2020 Chateau Carbonnieux Pessac Leognan Blanc

CHÂTEAU CARBONNIEUX: A BORDEAUX BLANC FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
 

Bordeaux is well known for its powerful and age-worthy reds, but we here at AOC are always especially excited when we can offer a benchmark Bordeaux Blanc. To say Château Carbonnieux is historic would be an understatement; the estate has records tracing cultivation of vines in Pessac-Léognan dating all the way back to 1234. Originally named after and owned by the Carbonius family, the estate has changed hands many times throughout the centuries, including being owned by the monks multiple times, as well as the Lord of Carbonnieux. Both red and white wines have been produced here for centuries, but the Blanc has always been held in the highest esteem. Many famous men throughout history have fallen in love with Carbonnieux's alluring white wine, including an Ottoman Sultan in the 1700s who considered it to be the finest "mineral water" of Bordeaux and wine aficionado turned President Thomas Jefferson, who planted a pecan tree that still stands today on the château's grounds in 1796. Today, the estate is owned by the Perrin family (no relation to the Perrin family of Rhône), and Eric, Christine, and Philibert Perrin continue the amazing legacy of this historic property.

Château Carbonnieux is one of the few Bordeaux estates in which the Blanc is more famous than the Rouge. Always a classic blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Sémillon, this is a structured and fuller bodied white that marries the high acid, fresh citrus and lemongrass notes of Sauvignon Blanc with the denser weight and body of Sémillon. For more texture and a bit of richness the wine is aged in 25% new French oak with occasional lees stirring for 10 months. This is down-the-pipe classic Bordeaux Blanc and the perfect white wine for red wine lovers.