prominent, giving the wine impressive fruitiness and aging potential as suggested by the texture and wood flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEClosed on the nose to begin, the Domaine de Chevalier 2017 Blanc (composed of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon) opens to aromas of ripe pears, Golden delicious apples and white peaches with notions of straw, honeysuckle and chalk. Medium-bodied, the palate is seriously intense and racy with loads of mineral sparks on the finish. It was aged for 16 months in French oak, 35% new.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA wine of noble breeding and class, the 2017 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc dazzles from start to finish. Dried flowers, chamomile, mint and citrus confit struggle to emerge, buried by the wine’s sheer richness and concentration. The 2017 needs at least a few years in bottle to come together, but that won’t be an issue for a wine that will drink well for several decades.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AGSlightly reticent on the nose, with subtle creaminess and savoury spice. Full-bodied and opulent in style with vibrant acidity. (Drink between 2021-2028)Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2017 Ornellaia Bianco is a slightly tweaked blend compared to the 2016 and includes a splash of Viognier. The blend is 91% Sauvignon Blanc and 9% Viognier, which is a combination you don't see often, yet it makes sense, and the Viognier plays the role of Semillon seen in Bordeaux Blanc releases. Coming from a dry, hot year, it has a beautiful bouquet of Meyer lemons, honeysuckle, flowers, and hints of barrique. This carries to a seamless, full-bodied white that's flawlessly balanced, has a bright core of acidity, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It's one seriously classy white I'd be thrilled to drink any time over the coming 4-5 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA really beautiful, layered white with sliced lemons, limes, stones and hints of steel. Some lemon curd. Tight and solid with fine phenolics that give it structure and focus. Extremely poised and dignified. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe previous vintage of this wine was made soley with Sauvignon Blanc, but as expected, the Ornellaia 2017 Ornellaia Bianco sees a small percentage of Viognier added to the blend. The exact percentage of the two components is 91% Sauvignon Blanc and 9% Viognier. If you are a fan of these grape varieties, as I am, this wine will appeal to all your basic pleasure points. Showing medium rich concentration and a creamy textural fiber, it reveals some of the weight that we associated with this hot and dry vintage. However, any trace of over-ripeness is mitigated by the cool soils that, in this case, consist of deep calcarious clay broken up by rocks at a breezy 80 to 100 meters above sea level. This consistency is perfect for locking in moisture even in drought vintages. The wine is fermented in oak, but no malolactic fermentation occurs, and the wine instead rests on the fine lees with frequent stirring. Orchard fruits and Cavaillon melon give the wine a sturdy center of gravity. Some 5,000 bottles were made, and this wine was released in April 2020.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2017 Ornellaia Bianco is impressive, especially within the context of the warm, dry year. Bright and focused, the Bianco shows the natural richness of the vintage - that is impossible to escape - but it also retains quite a bit of energy. Orchard fruit, citrus and floral notes are beautifully delineated throughout. Once again, the Bianco is a wine of real distinction.Vinous Media | 94 VMSubtle peach, passion fruit, elderflower and earth flavors converge in this white. There is a touch of oak adding a vanilla accent. Though lush in texture, this is also intense and long, with an echo of passion fruit and salty elements. Drink now through 2024. 75 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

There was no frost at d’Yquem in 2017, and botrytis was very regular and even this vintage. The nose opens with very pure notes of freshly sliced oranges, yuzu and lemon barley water with hints of white pepper, fresh ginger and lime cordial. The incredibly rich, unctuous sweetness (148 grams per liter of residual sugar) is beautifully marbled with bright, vivacious citrus fruit and spice flavors, while lifted by well-knit freshness, and it finishes with epic length and great depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99 RPThis is a great Yquem, delivering thrilling purity and intensity. The nose offers intense aromas of fresh and dried apricot and peach pastry, as well as freshly baked creme brulee, candied and fresh orange and kumquat. Some marmalade, too. Smooth, glossy texture with flavors of grilled orange, dried apricot and an exceptionally long finish with a powerful, driving push to the end. A flicker of toasty-oak influence arrives late, but this wine has completely consumed the oak. The 2017 Yquem is a very powerful wine from a very rich and exceptional vintage. The acidity has a big hand in balancing the richness. Pithy finish. The phenolics deliver some great depth. Rain at the beginning of September prompted an extensive infection of noble rot. The harvest lasted from September 26 to October 13. Great quality and one of the best since the legendary 2001. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2017 Yquem is destined to be one of my favourite recent vintages. It has brilliant delineation on the nose with acacia honey, saffron, white flowers and a subtle crushed stone element. So much energy is palpable. The palate is supremely well balanced, surfeit with energy, spicy and feisty and yet paradoxically beautifully controlled and pixelated towards the extended finish. It’s not unlike the brilliant 2014 in style. Tasted at the château. Vinous Media | 97 VMVery flattering and unctuous in feel, with coconut, creamed papaya, toasted hazelnut and warmed peach and tangerine cream flavors gliding along in unison, all framed by warm brioche and piecrust notes on the finish. Remarkably rich, yet poised and pure. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,166 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSStill very youthful with light golden colours, showing flashes of green in the glass. Intensely aromatic with tropical fruit notes, pineapple, roasted apricot, honey and lime zest. Full-bodied and rich on the palate with plenty of botrytis notes showing through. Although unctuous and weighty, this Yquem retains plenty of acidity which freshens the palate and balances the concentrated fruit. Sandrine Garbay noted that 2019 reminded her of 2017, with the 2019 showing a little more opulence. Served with a dish of roasted pollock and smoked mussels, this was a wonderful combination, showing the sweetness and purity of Yquem. Residual Sugar: 148g/L. (Drink between 2024-2050)Decanter | 95 DEC

Another rockstar Sauternes is the 2017 Château Guiraud, which has the freshness and purity of the vintage, yet ample depth and richness. Caramelized limes, citrus, and ample minerality all emerge from this full-bodied, impeccably balanced dessert wine. Its acidity is present yet integrated, and it has a great mid-palate and a big finish, all pointing to this being a beautiful Sauternes with a long life.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDThis is very fruity and layered with botrytis spice and dried-apricot and pear flavors. Full body. Very sweet with tangy acidity. There an almost sweet-and-sour undertone to this. From organically grown grapes. Drink in 2021 and onwards.James Suckling | 95 JS94–96. Barrel Sample. Ripe, botrytized fruit currently dominates this wine with its rich concentration. It is a full and liquorous wine that will age for many years. Drink from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2017 Guiraud is brimming with pineapple, passion fruit, spice and vanillin. Rich, structured and racy, it shows tremendous character as well as personality. Readers should expect a bold, extroverted Sauternes. I loved it. Antonio Galloni | 95 AGSilky and concentrated, this is one of the successes of the appellation for me. It has lovely zest and zip, with touches of candied ginger and a fresh lift on the finish. It manages to give shade and light more than most in the vintage, but is just a little shorter than in some previous years. Very good quality, reminiscent of the 2009. (Drink between 2020-2032)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2017 Guiraud opens with subtle notions of crushed rocks, wild fungi and fragrant earth leading to a profound core of orange marmalade, crystalized lemon peel, dried pineapple and paraffin wax. The rich, opulent, wonderfully exotic palate delivers soft acidity and loads of spicy sparks, finishing with great length and depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPMango, peach melba, gingerbread and hazelnut notes are laced with a racy streak of orange peel, giving this unctuous, forward Sauternes good energy through the finish. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2035. 3,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Quite plump, with a note of candied lemon peel amid the racier white peach, verbena and lemon zest flavors. Lots of honeysuckle and straw accents line the finish. Drink now through 2023. 5,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSAromas of sliced apple, fennel, papaya, flint and lemon curd. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a zesty, rich and layered palate. Hints of spice on the vibrant finish. 100% sauvignon blanc. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSFrom one of several estates owned by the Lurton family in Pessac-Léognan, this wine is floral, ripe and packed with tangy, citrus acidity. Wood aging has smoothed the tight, mineral texture and brought up the fruitiness. Drink the wine from 2022. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA rocking Graves white, the 2018 Château La Louvière Blanc boasts a vivid gold hue as well as classic notes of honeyed limes, grapefruit, crushed stone, and flowers. Nicely textured and medium-bodied, with bright acidity and a clean, dry finish, it’s well worth seeking out and will keep for over a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe La Louviere 2018 Blanc needs a little swirling to unlock vibrant notes of white peaches, fresh pears and lemon curd with touches of jasmine, lime cordial and coriander seed. The medium-bodied palate delivers racy citrus and apple flavors with a suggestion of creaminess to the texture and a provocative chalkiness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThis is enjoyable with a clear Sauvignon Blanc character on the nose, kiwi and citrus, juicy and given pep by a slate textured finish. .Decanter | 91 DECThe 2018 La Louvière Blanc has an attractive bouquet of pear, peach skin, elderflower and light melted wax scents. Somehow it brings to mind a South African Chenin! The palate is fresh and vivacious on the entry and offers orange peel mixed with Nashi pear and subtle saline notes toward the finish. Plenty of energy here. This is the best of the four La Louvières that I tasted in 2018.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A wonderful and rather exotic white with aromas of pears, lychees, lemons and some green apples that follow through to the palate and show layers of dreamy texture and a long, flavorful finish. The texture is more like a red that a white. Fermented and aged in slightly larger oak barrels. This is a special wine and the best release so far. Very intense. 74% sauvignon blanc and 26% semillon. One for the cellar.James Suckling | 98 JSCheval Blanc’s relatively new white wine, the 2018 Le Petit Cheval Blanc, is a blend of 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Sémillon. This is the first vintage that the Sémillon plantings have come online to make the blend. Profound notions of ripe pineapple, passion fruit and white peaches explode from the glass, followed by fragrant notes of lemongrass, lime blossoms and yuzu zest with a waft of sea spray. The palate is full-bodied with an alluring oiliness to the texture and layer upon layer of tropical fruits, citrus peel and minerals, marked by a refreshing line and finishing with loads of mineral sparks. Put aside all your preconceptions of "Bordeaux Blanc" and don’t even try to compare it to Pessac-Leognan. This has its own gorgeous expression of these grapes, defying regional tradition. Give yourself over to the rich decadence of this flamboyant white that is at once without peers, but is also quintessentially Cheval Blanc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis is sappy and bright, very light on its feet; an excellent second wine that is hard to argue with. A yield of 44hl/ha. The production split for this vintage was 74% Cheval Blanc, 10% Petit Cheval and 16% sold in bulk (including all of their press). Drinking Window 2025 - 2040Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Le Petit Cheval Bordeaux Blanc is bright and finely cut, with pretty citrus, sage, mint and floral notes. Airy and beautifully lifted, the 2018 is a gorgeous dry white to drink now and over the next handful of years.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThis shows a juicy edge, with a very focused mix of white peach, ginger, fennel and mandarin notes racing through. Chiseled finish. Drink now through 2026. Wine Spectator | 92 WSWith its ripely herbaceous character, this wine is both rich and intensely fresh. Wood aging has contributed spice to the superripe flavors. Still young, the wine opens onto a blend of citrus and yellow fruits underlined by spice. Drink this wine from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The Grand Vin 2018 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc ratchets everything up a notch, offering a vividly fresh bouquet of crushed citrus, salty minerality, caramelized grapefruit, acacia flowers, and toast. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, and racy on the palate, with bright acidity, yet it still brings beautiful concentration of fruit as well as length on the finish. This is a brilliant white in every way. Give bottles another year or three and enjoy over the following 10-15. I suspect it will evolve well beyond that as well.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDDried apple, apricot, grapefruit zest, flint and a hint of hay on the nose. It’s full-bodied with crisp acidity and tight, concentrated layers of fresh and dried fruit. Incredible depth and focus. Even better from 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSPowerful and rich, this dense wine offers intense fruits and a texture that promises considerable aging potential. White-fruit flavors come through strongly, combining with spice, structure and concentration. The wine will age for many years. Drink from 2025. Organic and biodynamic.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe Smith Haut Lafitte 2018 Blanc is a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris, aged in 50% new oak barriques. The nose hits the ground running with vibrant notions of fresh grapefruit, yuzu zest and lemon tart, plus touches of lime leaves, sea spray, green mango and wet pebbles. The medium to full-bodied palate quivers with energetic citrus and mineral-inspired flavors, charged with fantastic tension and delivering a gorgeous silkiness to the texture, finishing long and steely. A bedazzling Pessac-Leognan that cannot fail to impress, it should show best after a couple of years of cellaring and then drink for a good 15+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis has a broad mix of lemon peel, gooseberry, tarragon and star fruit flavors that are holding back a bit for now, while wet straw, macadamia nut and shortbread accents emerge through the finish. Quite rich in feel throughout, but has the underlying zip and cut for balance. Seriously long too. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Best from 2022 through 2030. 2,083 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2018 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is airy, gracious and impeccably balanced. Lemon peel, white orchard fruit, jasmine, mint and white pepper give the 2018 lovely freshness and brightness. There is plenty of vintage 2018 richness lurking beneath. The Blanc is going to need a few years in bottle to fully blossom. Time in the glass brings out lovely freshness along with an upper register of citrus and floral notes that is immensely appealing.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThere is plenty of white pear and white peach going on here along with a creaminess through the palate. As it opens it begins to show citrus and honeysuckle, with everything held together by a grip that builds and gathers momentum. Beautiful balance overall, with a prickle of bitterness on the finish giving focus and contrast. 50% new oak. Harvested 24 August to 17 September - the longest white harvest at SHL (three weeks in total, compared with one week normally, because they were harvesting early in some parts of the vineyard to keep acidity in half the grapes and other plots a little later for texture, so composing the blend from the start). Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2018 Le Petit Haut Lafitte Blanc is a blend of 80% Sauvignon and 20% Sémillon brought up in 50% new French oak. It’s a little gem of a Bordeaux Blanc offering lots of ripe lemon, toasted nut, and honeysuckle notes to go with a rich, medium to full-bodied, impressively textured style. If you like rich, textured, yet balanced Bordeaux Blanc, give this beauty a whirl.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDAromas of toasted lemon, grapefruit zest, dried pineapple, flint and smoked almond. Honey, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with crisp acidity and intense layers of dried fruit. Excellent tension. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSOne of two second white wines from this top estate, this has a ripe pineapple and apple character that is enhanced by wood aging. Rich and full in the mouth, it is spicy and likely to be ready from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2018 Le Petit Haut Lafitte Blanc is driven by Sauvignon Blanc, which lends brightness and energy. Airy and lifted in the glass, the 2018 offers lovely translucence. Hints of dried flowers, almond, green apple and mint linger nicely on the close.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThere’s a fleshy note here, giving a kick of SHL glamour, and it’s impressive for the price point with its twist of complexity and ripe stone fruits. Hard to argue with at this level, it’s a well handled wine with clear minerality, giving you the feeling of heading somewhere special. 50% new oak.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2018 Le Petit Haut Lafitte Blanc is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon, matured in 50% new oak barriques. It offers up enticing aromas of green guava, fresh pineapples, ripe pears and passion fruit with suggestions of lemongrass and chalk dust. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with tropical fruit and fresh pear-inspired flavors with a satiny texture and just enough freshness, finishing with a spicy kick. Delicious now, it has the stuffing to cellar and develop toasty/savory layers over the next 6-7 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThis has a plump note of white peach, along with a racy mix of herb and citrus flavors, ending with everything in unison on the juicy finish. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2022. 650 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Opulent and perfumed for this great white in 2018, with lemon curd, cooked apple, lilac, lime flower, stone, rock and hints of sandalwood. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and compressed with layers of fruit that are integrated and focused. Needs time to open and show its true greatness but stunning. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 99 JSA stunner from first sip, as lemon shortbread and verbena notes lead off followed by a torrent of white peach, yellow apple, lime pith, honeysuckle and acacia notes. Racy, almost piercing minerality knifes through the middle, adding a mouthwatering element, while the shortbread and verbena take a curtain on the finish, creating a beautiful balance of contrasts. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 98 WSA Sauvignon Blanc-dominated release that includes just under 20% Sémillon, the 2018 Château Haut-Brion Blanc reveals a vivid light gold hue as well as gorgeous notes of crushed limes, white flowers, white grapefruit, and obvious crushed rock-like minerality. These carry to a medium to full-bodied white with flawless balance in its fruit, acidity, and alcohol, beautiful mid-palate depth, and an undeniable elegance and purity that's something to behold. It's not a powerful house, but it has a chiseled, elegant, incredibly long style that's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis wine has opulence and concentration, with crisp flavors of ripe yellow fruits. There is so much going on in this impressive wine. It has benefited from the hot summer, yielding a ripe wine that still manages to remain crisp and tight on the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2018 Haut-Brion Blanc has blossomed beautifully over the last two years. Rich and ample in feel, with superb richness, the Blanc is a knock-out. Everything is dialed up in the 2018 - the aromas, flavors and textures are all so wonderfully expressive. Lemon confit, pear, marzipan, chamomile and gently spiced notes build as the 2018 continues to open in the glass. The 2018 is compelling. That's all there is to it.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGClear Sauvignon Blanc character, rounded and deepened by smoked oak notes, with white pear flesh and hints of pineapple. There is uplift through the finish and this has depth, holding interest and focus. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2021 - 2034.Decanter | 95 DECThe Haut-Brion 2018 Blanc is a blend of 80.6% Sauvignon Blanc and 19.4% Sémillon—this is the highest level of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend ever. Unsurprisingly, it needs a lot of air at this youthful stage, eventually unfurling bit by bit to offer subtle scents of lemon peel, fresh grapefruit, green mango and yuzu, with emerging suggestions of wet pebbles, struck flint, orange blossom and lime leaves with a waft of oyster shells. The medium to full-bodied palate has a gorgeous satiny texture and lovely freshness offsetting the intense stone and citrusy flavors, finishing long and layered. Give this a good 3-4 years to come around and drink it over the next 15 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

This has a complex nose of dried apple, green mango, grapefruit zest, dried honeysuckle and crushed almonds. It’s full-bodied with bright acidity and a dense, phenolic texture. Vivid and layered with fantastic precision. Very, very long. This needs time. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSOne of the iconic white wines of Bordeaux, produced in small quantities, this is a powerful and rich expression of ripe Sauvignon Blanc. The fruitiness, with its tropical hints, is enhanced by the wine’s complexity, touches of spice and density. Drink this impressive wine from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEGorgeous, with both rich and racy elements as lemon curd, shortbread and honeysuckle notes contrast with lemon pith, thyme and fleur de sel notes. Long finish has wet straw and paraffin hints, adding length and range. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2030. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSOne of the top whites in the vintage, the 2018 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc is mostly Sauvignon blended with 25% Sémillon that was raised in 35% new French oak. A forward, approachable vintage for this cuvée, it has a beautiful, medium to full-bodied style as well as loads of lemon curd, white grapefruit, toasted bread, spice, and a kiss of chalky minerality. Balanced, pure, and elegant, drink this killer Bordeaux Blanc over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe Domaine de Chevalier 2018 Blanc, a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, offers up a gorgeous perfume of ripe Bosc pears, grapefruit oil, mandarin peel and lemongrass, leading to wafts of sea spray, lime blossom and beeswax. The medium to full-bodied palate has a seducing opulence, delivering layers of citrus, pear and floral-inspired flavors with a satiny texture and seamless freshness, finishing long with a spicy kick. It makes for a complex, decadently delicious wine right now, but give it 4-5 years in bottle to see it take on even more savory/toasty layers, and drink it for the next 10-12 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has come together beautifully over the last two years. Rich and unctuous in feel, the 2018 offers terrific nuance to match its creamy, enveloping personality. Dried pear, marzipan, lemon confit and white flowers all build as the 2018 blossoms in the glass. The poised, deeply resonant finish is striking. I am so impressed with the 2018, a wine that is far more convincing in bottle than it was from barrel.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis clearly has focus and stone-fruit steely determination. Clear opulence and density if not quite the grip of this wine in the very best white vintages. Excellent white pepper spice as it opens. Drinking Window 2021 - 2034.Decanter | 94 DEC

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

This is a dense and lively La Mission white with lemon, lime and cream character and a light mineral and salty undertone. White pepper and salt at the finish.James Suckling | 97-98 JSThe La Mission Haut-Brion 2018 Blanc is a blend of 57.4% Sauvignon Blanc and 42.6% Sémillon. It sashays out of the glass with gregarious notes of white peaches, fresh pears and pineapple with nuances of lime blossoms, crushed rocks and sea spray, plus a waft of beeswax. The racy, medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy, delivering vibrant citrus and tropical fruit layers with a satiny texture and fantastic length. Completely exceeding my barrel tasting expectations, this promises to be an earlier drinking style, albeit multilayered, dripping with class and, yes, it’s downright sexy. Give it just a few more months in bottle and then it should offer decadent drinking for the next 15+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPSeriously dark and winey, showing a deep core of black currant preserve, warmed fig paste and plum reduction flavors inlaid with racy graphite, mouthwatering tobacco and enticing singed alder, bay leaf and freshly plowed humus. Delivers density, grip and definition on the long finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040. 2,880 cases made, 262 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA richer, more textured wine than the Haut-Brion Blanc, no doubt due to its larger Sémillon content, the 2018 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc reveals a medium gold hue as well as beautiful pineapple, honeyed lime, star fruit, and floral aromas and flavors. Nicely concentrated on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and offers beautiful acidity, plenty of depth and richness, and a great finish. A slightly softer wine, it doesn’t have the precision of its counter mate yet brings more texture and opulence. It’s another brilliant white that will benefit from short-term cellaring and evolve for 15+ years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe white 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion explodes with notes of guava, pineapple, and ripe peaches, plus touches of honeyed toast and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is taut and layered, with lovely zesty sparks and a long, spicy finish.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIA serious wine that is just beginning to show its white flower and honeysuckle notes. A vintage that shows its warmth in a slightly lower acidity, but it is still an impressive textured white. 3.27pHDecanter | 94 DECThere is a light herbal touch to this wine that comes from the Sauvignon Blanc. However, it also has concentration and weight, offering a texture that brings freshness to balance the ripe fruits. The wine will age well. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc has really come together nicely since I last tasted it. Bright and finely cut, with terrific creaminess, the 2018 is already very easy to taste, and, I imagine, drink. Lime, lemon peel, mint, white pepper and jasmine give the 2018 striking effusiveness.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Aromas of dried apples, pears and peaches with crushed stones. Fresh flowers, such as lilacs. Full-bodied with layers of fruit and a fresh, creamy palate that continues on for minutes. A refined, precise, and polished Smith. Tight at the end. Needs two or three years to open.James Suckling | 97 JSIn a line of great white wines from this estate, here is a superb vintage. It has all the richness of ripe fruit, but that has been channeled into structure, density as well as intense acidity and freshness. All the signs are this wine will age for a long, long time.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a total stunner. All the elements come together so gracefully. Silky and pliant, the Blanc has terrific depth, but it doesn’t feel at all like a wine from a warm vintage. Orchard fruit, mint, fig, lemon oil and white flowers flesh out in a silky, nuanced Blanc that is captivating and exquisite from the very first taste. The 2019 is simply fabulous. Tasted two times. Terrific.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGOne of my favorite whites from the region is the 2019 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, which is mostly Sauvignon Blanc blended with a splash of Sauvignon Gris and Semillon. Textbook notes of honeyed lemon, melon, caramelized grapefruit, and orange blossom give way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, seamless white that brings solid richness as well as a lively, racy quality that keeps you coming back to the glass. Drink this beautiful white over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD(Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, White) Subdued on the first nose but opens up to show the rich, citrus and rosemary-filled grown up glamour that Smith Haut Lafitte’s white does so well. Acidity feels lower than in vintages like 2017 but similar to last year, with an emphasis on slate texture that narrows and focuses the tension through the palate, and suggests this will age well. Tasted twice three weeks apart and gorgeous both times, perhaps a little more developed in terms of its nuances and depth the 2nd time around, giving plenty of confidence to what will happen over the rest of ageing. If you are planning to drink this soon I recommend a good few hours in a carafe first. 3.15pH. (Drink between 2021-2034)Decanter | 96 DECThe 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc has turned out very well in bottle, reflecting the estate’s volition to craft more structured, age-worthy whites. Offering up aromas of gooseberry, nectarine, mint and lemongrass mingled with hints of pastry cream, almond paste and smoke, it’s full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with a textural attack that segues into a fleshy but promisingly tightly wound mid-palate, concluding with a saline finish. As usual, the blend features a small percentage of Sauvignon Gris, which brings more dry extract to the ensemble.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPCompact but with solid range, as the salted butter, verbena and talc notes work well with lemon pith and curd, white peach and gooseberry flavors. Offers a talc hint that works underneath to extend the finish. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink now through 2028. 2,400 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

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

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

Famed for its white wine, this estate has produced another impressive vintage. It has great poise between lusciousness and a tight mineral texture, giving balance and longevity. Nutmeg flavors come from the wood aging. It should cellar well.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEPineapple and mango on the nose, delicious and expressive exotic fruit aromas. Good impact on the palate, a nice mix of lemon and creamy patisserie elements. Good balance and harmony, not a showstopper or trying to deliver too much but this has such a great weight and drive on the palate with crisp apple, honeyed lemon and touches of orange too. Energy and acidity. Yummy. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2044Decanter | 94 DECSliced apples, lemons, crushed stones and jasmine on the nose. It’s medium-bodied, crisp and focused. Very pretty and elegant with a mineral, sleek and structured palate. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Chateau De Fieuzal Blanc is a solid effort, offering lots of white peach, honeyed orange, and floral notes in a rounded, medium-bodied, fleshy, and impressively textured style. This concentrated, balanced, rich yet still fresh white is going to keep for 7-8 years or so, possibly longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDA terrific effort, the 2019 de Fieuzal Blanc offers up inviting aromas of nectarine, confit citrus fruit, white flowers and subtle hints of pastry cream. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, with an enveloping core of fruit, lively acids and a saline finish, it’s a charming, beautifully balanced wine that punches well above its weight.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Fieuzal Blanc is perfumed and light on its feet. Orchard fruit, dried flowers, mint and light tropical accents give this understated, tasty white plenty of appeal.Antonio Galloni | 88-90 AG

Much more Semillon-based compared to its stablemate, the Haut-Brion Blanc, the 2019 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a much more subdued, classic Semillon, offering ripe peach, honeyed lime, sappy herbs, and chalky mineral nuances that show even more on the palate. Rich, layered, and medium to full-bodied, it’s another blockbuster of a white from this estate that has everything you could want from a Bordeaux Blanc. It opens up beautifully with time in the glass, is flawlessly balanced, and just a thrill a second. It should evolve for 20-30 years as well.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDGreen apple, lime, aniseed and stone. Some green mango, too. Full-to medium-bodied with a compact palate of beautiful fruit and refined phenolics that last for minutes. Creamy finish. Tight at the end. Needs four or five years to open. Best after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc, 69.9% Semillon and 30.1% Sauvignon Blanc, is locked tight on the nose to begin, eventually offering glimpses at lime leaves and sea spray with wafts of white pepper and dill seed. Medium-bodied, the palate has plenty of tension and mineral layers, finishing savory.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIThe La Mission Haut-Brion 2019 Blanc is composed of 69.9% Semillon and 30.1% Sauvignon Blanc, harvested from the 30th of August until the 10th of September. The estimated label alcohol degree is 14%. Notions of freshly squeezed limes, grapefruit juice and white peaches come wafting out of the glass followed by suggestions of yuzu zest, coriander seed, underripe pineapple, wet pebbles and green mango with a touch of fennel. The medium to full-bodied palate offers layer upon layer of citrus fruits and mineral accents wrapped in a beautiful satiny texture and featuring seamless freshness, finishing long and chalky.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPThe 2019 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc has quite an intense nose with apple blossom, flint and slice Williams pear scents that develop with aeration. The palate is well-balanced with fine acidity, quite steely with a gooseberry and spicy finish that is driven by the Sauvignon Blanc. It’s backward and close but the breeding is there. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.Vinous Media | 94+ VMExtroverted, with an energetic display of white peach, Key lime, verbena, oyster shell and quinine notes that are well-defined as they extend through a lengthy finish. Features real tension and drive too, which most whites in this vintage lack. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Best from 2023 through 2033.Wine Spectator | 94 WSWet wool, something a little bit waxy to the nose with touches of lemon curd - very welcoming. Lovely mouthfeel here, enveloping, rich and concentrated but also fresh and vibrant. Nuance and structure with a spicy almost bitter orange tone to this. A great balance of bright lemon citrus fruits - juicy and lively then with a creminess that comes in and calms everything down. I love the interplay between the richness and fat from the Semillon and precise intensity of the acidity from the Sauvignon. 69.9% Semillon and 30.1% Sauvignon Blanc.Decanter | 94 DEC

Fragrant nose of lemongrass, lime zest, green pineapple, cloves and herbs. Vibrant and zesty, with a medium body. Driven. Plenty of tension and length, slowly evolving to cream, orange zest and white chocolate. Fantastic this year. Sauvignon blanc. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSBeautifully fruity while also showing texture that will allow for plenty of aging, this is richly complex wine. With acidity shooting through the wine, it has great freshness as well as concentration. The wine needs plenty of time. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEBright Sauvignon Blanc aromatics on the nose, this is good quality. Power, concentration and spliced citrus and slate minerality. Maintains momentum, easy to love. A yield of 31hl/ha, with 10 months ageing on lees with regular stirring in to fatten up the mouthfeel. An impressive La Louvière, stands out from recent vintages at this estate.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2020 La Louviere Blanc opens with notes of applesauce, white peaches and pink grapefruit with hints of honeysuckle and allspice. The medium-bodied palate is packed with apple and stone fruit flavors, supported by a racy backbone and finishing with a spicy kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPThe 2020 La Louvière Blanc is laced with wild flowers, mint, chamomile, almond and sage. Drink this soft, easygoing white over the next few years. It offers good freshness, lovely brightness and fine balance in an understated style. Tasted two times.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

Rather tropical fruit aromas like pineapple and mangoes, as well as white peaches and lemons with hints of stones and minerals. It’s full-bodied with plenty of fruit, yet it’s fresh and steely. Lots of white peaches at the end. Hints of lees too, like bread dough. 80% sauvignon blanc and 20% semillon.James Suckling | 96 JSCola, liquorice and ripe blueberries on the nose - perfumed, heady and expressive. So delicious on the palate, smooth and driving with excellent energy - a youthful tension to the mid-palate. Sleek and stylish with a gorgeous texture, perfectly weighted to give a mouthfilling expression yet keeping a refined and focused delivery of black fruit, liquorice and floral flavours. Impressive and supremely pleasurable - this makes you want a glass immediately. Spicy, and perfumed because of the Cabernet Franc but all the better for it with 59% Cabernet Franc and 41% Merlot.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2020 Le Petit Cheval is stunning. Rich, deep and expansive, the Petit Cheval is outrageously good. In fact, it could easily be mistaken for a Cheval Blanc from anything less than a great vintage. The aromatics are alluring and the balance is sublime; all that really identifies this as a second wine is a bit of mid-palate depth. Sweet floral and spice accents extend the effortless, gracious finish.Vinous Media | 94 VMI wrote in my note on the 2020 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval that this is "one hell of a second wine," and it has a kiss of the elegance and complexity found in the top cuvée. Black fruits, roasted herbs, graphite, and scorched earth notes all emerge from this ruby/purple-hued beauty, which has medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It will drink nicely for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThis second wine shows so many of the rich, dense qualities of the top wine. Bold black fruits are sustained by serious tannins and a dry core. It will age well. Drink from 2026Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2020 Le Petit Cheval offers up aromas of minty cherries, plums, raw cocoa, mint and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and voluptuous palate underpinned by a broad-shouldered chassis of tannin. A blend of 59% Cabernet Franc and 41% Merlot, it’s a rather structured young Petit Cheval that will reward a bit of patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RPSleek and solid, with a well-defined core of dark currant and black cherry puree lined with black licorice and sweet tobacco. Boasts black tea and warm paving stone accents through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2033.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

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