Whenever I talk to people about Bordeaux wines, their minds usually drift towards expensive reds that rich people buy. Well hopefully over the last few weeks and months you’ve begun to realize that there are amazing reds from across Bordeaux that fit every budget going. But we’re still talking about reds. Do they not make white wine?
You think about all the other major wine areas of France, then they have their flagship whites. Burgundy has its Chardonnays, Alsace its Pinot Gris/Riesling/Gewürztraminer, and the Loire has its Chenin Blanc. What springs to mind with Bordeaux?
Two white grapes dominate. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Sauvignon Blanc adds great smells and depth of flavour, and Semillon adds incredible freshness. They’re usually blended, and – as with most wine regions in the world – the white wines are made to go with the local food. In Bordeaux that’s seafood. A morning at the Capucins market in the centre of Bordeaux with a plate of oysters and a glass of Bordeaux Blanc is one of the best ways to start a day I can think of!
One of the funny things about Bordeaux Blanc though is the rating system. For reds in Bordeaux, the ratings systems are complicated beyond belief. But weirdly, for whites, it’s the exact opposite. Outside of Graves (inc. Pessac Léognon) all the whites just get called Bordeaux Blanc. You can pick one up for near-as-damn-it £7-8 from a supermarket, or you can pick up a white from a Grand Cru Classé estate in the Médoc for a couple of hundred quid. They’re both just “Bordeaux Blanc”.
These wines are fragrant, usually with smells of melon, honey blossom, apricots, peaches, jasmine, and with lovely refreshing acidity. They’re fantastic, and not to be missed!
Santé
Mike
Director of www.20h33.co.uk
We’re currently stocking Château Moulin De La Roquille and Château de Bonhoste Cuvée Prestige, both priced at £12.90 per bottle (in a case of 6). Call or email to give them a try!
Crédit Photo : ©B.Kulik