Situated in Léognan, Château Carbonnieux is one of Pessac-Léognan’s historic estates, with vineyards recorded as early as 1292. Owned by the Perrin family since 1956, the estate is now run by the fourth generation. Its vineyard of around 100 hectares, set around the château, lies on a ridge of Garonne gravels and comprises 119 plots, each tended to suit its individual character. A Grand Cru Classé de Graves for both its white and red wines, Carbonnieux has held French High Environmental Value (HVE) certification since 2017. The estate prioritises mechanical cultivation of the soils, with no herbicides, and the preservation of hedgerows and biodiversity. The grapes for the Grand Vin are hand-harvested. The wines are vinified plot by plot, with maturation in tank and barrel depending on the cuvée. The style marries freshness, precision and depth.

With its storied history, the Château Carbonnieux Blanc has a reputation for charming all who taste it with its crystal-clear colour and distinct aromatic palate. Legend has it, this very wine happened to sit on the table of an Ottoman sultan in the 18th century but was instead called, “Carbonnieux mineral water”. The vines grow on the infamous Garonne gravel and clay-limestone terroir found in Pessac-Léognan and are used to produce the most notable dry white wines in the Bordeaux region. With some difference between vintages, the blend is traditionally 70% Sauvignon and 30% Sémillon. Harvests are, of course, carried out by hand. Fermentation takes place in 25% new barrels or casks. Ageing can last up to ten months in the same containers used for fermentation, with lee stirring occurring periodically to give the wine extra body and texture. On tasting, this wine presents beautiful notes of citrus as well as white flowers. It is pale yellow in colour with green glints in its youth. It is deliciously rich and full-bodied on the palate. We find the same citrus aromas as on the nose alongside notes of roasted hazelnuts. It is a wonderful wine which would benefit from a decade or so of ageing. A perfect match for raw and cooked fish or soft rind cheese.