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Bordeaux's Finest Whites
Offer a Real Alternative to Burgundy
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At the highest level, the world of dry white wine can be cleft into two broad types; on one side there are the wines that rely on freshness, vivacity, and with luck, some aromatic liveliness and character. They are generally fermented in stainless steel or other neutral vessels and, other than the very finest, should carry a sell-by date.
On the other side, there is the land of the broader and more enigmatic wines that are fermented in barrel. Chardonnay dominates the landscape here and atop the peak, the white Burgundies of the Cote d'Or shine like beacons.
Mostly any or all other barrel-fermented wines slot into their station somewhere on the slopes below.
But here there is still an odd rogue that does not fit the formula and most notably among them are the dry white Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blends of Bordeaux.
Bordeaux is no stranger to stainless steel to be sure, and it is certainly widely used to ferment white varieties but the soul of Bordeaux is still in the barrel.
Sure enough the mere mention of the words 'barrel' or 'oak' sends many of us racing to the halyards to hoist our red flags in double-quick time but, like in Burgundy, the best whites of the Graves show its influence more in the style of the wine than in overt flavors of the new wood itself.
Like Chardonnay, a finely crafted Semillon/Sauvignon blend not only carries oak, it throws out more canvas and adds an extra dimension.
All wines in stock and available now.
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Incomparable and Rare 'Ygrec'
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The dry wine of Chateau d'Yquem, known simply by the letter Y, or Ygrec in French, is truly incomparable, as our clients who recently opened a bottle of the 1960 from Warren Winiarsky's cellar can testify. It was still so vibrant and full of life that an unseemly scuffle ensued over the remining few bottles we had. Legend is an over-used word, but, like true Montrachet, Ygrec is a wine that many of us will never taste, and as such it may be fitting.
Production of 'Y' is now limited to 10,000 bottles or approximately 800 cases for the entire world. It is a ying and yang blend of fresh picked Sauvignon Blanc from particular parcels on the estate and late harvested Semillon that adds the depth complexity and distinction.
This is a very rare opportunity to acquire a very rare and unique wine.
Y d'Yquem 2016
42 bottles available; $260 per bottle
93 points Vinous
Y d'Yquem 2017
48 bottles available; $220 per bottle
92 points Vinous
Y d'Yquem 2018
60 bottles available; $210 per bottle
91 points Vinous
Packed in original wooden six packs
Available in stock now, individual bottle orders are welcome.
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Dry Whites from Top Chateaux
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Chateau Carbonnieux is one of the original classed growths of the 'Graves,' the area immediately south of the city that produces both white and red wines of real class, though historically, it is the whites that made the area most famous.
Carbonnieux makes both but their white is the signature wine, and among Bordeaux's finest. It is dramatically under-valued.
Carbonnieux Blanc 2019
48 bottles available; $45 per bottle
92 points Vinous
Carbonnieux Blanc 2020
64 bottles available; $45 per bottle
(90-92) points Vinous
The Blanc de Lynch Bages is a slight anomaly here, in that it is the only wine offered that does not come from the Graves, or the area south of the city. As the name implies, it comes from the Lynch Bages property in Pauillac and, as such is a rare example of white varieties in such hallowed ground. In this case, the Sauvignon/Semillon blend is supplemented with a little of the often forgotten Muscadelle.
It is a finely crafted with smoky exotic perfume and round full texture and worth of the Lynch Bages name.
Lynch Bages Blanc 2020
52 bottles available; $75 per bottle
(90-92) points Vinous
'R' is clearly Rieussec's hommage to Yquem's 'Y.' At about one tenth of the price, it is uncharacteristically humble for the commercial world of Bordeaux and is a very attractive option. This vintage is not scored or reviewed but is a really good food wine and a great example of the thesis of this offer, that white Bordeaux substitues very well if you are in a white Burgundy rut.
R de Rieussec 2019
66 bottles available; $30 per bottle
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Requirements
- Subject to final confirmation and remaining unsold
- Orders will be confirmed as received; please allow time for processing
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