Winemaker Notes
The harvests were rather early with the grapes in perfect health. We picked the first Sauvignon Blanc grapes on 31 August and the last Semillon on 11 September, with a level of ripeness and richness rarely seen. Château Brown's 2018 whites have a unique profile, with relatively low levels of acidity and unusually intense exotic fruit aromas.
Blend: 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A medium-bodied white with aromas of dried lime and apple, grapefruit zest, crushed flint and some smoke and vanilla. Textured and focused with bright acidity and a long, mineral finish. Better from 2022 and onwards.
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Wine Spectator
Rich and detailed, with verbena, honeysuckle and white peach notes intermingled with lemon peel, gooseberry gelée and thyme accents. The long, stylish finish ripples with a fleur de sel hint. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
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Decanter
Brown always produces a richer style of white, which suits this vintage. The apricot and white peach flesh is given full rein. I tasted the 2015 very recently and can fully see the similarities in terms of how it will develop, which gives me huge confidence to recommend this.Drinking Window 2019 - 2028. Barrel Sample: 92
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Brown 2018 Blanc has an open-knit, expressive nose of lemon tart, key lime pie and warm grapefruit plus hints of crushed stones and mandarin peel. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers great intensity with layers of citrus and mineral notions and a long, lively finish.
Barrel Sample: 90-92
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.
Recognized for its superior reds as well as whites, Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank claims classified growths for both—making it quite unique in comparison to its neighboring Médoc properties.
Pessac’s Chateau Haut-Brion, the only first growth located outside of the Médoc, is said to have been the first to conceptualize fine red wine in Bordeaux back in the late 1600s. The estate, along with its high-esteemed neighbors, La Mission Haut-Brion, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pique-Caillou and Chateau Pape-Clément are today all but enveloped by the city of Bordeaux. The rest of the vineyards of Pessac-Léognan are in clearings of heavily forested area or abutting dense suburbs.
Arid sand and gravel on top of clay and limestone make the area unique and conducive to growing Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc as well as the grapes in the usual Left Bank red recipe: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and miniscule percentages of Petit Verdot and Malbec.
The best reds will show great force and finesse with inky blue and black fruit, mushroom, forest, tobacco, iodine and a smooth and intriguing texture.
Its best whites show complexity, longevity and no lack of exotic twists on citrus, tropical and stone fruit with pronounced floral and spice characteristics.