Wines to try: Whites
Château la Rose Bellevue Prestige, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
91 Highly recommended www.chateau- larosebellevue.com Bright, clean, good grip, sparkling citrus flavours, this has been oak aged for five months but with great restraint, 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Muscadelle. A lovely example of a Blaye white, from an always-reliable producer. Drink now-2017 Alc 13.5%abv
Château des Tourtes Cuvée Prestige, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
90 Highly recommended £11.50 The French Wine Project, www.thefrenchwineproject.com This gets to the point straight away and is easily one of my favorites tasted. Lots of interest, from fresh white flowers to lemon rind, lots of interest with a touch of flinty reduction on the very first nose. Drink now-2017 Alc 14%abv
Château Haut Canteloup, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015
90 Highly recommended £9.90 The French Wine Project, www.thefrenchwineproject.com Distinct citrus flavours,with touches of gooseberry and asparagus Sauvignon, this is almost tart but manages to be mouthwatering instead, good example of a northern hemisphere Sauvignon, with grip and presence. 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Muscadelle. Drink now-2017 Alc 13.5%abv.
La Révélation des Vignobles Denis Lafon, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
89 Recommended
www.denislafon.com A lovely bit of lift and a touch of reduced expression. The 50% Sauvignon Blanc here expresses green-tinged citrus and lime fruits and is zippy with lift, brought into balance with 50% Semillon. Six months in new oak gives a roundness without sacrificing the edge. Great stuff from Denis Lafon. Drink now-2017 Alc 12.5%abv
Château Manon La Lagune, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015
89 Recommended www. myliko.co.uk, Musgrave SuperValu Straw colour, with a smooth rich mouthfeel from the off. This has high aromatics of freshly cut grass. Good typicity, making the most of its 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now-2017 Alc 13%abv
Château Haut Grelot, Cuvée Sélection, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015
89 Recommended Bancroft Wines, www. bancroftwines.com A rich and ripe expression of the 2015 vintage. This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc given the full treatment - so six months oak ageing, with the fermentation done in new oak (before half of the wine passes into one year old barrels for the ageing, and owner Julien Bonneau cleverly using the new barrels for his red wine). Drink now-2017 Alc 13%abv
Château Lacaussade St Martin, Cuvée Trois Moulins, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015
89 Recommended www. lacaussade- saintmartin.com Smudged smoky extract on the nose, this is citrus grilled over vine shoots. Has personality and grip, and a soft candyfloss finish. Distinctive, perhaps because from an unusual blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, aged in 400 litre barrels with regular lees stirring. Drink now-2017 Alc 13.5%abv
Château des Matards, Cuvée Quentin, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
88 Recommended www.chateau-des- matards.com Cheerful sunflower colour, with a silky and sweet mouthfeel. A white wine that is full of personality, from 100% Sauvignon Blanc first vinified and then aged for nine months in oak. Majoring on exotic fruit rather than the more typically Bordeaux expression of Sauvignon, very enjoyable. Drink now-2017 Alc 14%abv
Château Maison Neuve, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
88 Recommended www.chateau- maisonneuve.com Crisp and clean, a little sour perhaps, gooseberry tart rather than fool, but on the mid palate a lovely citrus flesh comes into play, and this turns into a very pretty wine. 100% Sauvignon Blanc, on the fresh scale. Unoaked, gentle lees stirring. Drink now-2017 Alc 13%abv
Château Montfollet Le Valentin, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
87 Recommended
www.chateaux- solidaires.com Rich, round, silky, but here also a nice grip of lemon and a sizzle of rosemary spicing. Enjoyable blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon from winemaker Dominique Raimond. Drink now-2017 Alc 14%abv
Château Berthenon, Sauvignon, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015
87 Recommended www.chateauberthenon.com From the 2015 vintage, this has a classic Sauvignon nose, freshly cut grass, good spiciness without being overpowering. This is made up of 95% Sauvignon Blanc with a 5% squeeze of Sauvignon Gris. Unoaked, focusing on the character of the grape. Drink now-2017 Alc 13%abv
Château Dubraud, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
86 Recommended www.chateaudubraud.com (sell online) This is rich and silky smooth, it is unoaked but has regular stirring of the lees to fatten up the texture of the wine. 70% Sauvignon Blanc; 15% Semillon and 15% Muscadelle from winemakers Celine and Alain Vidal. Drink now-2017 Alc 12.5%abv
Tutiac Sélection, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
86 Recommended www.tutiac.com Fragrant on the nose, with white flowers and gentle curling citrus. This fades quickly, but is pretty. 100% Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked. Drink now-2017 Alc 12%abv
Château Haut Bertinerie, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
85 Commended www. myliko.co.uk From an excellent estate that I often enjoy, this is not quite up to their 2013 standard for the white, but still an enjoyable wine with well defined flavours. 100% Sauvignon Blanc, aged in barrel for around 10 months with regular lees stirring. Sauvignon is often a strong finisher but this ends just a little soft. Drink now-2017 Alc 13%abv
Château Bel Air La Royère, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
85 Commended www. bel-air-la- royere.com Approx £13 (red wine 2011 vintage) www.cadmanfinewines.co.uk, (red wine 2012 vintage) www.wineye.com Lemon curd roundness, smoked almond and a twist of lime. Combine that with ripe grapes and you have this attractively full expression. Could do with a mouthwatering finish perhaps, but this is good stuff. 100% Sauvignon Blanc with just under half seeing some barrel ageing. Drink now-2017 Alc 13%abv
Château Les Bertrands, Cuvée Prestige, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
85 Commended www.chateaulesbertrands.com This is a foodie white, round, soft and sexy but lacks a llittle punch. 100% Sauvignon Blanc with six months in French oak. Drink now-2017 Alc 13%abv
Château Les Charmes Godard, Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
89 Recommended www. nicolas-thienpont.com A small estate owned by Nicolas Thienpont that consistently produces excellent white wines. Majoring on straw and freshly cut grass, the green side of Sauvignon is on display. I’m not complaining - the juiciness is highly welcome, especially as it is underpinned by peach flesh, and rounded out by a touch of oak. Drink now-2017 Alc 13%abv
Château Tifayne, Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 2014
87 Recommended www.tifayne.com Pale straw colour, strong hay on the nose, this is 100% Muscadelle and is unusual, a little wild and rustic. Rose on the finish. Enjoyable, just clear your mind of expectations of a Bordeaux white. Drink now-2017 Alc 12%abv