For a bright, fresh Bordeaux Sauvignon, you won't beat this eight-Golds 2020 from Jean Gueridon. It's old vines with meticulous care, that give it such intensity and freshness, with a light floral touch to the citrusy fruit.
Jean Gueridon is the proud owner and winemaker of Château Les Moutins in the beautiful rolling hills of Bordeaux's Entre-Deux-Mers. Jean bought the estate in 1995 and has been upping the quality every year since. On his extensive vineyards of clay and limestone, he grows mostly Sauvignon Blanc, with a touch of Sémillon, on vines that are mostly 40 years old.
No wonder, then, the concentration in the wine is so good. It certainly bowled over judges in eight competitions, winning Gold every time. With three months ageing on its lees, the wine has lovely texture and roundness, with a creamy note to the bright citrus and grassy fruit and lift of blossom. Chilled down, it's a cracker on its own, or with seafood or goat's cheese soufflé.
Our Trophy-winning Bordeaux winemaker at Le Chai, Jean-Marc Sauboua, is delighted with his Réserve Blanc. 2020 was a top vintage for Bordeaux, but even then he insisted on the very highest calibre grapes – 60% Sauvignon Blanc with 40% old-vine Sémillon, fermenting the former in stainless steel to preserve the vivacious, grassy fruit, and the latter all in oak.
He’d planned just a four-month stay in barrel for this luxurious white, but in the end plumped for two years, as the fruit was so ravishing. Lees aged too, its flavours are well married now – fresh herbaceous, peach and citrus notes seamlessly integrated with the creamy vanilla from the barrels. It’s very much a food wine, best served gently chilled with sauced fish or white meats.
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A Gold medal for this crisp, elegant white blending, unusually for the Languedoc, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. It's from the vineyards of Spanish-born Jesús Aledo, now at home in southern France. Delicate herbal, ripe stone fruit, citrusy.
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