Château Haut-Rian 2022 Bordeaux Blanc

£10.85
Tasting notes
On the nose, cut grass, asparagus and gooseberry notes.Refreshing, lemony and aromatic yet also rich and rounded. Ideal as an aperitif and with dover sole.

Why we recommend this wine
White Bordeaux is something of a rarity even in the South-East of Bordeaux where it is grown. White Bordeaux has traditionally been a blend primarily of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. We just love the richness that Semillon brings. This is a great example of what we discovered on a trip to the area a while back – see our notes here.

The wine
A blend of 60% Sémillon and 40% Sauvignon Blanc. The fresh fruit characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc is perfect match for the richness of Sémillon. The 35 year old vines are rooted in a clay-loam soil nestled into a hillside (60-102m above sea level) in the town of Soulignac, in the heart of the Entre-Deux-Mers.

The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and matured on the lees for 4 months. This results in a refreshing yet complex wine. Best drunk young.

The wine estate
Originally from the Alsace & Champagne, the family has assembled 85 hectares of vineyards across 87 parcels and located across 5 villages (Rions, Béguey, Laroque, Capian, Cardan, & Soulignac). Their vineyards feature a diversity of soils, climates, and grapes, resulting in wines that are a true reflection of all that the Entre-Deux-Mers region has to offer. Château Haut-Rian is situated on the edge of the Garonne River but their white wine parcels are located about 20 kilometers away in the heart of Entre-Deux-Mers.

As a family-owned and operated wine estate they are committed to practices that will ensure generous harvests for future generations. They are Terra Vitis, Haute Valeur Environnementale, and Bee Friendly certified. This means that they are audited every year to check that they work in a sustainable way.
chateauhautrian.com/

Food and wine
Will accompany subtly flavoured foods that a dash of lemon will enhance. Also see our guide to pairing food and wine here.

Did you know?
Bordeaux is the only area where Semillon is habitually blended with Sauvignon Blanc to make a unique wine. Sadly more and more Bordelais are abandoning Semillon because it is a difficult vine. We wager that they will find selling an undifferentiated Sauvignon a lot more difficult.