Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is one of the best dry white values in Bordeaux. There’s so much old-vine character from the blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s full-bodied yet agile and minerally with lemon-rind and stone character. Fantastic. Get it.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
What is Francs Côtes de Bordeaux and where is it? This slightly warmer region, in the eastern part of Bordeaux, has produced some of the area's best value wines. The top-caliber 2014 Château Les-Charmes Godard is a beautiful and satisfying white wine. Made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Gris, and Sauvignon Blanc, the wine shows attractive green apple and ripe citrus in its aromas and flavors. Its rich palate textures make it a natural choice with grilled white fish. (Tasted: July 6, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Les Charmes-Godard Blanc has an attractive nose of red apples (not green here), yellow flowers, honeycomb and a touch of white chocolate. The palate is fresh on the entry with crisp acidity, lively and surprisingly tensile. It offers touches of orange rind and grapefruit towards the finish that gains more weight as it aerates in the glass. This has turned out well and should drink for several years.
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Wine Spectator
There's lots of zip here, with lemon pulp and sel gris notes imparting a chiseled edge while verbena and chamomile details dance on the finish. Pure and delightful. Sémillon, Sauvignon Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2018.
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.
On the right bank of Bordeaux between St. Emilion and Bergerac, Cotes de Francs boasts southwestern exposed slopes that produce robust Merlot-based wines. A tiny amount of Sémillon is grown and made in both dry and sweet styles.