Chateau Suau Bordeaux Blanc 2015
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Château Suau is a remarkable vineyard whose origin dates back to the 16th century. Former hunting lodge of the Duke of Epernon owes its name to Messire de Suau who owned it in 1687. The castle, reworked in the 17th century by the Suau family which will give it its present appearance, becomes the property of a Bordeaux wine merchant at the end of the 18th century.
The chateau has been owned by the Bonnet family since 1986. Under Monique Bonnet's leadership, Chateau Suau has undergone an organic conversion and is today one of the few wineries in the region to be certified organic. Alejandro Bulgheroni became the majority shareholder in 2014, while Monique Bonnet, and her American husband Tom Kenney, continue to run the day-to day. Consulting vigneron, Michel Rolland and his team bring their expertise to the vineyard and the cellar.
Cotes de Bordeaux is located in the hillsides of Bordeaux, along the right banks of the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers. The Chateau Suau estate vineyard consists of 66 hectares in the Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux appellation and is certified organic by Ecocert.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
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.