Wine Review of 2015 Château Couhins-Lurton Blanc, Bordeaux White wine from Pessac-Léognan, France
Score: 91+/100
This white Bordeaux wine from the Graves area (South of Bordeaux, and the Pessac-Léognan zone to be precise in this instance) is made by famous producer Vignobles André Lurton.
This is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc wine, fermented and aged in French oak wine barrels.
2015 was the third warmest year on records since 1900!
Drought conditions, monthly temperatures clearly above-average and an abundant sunshine in the first half of the year, combined with cool nights and hot weather through véraison (when the grapes change color) in August allowed to reach great grapes maturity during this vintage.
Overall Tasting Impressions
A deliciously balanced Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc.
Pungent and generous enough to deliver a wealth of tropical and citrusy sensations like we love to experience with this grape variety. It adds somewhat of a French Bordeaux finesse, not too in-your-face an opulent expression, bright pear and apple flavors, and many layers of oak complexity, without the smoky feel.
Full Tasting Notes
This Pessac-Léognan white comes in a bright and shiny lemon-yellow color of medium intensity, but it is vibrantly shiny thanks to hints of gold hues betraying its ageing in oak barrels.
Put your nose in the wine glass, and you’ll find a very pungent and layered wine, clearly identifiable as a Sauvignon Blanc, filled with gorgeous passion fruit, pineapple, grapefruit and boxwood aromas. It is much riper though than what you’d expect from a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for example. This is rich and tropical, also featuring juicy white peach and apricot, as well as floral elements of elderflower and lily.
Add hints of well-integrated vanilla and toasted hazelnut from oaky tones, and you understand this white comes with a particularly complex and layered aromatic profile.
The palate surprises by the smoothness of its texture. Its oily body coats your palate, while silky phenolics provide a smooth textural feel to chew on. The mineral and citric acidity comes after, but then shines all the way through to the finish, lifting up the freshness of dominant grapefruit and lime flavors on a clearly dry background.
The aftertaste boasts with many layers of sweet spices, white pepper, clove and nutmeg, together with the tropical and stonefruit goodness we’re —somewhat— used to by then.
Enjoy 🙂
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