Bordeaux Blanc
No matter which wine connoisseur you ask, Bordeaux will almost always take first or second place when it comes to respected, accomplished viticultural regions. Their culture is so perfectly tailored towards growing perfect, ripe, low-yield grapes and developing amazing blends, that it’s no wonder that they consistently stay on top of the fine wine market. Their white wines are highly sought after, to the point where you might have to wait a decade or so to get some of the most luxurious bottles. If you have the budget for them, however, they will lift you up to the heavens through sheer quality and complexity.
Generally speaking, you have two types of white Bordeaux blend in terms of flavor and texture. The first category consists of lighter, fruity, playful wines. They weave a tapestry of juicy, big flavors such as honey, grapefruit, lemon, citrus, or gooseberry, where each individual thread can entangle you and steal your attention from anything going on in the real world. The other category is typically more sought after, but harder to obtain. These are creamy, syrupy, rich wines that almost flow like freshly made, expensive honey, and tickle your tongue with their oily, bold texture. The combination of flavors can remind you of a warrior’s feast from tales of fantasy, with decadent baked apple and pear, lemon butter, ginger or caramelized grapefruit. There are very few wines out there that create this thick whirlpool of strong flavors, separating white Bordeaux blends above any sort of competitor.
A bottle or two of Pessac-Léognan white wine is a good place to start exploring glorious white Bordeaux. If you have the budget for it, try to sample both flavor and texture archetypes, to improve your collection and, more importantly, your perspective on what makes a truly great bottle of wine.
Generally speaking, you have two types of white Bordeaux blend in terms of flavor and texture. The first category consists of lighter, fruity, playful wines. They weave a tapestry of juicy, big flavors such as honey, grapefruit, lemon, citrus, or gooseberry, where each individual thread can entangle you and steal your attention from anything going on in the real world. The other category is typically more sought after, but harder to obtain. These are creamy, syrupy, rich wines that almost flow like freshly made, expensive honey, and tickle your tongue with their oily, bold texture. The combination of flavors can remind you of a warrior’s feast from tales of fantasy, with decadent baked apple and pear, lemon butter, ginger or caramelized grapefruit. There are very few wines out there that create this thick whirlpool of strong flavors, separating white Bordeaux blends above any sort of competitor.
A bottle or two of Pessac-Léognan white wine is a good place to start exploring glorious white Bordeaux. If you have the budget for it, try to sample both flavor and texture archetypes, to improve your collection and, more importantly, your perspective on what makes a truly great bottle of wine.