When it comes to Bordeaux, red wine really hogs the limelight. Often overlooked are Bordeaux dry whites, which continue to offer consumers quality and, of course, value. One of the most expensive and more revered French wines is a dry white Bordeaux – Chateau Haut-Brion blanc.
When we say Bordeaux blanc, we are talking about using sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscadelle. Traditionally it’s a combination of the first two. The sauvignon blanc gives the aromatics and acidity to the wine while the semillon provides body and depth. They are aromatic and mineral-driven with enough complexity and concentration to stand the test of time. The best examples age incredibly well and would be a welcome addition to any collector’s cellar.
The most sought after and often most expensive examples are grown in Pessac-Leognan, which is in the northern region of Graves. The gravelly and sandy soils found here provide excellent earthy and mineral tones to create Bordeaux’s most complex and long-lasting dry white wines. The Clos Marsalette Pessac-Leognan Blanc 2020, which costs just $25 at pre-arrival pricing, is an excellent peek into the most coveted region for Bordeaux blanc without breaking the bank. We have also included two other wines from the greater Graves area that offer similar stellar value – L’Âme De Pape Clément Graves Blanc 2019 and Clos Floridene Graves Blanc 2019.
While Sauternes is most famous for its luscious, sweet wines, in recent years producers have begun to diversify more into dry wines as well. And they are making some of their best dry whites ever. These wines are made to the same high standards that these storied chateaus are famed for but are aimed at an audience that is less interested in drinking sweet wine.
Wines made in Sauternes but fermented dry are simply labeled as Bordeaux Blanc or Grand Vin Blanc Sec as their appellation. We have three wonderful examples listed below: G de Château Guiraud Bordeaux Blanc 2020, Clos des Lunes Bordeaux Blanc Lune Blanche 2018 and Clos des Lunes Bordeaux Blanc Lune D’Argent 2018. The latter two are made by one of the region’s best dry white wine estates, Domaine de Chevalier. Each shows all the charm and depth that Sauternes is famed for but are completely bone dry.
Other notable regions for Bordeaux blanc include Entre-Deux-Mers and Cotes de Bordeaux. Both appellations are home to good quality dry white wine production but often fly under the radar in comparison to some of the more famous names around them.
Wines from these regions show aromas of ripe stone fruit and fresh tropical fruit with a mineral core. Linear and taut on the palate, these are delicious dinner wines that pair effortlessly with food but drink well on their own, too.
Bordeaux blanc is a value proposition hiding in plain sight. Many of these wines carry bargain prices tags not because they are of low quality but because all of the attention and demand typically goes toward their red counterparts. This plays right into the hands of in-the-know wine lovers, but burgeoning oenophiles will want to take advantage, too.
Below is our list of 10 Bordeaux blanc that cost $25 or less at any reputable wine merchant (a couple at pre-arrival prices) and are excellent entry points into Bordeaux’s most underrated wines.
– Nathan Slone, Associate Editor
Chateau Grand Village Bordeaux Blanc 2019 – JS93
JJBuckley.com: $22.94
Château Les Charmes-Godard Bordeaux Blanc 2020 – JS93
Zachys.com: $16.99
Clos des Lunes Bordeaux Blanc Lune d’argent 2018 – JS93
Château Côte Montpezat Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux Blanc S. Jacques Cuvée Compostelle 2020 – JS92-93
Totalwine.com: $24.99
Wine.com: $19.99
L’Âme de Pape Clément Graves Blanc 2019 – JS92
Wegmans.com: $24.99
Clos Marsalette Pessac-Leognan Blanc 2020 – JS91-92
KLWines.com: $24.99
Château Puygueraud Francs Côtes de Bordeaux Blanc 2018 – JS91
Wegmans.com: $17.99
Clos des Lunes Bordeaux Blanc Lune Blanche 2018 – JS91
Wine.com: $21.99
Vivino.com: $18.99
G de Château Guiraud Bordeaux Blanc 2020 – JS91
KLWines.com: $17.99
Clos Floridene Graves Blanc 2019 – JS90
Sokolin.com: $22.95
KLWines.com: $19.99
