Château Grand Village, Blanc, Bordeaux, 2018
A blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, the Sauvignon Blanc component now predominantly Sancerre clones which no doubt enhances the glorious electric vitality of this stunningly good white Bordeaux. Vibrantly aromatic on the nose with green fruits, then mango, lime-leaf and a touch of flint leading to a serious, crisply rendered palate with green citrus, grass and blood orange notes. A brilliant, mouth-watering Grand Village with great concentration and a moreishly taut finish.
critic reviews
Stone fruits, tense and nervy edges, with a saline lick through the finish, somehow seems to come from a fresher vintage than 2018. I could easily have put the big sibling Les Champs Libre in this spot, as it is one of my favourite dry whites from Bordeaux, but it is worth checking out the less expensive Grand Village. The same family attention to detail (as you would expect from the Guinaudeau family of Château Lafleur), and pretty much the perfect moment to drink. From vines on clay-limestone soils just to the northwest of Fronsac, grown at the home of Jacques and Sylvie Guinaudeau, with a significant part of the Sauvignon Blanc vines coming from Sancerre-sourced, massal-selected plants. 20% new oak.
The Grand Village 2018 Blanc is composed of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon. A little youthfully mute to begin, with swirling it offers delicate scents of lime leaves, chalk dust and wet pebbles over a core of lemongrass, fresh grapefruit and green apples. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly styled with savory accents to the intense citrus flavors and harmonious acidity, finishing long and chalky.
The 2018 Le Blanc du Grand Village includes fruit from a massal selection taken from a parcel known as "acacia" that has gone into Les Champs Libres. The bouquet is very similar to its showing from barrel, featuring gorgeous, pure honeysuckle, walnut and light orange blossom scents. The palate is beautifully balanced, with subtle tropical notes (nectarine and passion fruit) and gooseberry commingling with a dab of ginger on the finish. Excellent.