As we move into fall, it’s hard to say goodbye to the crisp, light-bodied whites in condensation-frosted glasses, or the sharp and grassy New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, or the Sancerres with their notes of citrus and minerality, a perfect match for seaf…
As we move into fall, it’s hard to say goodbye to the crisp, light-bodied whites in condensation-frosted glasses, or the sharp and grassy New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, or the Sancerres with their notes of citrus and minerality, a perfect match for seafood. For such moments, there’s Bordeaux Blanc, or White Bordeaux, a wine-insider’s secret that bridges the seasons, because it’s most often a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (crispness, summer) and a grape called Sémillon, which has more richness and mouthfeel (coziness, fall).
Bordeaux, to most anyone, including wine people, is red, a high-end blend that can include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, and it tends to come at collector’s prices. Bordeaux Blanc, made from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and sometimes Muscadelle, is lesser-known because it makes up only 7 to 8 percent of the region’s output. However, savvy buyers, including many restaurant professionals, choose Bourdeaux Blanc because it’s usually available at a lower price than the reds from Bordeaux, allowing for a taste of a storied region at a good value. It’s also on the forward edge of a trend: Blends are the second-biggest category in red wine sales at the moment—a juggernaut that some would say has been inspired by the skill of the Bordelais in blending their reds—and industry professionals expect white blends to be next. White blends from the master blenders in Bordeaux, then, are ahead of the curve, and are newly sought-after.
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