Guide to White Bordeaux Wine: 8 Luscious Bottles, Taste, Terroir

White Bordeaux (Bordeaux Blanc) wines are crafted using the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grape varieties, along with small quantities of Sauvignon Gris and Ugni Blanc.

Only around 10% of all Bordeaux wine is white. The remaining 90% of the region’s wine production is dedicated to red Bordeaux wine.

Interestingly, this wasn’t the case until a few decades ago.

Until the 1950s, white Bordeaux wines accounted for around 50% of the total production. What changed this was the devastating frost of 1956 followed by the growing demand for red Bordeaux. 

Nevertheless, the seductive aromatics and nutty flavors of the unique Bordeaux blanc wines will lure you in!

Let’s travel to the Bordeaux region and discover the exotic white Bordeaux styles, 8 delicious bottles, vineyard and winemaking practices, and the major white Bordeaux appellations and producers.

The Exotic White Bordeaux Wine Styles

There are two different white Bordeaux wine styles.

1. Dry White Bordeaux 

Bordeaux’s dry white wines are light and fruity and are usually a wine blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grape varieties. Some may also have the Ugni Blanc grape variety.

The best dry white wines are produced in the Pessac Leognan and Graves appellations.

2. Sweet White Bordeaux 

The sweet white Bordeaux wines are rich, creamy, and luscious, admired for their racy acidity and honeyed flavors. The Sauternes white wine is the most popular sweet white Bordeaux wine.

Why Should You Drink White Bordeaux?

Besides its seductive aromas, white Bordeaux wines also offer a brilliant opportunity to taste the best of Bordeaux’s terroir without burning a hole in your wallet.

Also, this white wine is easy to pair with a wide variety of foods.

White Bordeaux: Taste And Wine Pairing

Dry white Bordeaux wine is light and has citrus, floral, lemon, and grapefruit notes with a distinct minerality.

Sweet wine has strong honeyed fruit notes of tropical fruit, peach, apricot, lemon, and orange with nut, vanilla, spice, and floral hints.

Serve your Bordeaux Blanc wine with seafood, chicken, veal, or cheese at 12oC-15oC to get the best of its flavors.

8 Delicious White Bordeaux Bottles To Buy In 2023

Here are 8 delicious Bordeaux Blanc wines that every wine enthusiast should experience!

• 1847 Chateau d'Yquem
• 2009 Liber Pater Blanc
• 2010 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Blanc
• 2011 Chateau Cheval Blanc 'Le Petit Cheval Blanc' White
• 2003 Chateau Cos d'Estournel Blanc
• 2009 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc
• 1983 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
• 2010 Aile d'Argent Blanc du Chateau Mouton Rothschild

1. 1847 Chateau d'Yquem, Sauternes, France ($111,581)

One of the finest sweet wines, this Bordeaux Blanc entices you with a luscious sweet fruit flavor, lovely spice and floral aromas, and subtle acidity.

2. 2009 Liber Pater Blanc, Graves, France ($4,278)

This 2009 white wine from Bordeaux is rich, fleshy, and has strong creme brulee, nut, and pear flavors.

3. 2010 Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Blanc, Pessac Leognan, France ($1,106)

This Semillon wine from the Pessac Leognan appellation has vibrant acidity with subtle creme brulee, mandarin orange, and marmalade nuances.

4. 2011 Chateau Cheval Blanc 'Le Petit Cheval Blanc' White, Bordeaux, France ($228)

This Bordeaux white has fresh citrus, apple, and pear aromas and lovely acidity.

5. 2003 Chateau Cos d'Estournel Blanc, Bordeaux, France ($343)

This white Bordeaux wine has a rich nose of honeysuckle, black cherry, plum, smoke, and tobacco. 

6. 2009 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, Pessac Leognan, France ($162)

This Pessac dry white has alluring aromas of citrus, honeyed melon, grapefruit, and lemon zest. The palate of this Bordeaux Blanc has terrific acidity.

7. 1983 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, Pessac Leognan, France ($253)

The Domaine de Chevalier Blanc Pessac Leognan vintage is complex and concentrated. This dry white Bordeaux has lemon, citrus, and oak aromas. 

8. 2010 Aile d'Argent Blanc du Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Bordeaux, France ($127)

This Bordeaux vintage has a complex nose and rich palate with soft acidity, oaky notes, and a long honey finish.

Investing In White Bordeaux Wine

If you wish to invest in a fine Bordeaux white wine then an online wine investment firm like Vinovest can help you buy, store, and sell authentic wines easily.

A fine white Bordeaux has the potential to improve for 10-20 years on average. 

However, you’ll be surprised to know that a rare Chateau d’Yquem vintage can age for over 100 years!

Also, unlike red Bordeaux wines (delicious Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grape blends), the white Bordeaux blend wines are not produced widely, adding to their rarity.

So, wines from prestigious producers like Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Haut Brion command high prices and have a good price appreciation as well. For example, the 1946 Chateau d’Yquem grew by 314% from $2,050 in 2020 to $8,510 in 2021.

The Secret Behind A Fine White Bordeaux Wine (Terroir And Winemaking)

The secret of a fine White Bordeaux lies in the brilliant terroir of the region. 

The limestone soils are perfect for Bordeaux white grapes. The sandy stone and gravel provide good drainage for the vine plantings. Also,

• The grape bunches are picked at the perfect phenolic ripeness when acidity and sugars are balanced and are pressed quickly after picking.
• Fermentation of white grapes takes place in stainless steel tanks, cement vats, or French oak barrel at 18oC-20oC (lower than red wines.) Dry wine also goes through malolactic fermentation.
• The wine is aged in either barrel or stainless steel tanks. Some winemakers age their wine on lees to give a richer, complex flavor.

Major White Bordeaux Appellations And Producers

White Bordeaux wines are produced in almost every Bordeaux appellation. But the major ones are:

• Left Bank White Bordeaux: Medoc, St. Estephe, Pauillac, and St. Julien take the center stage, with some significant producers being Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Talbot, Chateau Margaux, Cos d’Estournel, and Chateau Lynch Bages.
• Right Bank White Bordeaux: Most white wines are produced in Saint Emilion by Chateau Monbousquet, Valandraud, Chateau Tour Saint Christophe, Fleur Cardinale, and Chateau Cheval Blanc.
• The Sauternes and Barsac regions produce the best sweet white Bordeaux wines. They’re home to some brilliant producers like Chateau d’Yquem, Chateau Rieussec, Chateau, Climens, and Chateau de Fargues.
• Some Bordeaux producers like Chateau Palmer, Chateau du Retout,  Clos Dubreuil, Chateau Vieux Taillefer, and Chateau Petit Fombrauge produces white Bordeaux’ with non-Bordeaux grapes like Chardonnay and Merlot Blanc. These wines are sold under the name Vin de France. 

Ready To Add A Fine White Bordeaux To Your Collection?

White Bordeaux wine is aromatic, flavorful, and divine - thanks to the brilliance of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The best of these sweet Bordeaux wine bottles also make great long-term investments.

Visit the Vinovest website to explore how you can build a fine collection of dry white wine, Pinot Noir red wine, a sweet botrytis wine, and more - easily!