Wine of the Month - August 2019

In the summer, we like to pair food with white as well as red wine. For the month of August 2019, we bring our subscribers samples from Pessac-Léognan, an appellation that is well-known for producing both excellent red and white wines in Bordeaux. Traditionally lumped into the famed appellation of Graves, Pessac-Léognan carved itself out as a separate terroir in 1987.

This month's selection:

• 1 x Château Brown Blanc 2015, Pessac-Léognan, 93 pts
• 1 x Domaine de Chevalier 2014, Pessac-Léognan, 93 pts
• 1 x Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2012, Pessac-Léognan, 92 pts
• 1 x Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2012, Pessac-Léognan, 94 pts

Tasting Notes

Château Brown Blanc 2015 - "The 2015 Brown Blanc has a lively, showy bouquet with lime cordial and freshly squeezed grapefruit scents that are neatly entwined with the new oak. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry, tropical tones of nectarine, Clementine and peach rending this almost drinkable now. It is well balanced and displays fine length, a white Pessac that should give great pleasure over the next 12-15 years." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (4/27/2016, Issue 224), Ratings: 91-93, Drink: 2018-2030

Domaine de Chevalier 2014 - "The 2014 Domaine de Chevalier has a wonderful bouquet with pure blackberry, raspberry coulis and iodine-tinged aromas that seem to envelop the senses. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, superb acidity and a sense of symmetry that is uncommon in the 2014 vintage. This is a sophisticated, precise wine from Olivier Bernard that could be one of top wines of the vintage. There is an approachability to this Domaine de Chevalier, which you do not always find, however I would be inclined to give this 3-4 years in bottle." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (3/31/2017, Interim Issue), Ratings: 93, Drink: 2021-2045

Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2012 -"Another full-throttle 2012 dry white, this 2012 offers lots of honeysuckle notes as well as a full-bodied mouthfeel and beautiful purity, elegance and length. Lemon zest, grapefruit and subtle wood characteristics are found in both the aromatic and flavor profiles. Drink this stunning Pessac-Leognan over the next 6-10 years." - Robert Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate (4/24/2013, Issue 206), Ratings: 90-92, Drink: 2013-2023

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2012 - "An inky, bluish-black color, this wine has deep black raspberry and blueberry notes mixed with charcoal, graphite and subtle smoke. Rich, full-bodied and silky textured, this complex, stunning Pessac-Léognan from this tiny jewel of a vineyard near Haut Brion is hitting all the high notes in 2012. It should drink well for 15-20. This is another bottled wine that dramatically out-performed its barrel sample." - Robert Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate (4/29/2015, Issue 218), Ratings: 94, Drink: 2015-2035