Bordeaux Dry Whites 2021 En Primeur Score Table

After tasting more than 950 Bordeaux 2021 en primeur samples, Georgie Hindle has given her full verdict on the new vintage.

Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for the top 154 dry whites all with 90 points or above.

Producer	Appellation	Vintage	Score
Château Margaux, Pavillon Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	97	Gorgeous peach tone on the nose, with bright lemon, clementine, green apple skin and crushed stones too. Super sharp and fresh straight out the gate, this is searing, focused and neat with a shot of lemon juice, so zingy on the mid-palate giving a green apple and peach freshness towards the end. Fruity and extremely lively. It has an unctuous texture, not weighty but delectably textured with a silkiness. You have the acidity but also the opulence, it’s both sharp and immensely layered. A joyful combination of freshness and power - supremely impressive with vibrancy and mass appeal.
Château Haut-Brion, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	97	Lemongrass, green apple, apricot, creamy peach and lime zest. A little bit closed also on the nose compared to La Mission at this stage, takes its time to expand. Svelte and sleek delivering a punch of flavour, fleshy and ample, but also refined and finessed. Silky and understated, the elements gliding across the tongue from start to finish in a dedicated drive, all in perfect harmony and balance. Honeyed lemon, crisp apple, peach and grapefruit add flavour nuance while the texture is clean and pure. It's not giving as much openness and approachability as the Mission at this stage, being more muscular and tight, but this has extreme star quality, a mouthwatering juiciness, crystalline purity and such long flavour. Absolutely compelling.
Les Champs Libres, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	96	A multidimensional, concentrated and seriously impressive Champs Libres in 2021. Youthful exuberance is fully on show, with lemon and lime, grass, elderflower and pear notes on the nose alongside some perfumed aromatics. Mouthwatering and succulent on the palate, full of lemon, peach and bright clementine notes given high definition by mineral, slate and wet stone nuances. Power, density and energy with layers and supreme length. It's still a baby at the moment, not yet showing its best, but one of the most promising whites in 2021, with sucrosity, juiciness, a linearity but opening to an expansive finish which hints at where this wine will go given time. Seriously impressive and totally moreish.
Château Mouton Rothschild, Aile d'Argent	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	96	Sharp lemon and lime, grapefruit and apricot and peach - exotic yellow fruits and fresh white stone fruits. Lovely clarity and weight on the palate, it has the density and the texture, juicy but not too much, lively but not too much. Just a wonderful crystalline aspect - absolute purity but with the depth coming from the slightly exotic fruit - pineapple with peach and zest citrus fruits that add sweetness and bitterness while a lick of slate gives a salty tang. Rich but also light and playful - excellent balance and overall delectability. So many details on show. 3.25pH.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	96	Toasted oak, lanolin, honeyed caramel, lemon zest and red apple peel on both the nose and palate. This has an unctuosity, a richness to the texture giving beautiful honeyed lemon touches with Semillon fatness and intensity from the Sauvignon. It’s sleeping a little right now, feels as if it’s calm and quiet, not yet ready to show the world what it’s about but you do get a precision and detail along the edges, a real sculpting of elements. I love the presentation, such a success for the vintage, excellent winemaking on show. It's the soft vibration you get as the flavours travel from start to finish that is so promising - a lot of life and immense enjoyment to come from this.
Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)	2021	95	A rich honeyed apple and apricot nose with soft white blossom notes. So lifted and expressive on the palate, creamy lemon, pear, red apple and apricot. Gently round, this has a nice delicacy but also good weight - a refined palate with a soft creaminess. Easy to drink and enjoy with excellent structure and density for the vintage, you get enough acidity and texture to give a full mouthfeel without anything being too much or over the top but still with enough flavour that it's interesting and compelling. A top buy.
Château Couhins-Lurton, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)	2021	95	A brilliant white in 2021 - this offers a zesty tang that hits straight away on the palate, juicy, alive, sharp in the best way with such brightness filling the mouth. Concentrated flavours of citrus fruit, lemongrass, peach and vanilla have pure energy giving the life force that drives this forward. Such precision, clarity and detail with a crystalline nature.
Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	95	White chocolate, satsuma, lemon peel, peach and white flowers on the nose. So much intensity on the palate but in the purity of detail so you get the expansive flavour, succulent lemon and orange, zest grapefruit, crisp apple and delicate creamy patisserie elements all underpinned by a salinity and crushed stone texture. It's focused but so expansive as well, chiseled and detailed. A great combination where you get so much flavour in such delicate and defined packaging. Really very delicious and moreish.
Château Cos d'Estournel, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	94	Such a gorgeous nose, really so aromatic filled with caramel , honey, lemon balm, cream, apricot, honeysuckle and white flowers. Generous, unctuous and driven, this is also quite sharp but in a precise way, it finds the back of the throat and takes aim delivering all the flavour at once in a straight line. I love the intensity, the drive of lemon and fragrant spice also with a wet stone bitterness that lingers. It’s not round or expansive necessarily but so confident, super juicy and mouthwatering. Lots of complexity and detail - a yummy and impressive white.
Château Valandraud, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	94	Gorgeous nose, perfumed peach, pear and floral notes - so appealing and welcoming. Graceful and charming on the palate, this has depth of flavour with a lovely core of juicy white fruits with a steely saltiness giving it that push-pull of fruit and minerality. This has character - it's not a massively weighty wine but has precision and refinement, presenting the elements delicately but still with structure and frame. The flavours linger and they are all perfectly balanced. I love the shot of lemon, bitter orange and cool stone saline touches. Both the red and white grand vins are delicious and successful in 2021.
Château du Tertre, Blanc	Vin de France	2021	94	Bright and alive on the palate giving flecks of orange peel, green apple, lime zest and vanilla, unctuous and satisfying with almost a sweet honeyed element alongside some salinity, bitterness and citrus brightness. Such excellent presence in the mouth - lots going on here, the sharp acidity and spiced touches balanced by an overall satisfying texture that leaves you wanting more. An interesting and engaging style to come out of Bordeaux and really leaves an impression in the mouth. Structured and long! Eric Boissenot consultant. 12% Chardonnay completes the blend.
Château Malartic-Lagravière, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)	2021	94	Green and red apple, pear, caramel, brioche and toasted lemon tart. You can feel they achieved good ripeness in the weight and density on the palate - it's not overly rich but can take the oak elements, delivering a more nuanced and sophisticated style this year that's not just fresh and fruity, but also weighty and textured. You get the crushed stone and cooling mint effect on the tongue as well as the peach, plum and green apple crispness. A sharp tang on the finish is thrilling, accentuating the life and vibrancy you get the whole way through. Less overtly acidic than some, it's more in the background while the other more nuanced details sit on top. A lovely wine this year, lots to like with all the necessary elements to age.
Château Pape Clément, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	94	Excellent clarity and precision, you can feel this has been well worked with a vibrancy and tension running through the apple, apricot and fleshy peach fruit with some creamy patisserie edges. I love the lick of sherbet that lingers on the tongue and the persisting zestines. Fully flavoured and confident with some lemon drop and crushed stone salty minerality on the finish. A blend of 72% Sauvignon Blanc, 22% Sémillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 1% Muscadelle. Tasted twice.
Château La Louvière, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	94	Gorgeous nose, so clean, fresh and alive. Well delivered on the palate with punch and presence. Yellow plum, pineapple, apricot and peach all combine on the palate giving a full mouthfeel but no excessive weight in the mouth. Sharp, bright, bold but also fun, this has excellent precision and drive from start to finish. A knockout La Louvière this year by winemaker Jacques Lurton and his team. Totally yummy and a real success. Tasted twice.
Château Grand Village, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	93	Green apple, lemon rind - lovely crystalline aromas. Serious energy here - ripe fruit, exotic pineapple, mango and sweet ripe peach that gives the sucrosity and the weight on the tongue. This has a lovely density and intensity on the palate but with a lightness of touch in terms of the texture. It’s electric, driving and persistent, full yet reigned in with a distinct mineral, wet stone touch giving a cleanliness. Volume and layers - everything is to the fore right now with excellent presentation. A characterful, energetic wine worth seeking out.
Château Fleur Cardinale, Intuition de Fleur Cardinale Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	93	A new wine, and the first white, for Fleur Cardinale this year. Made from young, three-year-old vines, with a total of 1,200 bottles from 2.4ha planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Semillon. Light straw colour in the glass with grass, peach, elderflower, white plum, yellow and white flower notes. This is beautifully presented on the palate with floral aromatics continuing alongside mouthwatering acidity, a sweet gentle unctuosity and a clean freshness with minerality and salinity on the finish. It has such electric energy but also with body and structure to give an expansive mouthfeel. An awesome, sophisticated and nuanced first vintage showing lots of promise for this new bottling. Axel Marchal consultant. Fermentation in one year old Burgundy barrels, then nine months ageing on lees with regular and gentle batonnage.
Château Doisy-Daëne, Blanc Sec	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	93	Lemon and lime zest on the nose, smells bright and vibrant with crisp green apple. Fun and playful with a short of sherbet, sour and sharp lemon that is so appealing. Really lively in the mouth, so much aromatic interest as well as fruit forwardness with balanced acidity and lift the whole way through. Excellent with a tang on the finish that is so memorable. A nice buy.
Clos du Beau-Père, Blanc du Beau-Père	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	93	The first vintage of a new white wine from Pomerol planted with the only white grapes in the appellation on a 0.5ha plot. This year's blend comprises a 50/50 split of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris from vines planted three years ago. Grassy aromas on the nose alongside lemongrass, peach cream, white flowers and pear notes. So crisp and vibrant in the mouth, lively and upfront straight away but also with this mineral nuance that drives through the centre giving cool white stone fruit touches and ample freshness. Such clarity on the palate - a precision of elements while the fruit and mouthwatering acidity expand around the mouth. Lovely character and personality to this experimental and ambitious white from Jean-Luc Thunevin. A production of 2,500 bottles.
Château d'Aiguilhe, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	93	Lovely florality to the nose with a gorgeous white stone and yellow fruit aromatic expression. Excellent weight on the palate, a lemon patisserie edge, crisp green apple, touches of grape and juicy orange, but also with sharp lemon too - you get the layers of flavour here. It's crisp and clear, such clarity and precision but also weight and you get the minerality too, the chalkiness that comes across as a fine texture on the palate. Open and friendly, screaming 'drink me'! I love this. 5,000 bottle production. Not yet imported into the UK but it should be!
Château Olivier, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)	2021	93	Fragrant white flowers on the nose with sweet lemon scents; this smells lovely. Succulent and just shy of unctuous, it has a nice density and weight on the palate, giving a full mouthfeel and good dose of bitter lemon, sweet pineapple, crisp apple and creamy peach. Round and driving, this has energy and zing and excellent balance from start to finish. Lovely and will be very enjoyable in bottle!
Château Latour-Martillac, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)	2021	93	A crystalline aspect to the nose, real clarity and freshness. The palate is striking, zesty and alive, sharp yet also with density that gives a push-pull from the acidity and succulence. This is characterful, certainly full of life and flavour with a touch of sherbet sourness and honeyed sweetness. Lots to like here, with a directness on the palate and a certain tension despite the range of flavours. This will have fans!
Château de Fieuzal, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	93	A lovely intense florality on the nose. Crunchy green apple and bright zesty lime on the palate with elements of brioche and lemon meringue pie. Supple and taut with both sweet and sour elements - the fruit and acidity really to the fore, but well packaged with excellent energy and overall structure. This is shaping up nicely, showing lots of promise with crispness and a salty touch to the finish.
Clos Marsalette, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	93	Grapefruit and lemongrass are presented delicately on the nose. Lovely peach elements on the palate with a crisp green apple and succulent almost lemon juice flavour that excites. It's fresh and lively but still with layers of salinity, acidity and texture - sharp, smooth, well defined and mouthwatering. Feels well worked and I just adore the stone element that comes through - the clean texture, almost like licking a stone. Zesty and alive and so easy to drink. A production of 7-8,000 bottles.
Château Haut-Brion, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	93	Expressive nose full of green apple, elderflower, honeysuckle, acacia, citrus zest and grapefruit. Lively and upfront, a rush of almost sweet but fresh lemon, peach and apple fruits, crunchy but with a lovely texture that gives a sense of weight on the palate. Full of life with direction and precision, a mouthwatering sensation as well as a full one. Great stuff here, so much character as well as purity of fruit and overall harmony. One worth seeking out.
Le Nardian, Lugaignac	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	92	Aromatic intensity on the nose; straw, burnt caramel, vanilla, lemon, lime, grapefruit, toasty oak and touch of caramelised honey. Lovely pristine quality on the palate, the clarity of the crisp white stone and citrus fruit balanced by the aromatic intensity from the Muscadelle and the brioche, patisserie notes too. It has richness but not weight, a precision yet intensity. Nothing too much but giving just enough lemon and lime, crushed stone and wild floral honey to keep the palate driving and in different directions. I like the overall feel, the energy is there but it’s relaxed. Captivating. 250 cases.
Clos Cantenac, L'exuberance	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	92	This has a lovely soft honeyed caramel and lemon nose with some appealing petrol and salty stone aromas. Balanced weight on the tongue and on the palate in general with a gently unctuous texture and mouthwatering acidity that gives the white stone and citrus fruit a sherbet tang. Lifted and bright, this makes an immediate impression with a slight viscosity to it. focused and precise with lovely clarity. A 100% Sémillon worth seeking out from winemaker Charlotte Krajewski.
Château Lagrange, Les Arums de Lagrange	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	92	Some grassy, subtle herbal edges on the nose with the crisp green fruits - smells like Sauvignon. Unctuous and lively, I love the shot of lime juice and zest you get together with the cool crushed stone minerality that cleans the tongue. Sharp but also well balanced with good overall acidity and structure. Great quality and very enjoyable. Eric Boissenot consultant.
Château Poitevin, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	92	Intense nose, so aromatic, bursting full of almost bubblegum elements - perfumed and floral with white peach, apple, pear and apricot aromas. The florality continues on the palate, giving the focus to the white stone fruits, with specks of lemon and lime zest also giving a touch of bitterness. Easy to drink and enjoy with the textural elements and floral elements more to the fore than acidity at the moment. Oenoconseil consultants.
Château Lestage, La Mouette	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	92	Delicate and refined on the palate, this has clarity and precision with lovely balanced acidity that pairs well with both the softly sweet fruit elements as well as the bitter touches giving a complete palate that has lift, freshness and depth of flavour. I love the detail on show, well worked with so much interest. The texture is also great, a nice weight in the mouth that would work well with food. A top buy. Oenoconseil consultants. A blend of Sauvignon Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
Château Fonréaud, Le Cygne	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	92	Clear and clean on the palate, this has such a lovely weight in the mouth, slightly viscous with a powerful texture but still with a lightness, delicacy and definition of flavours. You get the perfumed, floral elements from the Muscadelle here alongside white peach and crisp apple as well as wild floral honey. I love the nuance, it's a different style but so well presented. An excellent wine - seek this one out! It will age well too. Oenoconseil consultants. A blend of Sauvignon, Sémillon and Muscadelle
Château George 7	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	92	Aromatically expressive with lively citrus and green apple notes. Such clarity on the palate, showing bruised apple, peach and apricot tones. Clean and crisp with a lick of slate and crushed stone minerality on the finish. Nicely detailed with lots of vibrancy and life.
Clos Dubreuil, Chardonnay	Vin de France	2021	92	Super-expressive on the nose, clear and crystalline with lemon and clementine touches. Excellent energy on the palate, so much life and joy with scented lemons, grapefruit zest, peach and apricot nuances. The palate has excellent tension and direction, still quite taut and in one layer but delivering a pure and crisp wine right now. Lovely potential from this 100% Chardonnay. Tasted twice.
Château Couhins, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)	2021	92	Bursting with bright white stone fruits and citrus zest, lemon and lime, sharp, high acidity but good balance too. Full of life and energy, really piercing but so well balanced, giving so much joy! Delicious! Idioine, salty, and so mineral. It also has a sweet lemon lift at the end which is so appealing.
Château de France, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	92	Fresh, floral and so clear on the nose - a lovely purity which continues on the palate. The fruit has a crystalline nature as well as a softly sweet sucrosity giving both a gently unctuous texture and fresh appeal. This has body as well as being lively in the mouth with lemon zest, peach and pineapple tones. Mineral undertones come in on the finish, adding another layer of flavour nuance and complexity. I really like the purity of elements here. Confident.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	92	White flowers, apricot, citrus peel, lemon juice and lemon sherbet on the nose and on the palate - all of which gives a real zing to the initial impact, a shot of pure juicy energy lands on the tongue and immediately expands, but gently alongside some plump sucrosity giving a touch of weight so that you get the overall feeling of creamy lemon and lime with sweetness and a soft salinity. Supremely enjoyable offering a ton of approachable pleasure.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	92	Crunchy green apple, lime juice and some elderflower with really soft hints of honeyed brioche. Sharp yet soft, this has a good immediate presence of lemony, peach and apricot fruit and a creamy base which is given an energetic push by a lemon zest freshness. Gentle, softly round and driving, this feels refined and delicate, elegant with enough vibrancy and power to give a mouthful of wine with persistence. Very enjoyable.
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	92	Grass, elderflower, green apple, lime and floral notes on the nose. Gently driving on the palate, this builds from start to finish with a creamy, crushed stone aspect that marries with apricot, peach and pear notes and a lifted salted-lime finish. This feels precise with clarity of fruit and an expansiveness in the mouth. You also get terroir markers in the slate and crushed stone texture and flavour. Not the most exuberant but direct, persistent and characterful. A brilliant effort.
Château de Rouillac, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	92	Lemon zest and bright crisp green apple on the nose. Gentle and delicate on the palate, the acidity perfectly balanced with the richness but also clarity of the texture. This has a sublime weight in the mouth with biscuit touches alongside lemon, lime, apricot and peach. A gourmande wine, nicely presented and so enjoyable. A lovely buy. Eric Boissenot consultant.
Château Bastor-Lamontagne, Confidence	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	91	Grapefruit and lemon zest with white floral touches on the nose, really quite expressive. Exotic fruits abound on the palate - freshly cut pineapple, apricot and peach with some crunchy green apple notes. This has quite a sharp, high-toned edge to the fruit - just staying the right side of severe with supreme freshness and liveliness.
Château Valandraud, Virginie de Valandraud Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	91	Aromatic and expressive nose. Zesty and lively on the palate, a combination of lemon, lime and grapefruit touches with such gentle acidity but balanced by a creamy and rich texture that you get a lovely weight in the mouth with gently driving flavours. Appealing with plenty of depth. A surefire easy white to enjoy with good acidity, juiciness and freshness. Nicely balanced and harmonious.
Château Saransot-Dupré, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	91	Touches of lemon zest, orange and apricot on the nose - aromatic and inviting. Gorgeous succulence and mouthwatering appeal, it's lightly framed, not massively layered but delivers such great purity of flavour and definition of the white fruits - citrus and stone. I love this, the hints of sweet lemon, bitter orange and juicy peach all combining to give weight and vibrancy. Well worked with mass appeal. Lovely refinement.. A nice buy. Oenoconseil consultants. No production of red wine this year.
Château Lynch-Bages, Blanc de Lynch-Bages	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	91	Such varietal Sauvignon Blanc aromas on the nose, freshly squeezed lemon, grass, elderflower, peach juice. So clear on the palate, crystalline purity with the richness coming a little from the Semillon on the mid-palate. This has real austerity and minerality too in the sense of the salinity and wet stone notes that linger on the tongue, giving a slight cleanliness to the palate. Feels very precise - in high definition, each fruit and textural element sticking out with the floral nuances coming in towards the end. A direct style. Really excellent, it's taut and streamlined with sharp lemon, green apple and grapefruit notes on the palate, giving edges to the fruit while the overall lively acidity fills the mouth. 3.27pH. 2,000 case production.
Château Puygueraud, Blanc	Francs Côtes de Bordeaux	2021	91	Tropical and white stone fruits, nuanced nose with pear and white blossom. Lively and zesty with clear orange and lemon juice - and rind - on the palate ,giving a sweet, sour and bitter touch which is all nicely complex. I like the texture here, sharp but driving, tense and focused, there is a nice precision and good overall structure. Tasted three times. 100% Sauvignon-based - Blanc and Gris.
Château Les Charmes-Godard, Blanc	Francs Côtes de Bordeaux	2021	91	Fresh and zesty, clean and crisp, this has good balance between being succulent and juicy, almost sherbet and then creamy and supple. Good persistence and intensity, no let down in the middle with a joyful lift on the finish.
Château du Retout, Le Retout Blanc	Vin de France	2021	91	Green apple and pear with grape aromas. Sweet, sour, sharp, creamy, you get it all here, with lots of nuance and a crystalline purity to the texture on the palate. Nice driving sensation and good length. It drops a little intensity on the mid-palate but the succulence is there as is the bright zesty lemon. A captivating style with clarity and precision and power underneath. Eric Boissenot consultant.
Château Carbonnieux, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)	2021	91	Mouthwatering and vibrant, zingy and intense on the palate with a shot of lemon and lime juice, creamy peach, apricot and touches of spiced vanilla on the finish. Long and satisfying with energy and precision all the way through.
Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	91	Pear, red apple and lemon zest as well as grapefruit and satsuma - this is really alive on the palate, so much fun and freshness, but also harmony and serenity. It's well worked and balanced, not too sharp or sour, just gentle. Feels purposeful and delicious. Easy to appreciate with texture and structure. Excellent work.
Hubert de Boüard, Sauvignon	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	90	Green apple, grass and asparagus aromas on the nose, unmistakable Sauvignon. Thrilling on the palate, zingy and zesty, full of energy and enthusiasm. Really lovely weight on the palate, slightly viscous with almost a honeyed lemon aspect, so a touch of sweetness, while still having tension and drive. Also, green apple skin, gentle bitter lemon rind and touches of peach and apricot. An impressive wine, I really like it.
Château Reynon, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	90	high-toned lemon on the palate, this has a vein of freshness - quite linear and direct. The tension is apparent and the focus is all on the line of lemon, lime and green apple with good acidity driving from start to finish. Not so expansive at this point but feels well worked with such a bright fruitiness. Easy to enjoy and so persistent.
Château de Malleret, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	90	Peas and green apples on the nose but as well as that sharp hint of lemon this has a lovely weight and texture, viscous and slightly honeyed but still super refreshing. slightly more serious in that the acidity isn't right to the fore but lifted and refreshing all the same. Citrus etsy lift at the end so appealing.
Château d’Arsac Cuvée, Celine	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	90	Super expressive nose, bright and zesty on the palate, but the acidity so well balanced with the creamy fine texture and clarity of all the elmenta. I like the upfrontness here but also the precision on show. Well worked. Real drinkability. Eric Boissenot consultant.
Château Cos d'Estournel, Les Pagodes de Cos Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	90	Grape typicity on the nose, vanilla bean, lemongrass and orange - juicy and lively, so fresh. It’s light but poised, not massive in terms of weight or fat, this is streamlined and succulent but direct, there’s no messing around here. Sharp and direct with crushed stone lingering, while the lemon, bitter grapefruit and creamy apricot settle on the tongue. Racy,
Château Marjosse, Blanc	Bordeaux Blanc	2021	90	Expressive nose, alive and abundant, shining out the glass. Good succulence here, tight and focused but so nuanced and detailed. Really delivering a punchy, precise glass of wine that doesn't swerve from the centre. This has such a gorgeous crispness but also chalkiness on the palate giving some dry tannins that settle and give structure and nuance. Shots of sour lemon give the high-toned with creamy apricot and peach nuances adding depth to the middle. Round and energetic.
Hubert de Boüard, Chardonnay	Vin de France	2021	90	Super-expressive nose of buttery, vanilla, caramel and creamy lemon aromas, plus hints of wood spice. Zesty and vibrant on the palate with a lovely bitter edge that comes across as lemon pith, but also touches of wood spice adding nuance, texture and frame to the palate. Attractive weight and flavour; juicy, energetic, but with this softness and creamy chalky element, too. Lots going on with fruit and spice. Feels well worked and delivered.
Château La Garde, Blanc	Pessac-Léognan	2021	90	Crisp green apple and pear on the nose which is generous, bright and playful. Fun and lively. Textured, moutfiling and while the acidity is to the fore it's also so well balanced, giving just the right amount of sharp mineral interest, but also a creamy structure. Unfussy, but so well worked, real precision and clarity on show. The detail is there, high definition and very expressive. A nice example from the vintage.

See also

Bordeaux 2021 en primeur: full report and top-scoring wines