Chateau de Reignac Blanc 2005
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Robert
Parker
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Winemaker Notes
The consulting Enologist is Michel Rolland. In the vineyard, we practiced bud thinning, double leaf thinning, hand-picking into small baskets and double sorting before and after de-stemming. 2005 is a fantastic vintage for this exceptional Bordeaux Blanc!
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
As one might expect from proprietor Yves Vatelot, the 2005 Reignac is a superb effort exhibiting copious quantities of honeysuckle, citrus, lemon butter, and a touch of smoky oak. This medium-bodied, serious effort is meant to be consumed over the next 4-5 years.
The original chateau was built by Seigneur Baude de Peyron in the 16th century. It was remodeled in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the late 1800s, a central courtyard was added that features his signature wrought iron railings and in 1868, a remarkable greenhouse was designed by Gustave Eiffel.
The present owners, Yves and Stephanie Vatelot, purchased Reignac in 1990 and have worked continuously ever since to restore the estate to its former glory while introducing numerous innovations. The world-renowned Michel Rolland is their consulting oenologist.
"Reignac is the standard bearer for what can be achieved by a passionate proprietor who cuts yields to a minimum, and does everything right in the cellar. Reignac is the leading candidate for the finest generic Bordeaux produced year in and year out. It can compete favorably with classified growths..."
- Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
One of the most important wine regions of the world, Bordeaux is a powerhouse producer of wines of all colors, sweetness levels, and price points. Separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a coastal pine forest, this relatively flat region has a mild maritime climate, marked by cool wet winters and warm summers. Annual weather differences create significant vintage variations, making Bordeaux an exciting French wine region to follow.
The Gironde estuary, a defining feature of Bordeaux, separates most of the region into the Left Bank and the Right Bank. Farther inland, where the Gironde splits into the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, the bucolic, rolling hills of the area in between, called Entre-Deux-Mers, is a source of great quality, approachable reds and whites.
The Left Bank, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, contains the Médoc, Graves, and Sauternes, as well as the region’s most famous chateaux. Merlot is important here as the perfect blending grape for Cabernet Sauvignon adding plush fruit and softening Cabernet's sometimes hefty tannins. Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec may also be used in the Left Bank Bordeaux wine blends.
Merlot is the principal Bordeaux wine variety of the Right Bank; Cabernet Franc adds structure and complexity to Merlot, creating wines that are concentrated, supple, and more imminently ready for drinking, compared with their Left Bank counterparts. Key appellations of the Right Bank include St. Emilion and Pomerol.
Dry and sweet Bordeaux white wines are produced throughout the region from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and sometimes Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris. Some of the finest dry whites can be found in the Graves sub-appellation of Pessac-Léognan, while Sauternes is undisputedly the gold standard for sweet wines. Small amounts of rosé and sparkling Bordeaux wines are made in the region as well.