Part 1 – White Wines
VinoDuo took a trip to the South of France in October for a wine-tasting adventure in Bordeaux and Languedoc. During tours and tastings we visited 19 wineries and tasted more than 150 wines, winding our way South from St. Emilion to Bordeaux and then east to Montpellier. We’ll have plenty to say about each winery in future posts, but here’s a quick list of our favorite white wines from the trip.
During our trip we drove through vineyard after vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, with a smattering of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and native grapes like Marsanne. We weren’t in white wine heaven. But these offerings were made with love and care and we heartily recommend them to our white wine-loving readers. Sadly, only some of these wines are available in the US. Our much longer list of red wines will follow, most of which are sold in the States.
Best wine: Vallongue Blanc 2019 [not in the US]
Best value: Domaine Ollier Taillefer Allegro; $26
| WINERY | WINE | NOTES | PRICE |
| Domaine Ollier Taillefer Faugeres AOC | Allegro 50% Roussanne 50% Vermentino | Beautiful nose; perfect blend of honey and limestone; some kiwi and blueberry notes. | $26 at Plumpjack Wines |
| Chateau Olivier Pessac-Leognan AOC | Chateau Olivier Blanc 2017 80% Sauvignon Blanc 20% Semillon | Classic SB with grassy, mineral nose, lively citrus, pleasant acidity and a long finish. | $35 at Saratoga Wines |
| Chateau Couhins Pessac-Leognan AOC | Chateau Couhins Grand Cru Classe de Graves 2018 95% Sauvignon Blanc 5% Sauvignon Gris | Limestone-lemon-grapefruit nose with good plumpness of citrus-pineapple; backed by balance of acidity-minerality on the palate. | $43 at Cask Cartel |
| Chateau Couhins Pessac-Leognan AOC | La Dame de Couhins 2019 100% Sauvignon Blanc | Lovely pale apricot color; Floral nose, Lemon/grapefruit backbone, with a slightly tart finish. | Not available |
| Chateau Carbonnieux Pessac-Leognan AOC | Pessac-Leognan Grand Cru Classe De Graves 2022 65% Sauvignon. Blanc 35% Semillon | Dusty honeydew /honeysuckle on the nose with good balance of minerality-acidity and lively round fruit notes. | We found the 2017 at Brentwood Fine Wines for $65! |
| Chateau Estanilles Faugeres AOC | Sous les Rocs Blanc 2020 60% Marsanne, 40% Roussanne. | Floral aromas like fresh cut daylilies. On the palate, mineral-celery root & vanilla, followed by long silky finish. Great Chard. | Not available |
| Chateau Estanilles Faugeres AOC | Vallongue Blanc 2019 45% Marsanne, 35% Roussanne, 20% Vermentino | Beautiful blonde color, apple and pear on the nose with nice acidity and freshness. A delight. | Not available |
| Chateau La Roque Pic St.-Loup AOC | Collection La Roque, Malvoisie d’Istrie 100% Malvoise | Orange-ish in color; nutty and citrus nose. Creamy yet acidic, with citrus flavors. | Not available |
| Chateau de Lancyre Pic St.-Loup AOC | La Rouviere 2022 80%Roussanne, 10% Marsanne, 10% Viognier | Pale blonde, with lychee, honey and a touch of minerality on the nose; fresh and light, with good acidity. Pair it with fresh goat cheese, as we did. | Not available |
VinoDuo 