All Bordeaux White Wines
France is revered for its exceptional white wines, which showcase the country's rich winemaking heritage, diverse terroirs, and unwavering commitment to quality. Today, let us embark on a journey through the best white wines that France has to offer, exploring renowned vineyards and the regions that give birth to these extraordinary expressions.
In Burgundy, the appellations of Chablis, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet stand tall as the epitome of excellence in white wine production. Wineries such as Domaine Raveneau, Domaine Dauvissat, and Domaine Leflaive craft mesmerizing Chardonnays that capture the essence of the region's unique Kimmeridgian limestone soils. These wines exhibit precision, purity, and a remarkable balance of mineral notes, citrus flavors, and vibrant acidity.
Moving to the Loire Valley, the vineyards of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé are celebrated for their exceptional Sauvignon Blancs. Domaine Vacheron, Domaine Didier Dagueneau, and Domaine Pascal Jolivet create expressive and terroir-driven wines that showcase the region's distinct flinty minerality, zesty citrus, and herbaceous undertones.
Further northeast in France, in the region of Alsace, vineyards such as Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Domaine Trimbach, and Domaine Weinbach produce stunning white wines from varietals like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris. These wines display remarkable depth, aromatic complexity, and a balance between sweetness and acidity, reflecting the region's unique microclimates and granite-rich soils.
In Bordeaux, the region of Graves is renowned for its white wines, particularly those crafted from the classic grape varieties of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Château Haut-Brion, Château Pape Clément, and Domaine de Chevalier are esteemed vineyards that produce rich and age-worthy white Bordeaux wines. These wines exhibit a beautiful interplay of tropical fruit flavors, vibrant acidity, and a touch of toasty oak.
Finally, in the Rhône Valley, the appellation of Condrieu shines as a beacon of excellence in Viognier production. Renowned vineyards such as Domaine Georges Vernay and Domaine Yves Cuilleron create remarkable Viognier wines that seduce the senses with their exotic aromas of apricot, peach, and delicate floral notes. These wines showcase richness, elegance, and a silky texture that lingers on the palate.
All Bordeaux White Wines
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James Suckling (95)
Very aromatic with cooked pears, lemon rind, peaches and stone. This is very powerful and rich with depth and intensity that show superb power. Dense and foursquare with wild fruit. It’s phenolic and exciting. Needs a little time to soften the edges. Try after 2020.HK$1,165.00 -
Decanter (93)
Vanilla-laced citrus and tropical fruit aromas with soft floral flecks. Generous and lively with pineapple, lemon and mango fruit giving richness while an undercurrent of salty, flint minerality gives tension and drive. Concentrated, long and balanced. 59% Sauvignon Blanc (vinified in stainless steel) and 41% Semillon (new oak barrels for six months with regular lees stirring). Grapes are grown on gravel soils over sandy clay.HK$980.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
The 2016 Rabaud-Promis has a pale to medium lemon color and reveals slowly emerging notions of fragrant earth, fungi, melons, baked peaches, cedar and ginger with a waft of paraffin. The palate is rich, concentrated and satiny with bold flavors and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy.HK$8,160.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (94)
Rich, opulent and full-bodied, this wine has great concentration and is packed with notes of apricot, spice, lemon and toast. Its texture brings in minerality as well as a tangy edge. Drink from 2024.HK$4,425.00 -
(12x75cl) 2020Vinous - Neal Martin (91)
The 2020 Rahoul Blanc has an attractive nose of Golden Delicious, lime cordial and light nectarine scents. This has vigor and focus. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity. Great tension here, not amazingly complex but I appreciate the manner in which this builds towards the citrus, almost yuzu like finish. Very fine.HK$1,475.00 -
(6x75cl) 1983Wine Spectator (94)
Nectar-like if a bit on the sweet side, impressively complex, concentrated and focused. Deep gold, big, sweet and rich, with gobs of concentrated fig, brown sugar, butterscotch and oak flavor. A knockout. -HK$4,565.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
The 1998 Rieussec is medium gold colored and scented of paraffin, dried lemon peel, key lime pie and musk perfume with an earthy undercurrent. Very rich, concentrated and sexy in the mouth, it sports layer upon layer of citrus, earth and fungi notes with seamless freshness and fantastic length. Wow.HK$6,440.00 -
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (94)
(- bottled shortly before my tasting) Explosive aromas of apricot,peach, minerals, creme caramel, grilled nuts and spices, along with cooler hints of licorice and menthol. Thick, sweet and chewy with extract; an impressively mouthfilling wine with lovely framing acidity. Characteristically big and peachy. Finishes spicy, shapely and very long. The class of the tasting.HK$6,820.00 -
James Suckling (98)
This is big and powerful with a dense and very sweet palate. Full of botrytis and spices, from cinnamon to cloves to nutmeg. The finish is nutty with more spices and orange peel. Very stunning. Why wait? This has a slight dried grape character from the hot vintage. 151 grams of RS.HK$3,695.00 -
Wine Spectator (95-100)
Loads of spicy honey and apple character. Full-bodied, medium-sweet, with a solid core of fruit and lots of botrytis character. Very racy. Not the 2001 but superb. Score range: 95-100HK$4,685.00 -
Wine Spectator (93-96)
Balanced and very spicy, with almond paste and apricot. Full-bodied, medium sweet, with a long, fruity, tangy finish. Layered and stylish. Score range: 93-96 -JSHK$4,220.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (93)
92-94 Barrel sample. Rich rather than sweet, this is stuffed full of botrytis. The wine is powered through with this dusty texture, rolling richly but catching the dried fruit character.HK$4,445.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
Pale to medium gold colored, the 2009 Rieussec sings of crème caramel, chopped nuts, baked apples and spiced pears with hints of jasmine, peach blossoms and beeswax. Full-bodied, rich and decadently creamy in the mouth, the multilayered palate is beautifully lifted with fantastic freshness. It has a very long finish offering a lasting impression of great elegance and finesse. Simply stunning.HK$4,170.00 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (96)
The 2010 Rieussec is slightly more backwards on the nose. It is very focused with almond, saffron, orange pith and dried honey aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a harmonious entry. Impressive depth with lovely vanillary new oak, it is long and pure towards the finish. A Sauternes with pedigree. Superb. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.HK$4,390.00 -
James Suckling (96-97)
This is a fabulous Sauternes with dried peaches, pineapples and mango. Apricots and hints of spices. Even jam. Full-bodied, medium sweet with intense and powerful palate. This wine has 147 grams of residual sugar. So balanced and long. We will see what is better -- Rieussec or Yquem?HK$3,390.00 -
Vinous - Ian D'Agata (91-94)
(95.5% semillon and 4.5% sauvignon blanc): Full medium yellow. Pineapple and mango along with lemony botrytis and sexy vanillin oak notes on the enticing nose. Big, rich, dense and powerful, with and impressively rich semillon texture; pineapple and ripe, smoky yellow peach flavors are given a penetrating quality by strong, harmonious acidity. This firmly built, long Sauternes ought to age very well.HK$3,390.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)
The 2014 Rieussec is rich, creamy and ample. Orange peel, mint, apricot jam and tropical fruits grace the palate in a sensual, rich Sauternes that exudes class. Already showing slightly forward notes in its bouquet, the 2014 will enter its prime drinking window sooner than other recent vintages (the 2013 comes to mind). This is a very pretty and complete Sauternes with all of its elements in the right place.HK$2,830.00 -
(12x37.5cl) 2015James Suckling (97-98)
The is a phenomenal wine with dried pineapple and pear aromas and flavors. Full, very sweet. Incredible depth and power. Super complex.HK$2,305.00 -
(6x150cl) 2015James Suckling (97-98)
The is a phenomenal wine with dried pineapple and pear aromas and flavors. Full, very sweet. Incredible depth and power. Super complex.HK$4,860.00 -
(6x75cl) 2015James Suckling (97-98)
The is a phenomenal wine with dried pineapple and pear aromas and flavors. Full, very sweet. Incredible depth and power. Super complex.HK$2,420.00 -
James Suckling (97)
So much botrytis on the nose with spice, dried mushrooms and nutmeg. Dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied and medium sweet with density and, at the same time, lightness. I like that it is full of botrytis on the palate at the beginning and then turns fruity and very pretty at the end with citrus and fruit. Balanced, creamy and rich. Try after 2024, but already gorgeous.HK$5,775.00 -
James Suckling (97)
So much botrytis on the nose with spice, dried mushrooms and nutmeg. Dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied and medium sweet with density and, at the same time, lightness. I like that it is full of botrytis on the palate at the beginning and then turns fruity and very pretty at the end with citrus and fruit. Balanced, creamy and rich. Try after 2024, but already gorgeous.HK$2,755.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Getting a big “Wow” in my notes, the 2017 Chateau Rieussec is an extraordinary Sauternes that has everything. Awesome notes of orange zest, honeyed flowers, ripe pineapple, peach, and spice all soar from the glass, and this beauty is already complex, has full-bodied richness and power, a great mid-palate, and a beautiful spine of acidity. It's a brilliant, brilliant wine that can be enjoyed today or cellared for two decades or more.HK$2,240.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Getting a big “Wow” in my notes, the 2017 Chateau Rieussec is an extraordinary Sauternes that has everything. Awesome notes of orange zest, honeyed flowers, ripe pineapple, peach, and spice all soar from the glass, and this beauty is already complex, has full-bodied richness and power, a great mid-palate, and a beautiful spine of acidity. It's a brilliant, brilliant wine that can be enjoyed today or cellared for two decades or more.HK$1,280.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Getting a big “Wow” in my notes, the 2017 Chateau Rieussec is an extraordinary Sauternes that has everything. Awesome notes of orange zest, honeyed flowers, ripe pineapple, peach, and spice all soar from the glass, and this beauty is already complex, has full-bodied richness and power, a great mid-palate, and a beautiful spine of acidity. It's a brilliant, brilliant wine that can be enjoyed today or cellared for two decades or more.HK$2,145.00 -
(6x75cl) 2018Wine Advocate (93-95)
Rieussec was hit by hail on the 15th of July, says Eric Kohler. For Sauternes, the botrytis began very late. It was very difficult for the botrytis to begin. There was not so much sugar this year and not so much botrytis. This is not as great a year as 2015 or 2017. Harvest at Rieussec began on October 10 and ended on October 31. Blended of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, the pale lemon-gold colored 2018 Rieussec reveals delicate scents of lemon drops, pear tart, marzipan and crushed stones over a core of orange blossoms, white peaches and lime leaves. The palate has a quiet intensity of an array of citrus and savory layers with amazing freshness, finishing with great length and depth.HK$1,900.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)
The 2019 Rieussec is absolutely gorgeous. Gracious and supremely elegant in feel, the 2019 is immediately impressive. An exotic melange of lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, passionfruit and tangerine oil opens effortlessly. The 2019 is compelling from start to finish. Harvest took place from October 8 to 15, in three passes. The 2019 is the first vintage that will be offered in a stylish new bottle. It is no secret Sauternes has struggled of late. I must say I really liked the new and very modern presentation, which shows a more playful side of Sauternes that might just work in creating a bit more excitement around these wines.HK$1,785.00 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (94)
The 2020 Rieussec has a slightly more petrolly bouquet than its peers, well-defined and focused—not complex, but there is admirable purity. The palate is very elegant on the entry, with superb levels of botrytis and a silver bead of acidity that upholds focus and tension. This Sauternes fans out wonderfully on the finish. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.HK$1,215.00 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (94)
The 2020 Rieussec has a slightly more petrolly bouquet than its peers, well-defined and focused—not complex, but there is admirable purity. The palate is very elegant on the entry, with superb levels of botrytis and a silver bead of acidity that upholds focus and tension. This Sauternes fans out wonderfully on the finish. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.HK$2,850.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94-96)
The 2021 Rieussec is bright, floral and super-refined. White flowers, lemon confit, pear, passionfruit and mint are all nicely lifted, with beams of bright acids that lend support. As has been the case in recent years, Rieussec is done in a style that is all about maintaining freshness and verve. There's plenty of both here. The 2021 was harvested over 3-4 picks. Yields are down 30%, which is a very favorable result for the year in Sauternes. The 125 grams of residual sugar are not at all evident.HK$2,485.00

