
Reviews
Technical Details
- Blend88% Sauvignon Blanc and 12% Sauvignon Gris
- WinemakerNicolas and Cyrille Thienpont
- CountryFrance
- RegionBordeaux
- AppellationCotes de Francs
- Alcohol14%
Chateau Puygueraud Franc Cotes Bordeaux Blanc Sec 2019
In only their seventh vintage of making Bordeaux Blanc, Château Puygueraud has produced something stellar! Crisp, crunchy, beautifully aromatic – this is everything you could want in a Bordeaux Blanc...all with a stellar price of UNDER $20! 94 points and sure to please.
The Thienpont family has run this estate over three generations, beginning just after World War 2. Originally a family of Flemish merchants who invested in Vieux Château Certan in Pomerol in 1924 and then again in 1920 with Troplong Mondot in Saint-Emilion. They cashed out from these holdings back in 1935 as a retirement parachute, with the next generation, George and Monica Thienpont, coming over from Flanders and settling at Château Puygueraud in 1946. They immediately began restoring the grounds and historic castle which dates back to the 15th century.
After decades of traditional poly-culture farming, (and a huge amount of restoration on the chateau itself,) the Thienpont family shifted their focus to the planting of their vineyard in 1981. The estate’s first vintage was in 1983, with George and Monica’s son, Nicolas Thienpont at the helm. Since 2009, Nicolas and his son Cyrille have been working together to produce the wines of this estate, which in 30 years have become the spearhead of the lesser-known Francs Côtes-de-Bordeaux Appellation.This is 100% sauvignon (88% blanc, 12% gris) from the tumbled limestone shale on the vineyard estate in Fronsac, just west of Pomerol on Bordeaux’s fabled Right Bank. This 4.5-hectare vineyard is entirely hand-farmed and harvested, somewhat unique these days for any but the top estates, and the resulting wine fully reaps the benefits of that extra attention and care. Lively and assertive minerality carries the wine, with delicate white florals of jasmine, acacia, and iceberg rose. The fruit profile is exotic and hyper-fresh – with pineapple and gooseberry, plus green pear, Eureka lemon, and pomelo. Lean yet ample, this is more akin to a full-bodied Sancerre than the richer, more viscous styles of White Bordeaux (that often include semillon and aging in oak). Again 94 points for under $20 is the deal, and one sure to keep a smile on your face throughout the long, hot summer to come!
PAIRING IDEAS: This is a perfect wine to pair with pub-style fish and chips! A bit of tartar sauce, a dash of malt vinegar or a squeeze of lemon, and a glass (or two!) of this...all is well.