Winemaker Notes
Lune d'Argent is the heart of Clos des Lunes' production. They firmly believe in the future of this legendary terroir and its truly original style. With a touch of French oak, the Sémillon is dense and rich, the Sauvignon Blanc refined and precise. This cuvée of dry white wine promises to convey all the magic of Sauternes.
Blend: 70% Semillon, 30% Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon, the 2021 Clos des Lunes Lune D'Argent Blanc is a hidden little gem of a white that readers will love. Lots of citrus, lemon curd, white flowers, and rocky minerality define the bouquet, and it's medium-bodied on the palate, with bright acidity, good depth of fruit, and outstanding length.
Barrel Sample: 91-93 -
Vinous
The 2021 Lune d'Argent, picked September 13 to October 4, has an understated bouquet of citrus peel, petrichor and linden scents that unfurl nicely in the glass. The palate is saline on the entry, displaying fine acidity, touches of orange peel and spice, and good density on the oyster-shell-tinged finish. This should give many years of pleasure, but it needs bottle age. - Neal Martin
Barrel Sample: 91-93 -
James Suckling
A touch of stones, white nuts and white asparagus on top of the gooseberry leaves and golden berries. Fresh and succulent on the palate with a medium to full body and a fluid, zippy finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Full of crisp fruit, this wine from an estate in the Sauternes region is perfumed and tangy. Citrus flavors are lively and will fill out.
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Wine Spectator
Racy and fresh, featuring tightly focused chamomile, quinine, yellow apple and white peach notes, with finely beaded acidity. Lingering, mouthwatering finish. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2025.
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.