The Bordeaux of a different color

TASTING NOTES
Our sights were set a bit lower than First Growths. In a tasting of 20 white Bordeaux, we ranged from basic Bordeaux Sec to classified estates in Pessac-Léognan. A sampling of our top picks under $30:

Chateau Haut Rian 2005 Bordeaux Sec ($10, New Castle Imports): Not to be confused with its similarly named counterpart on the other side of the Garonne. Here’s an example of an estate, located just north of the Cadillac appellation and run by Alsace native Michel Dietrich, that’s succeeding without access to the area’s more rarified parcels. More Semillon than sauvignon blanc, but the fresh sauvignon notes appear on the nose — grassy scents, with lime soda and vanilla cream. A bit lean, but great everyday wine.

Chateau La Gravière 2005 Entre-Deux-Mers ($9, Riverside Imports): Further confusion — there’s a Gravière in Lalande-de-Pomerol with Michel Rolland making the wine. This one’s farther south, in the broad river plain of Entre-Deux Mers. A crisp green herbal snap from the sauvignon blanc, with sweet apricot and clean lines. The end is durable and minerally.

Chateau Doisy-Daëne 2004 Bordeaux ($19, Diageo Cheatau & Estates): Denis Dubourdieu, a consultant and enology professor at the University of Bordeaux, is a rare bird — a master of white wines in red-wine land. Sauvignon blanc is his passion, and his property in Barsac is known for its extraordinary sweet wines. But this all-sauvignon bottling shows his capabilities with dry wines. With at least 10 months aging, it’s got a profound dose of oak; that, mixed with flinty mineral notes makes for something closer to oak-aged Chablis than typical white Bordeaux. A bit bizarre, but with great, rich expression. Also keep an eye out for his Clos Floridène from Graves and white Chateau Reynon.

Chateau Graville-Lacoste 2004 Graves ($15, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants): A different Dubourdieu, Hervé, is responsible for the sweet Sauternes of Roumieu-Lacoste, as well as this dry white. Clear citrus notes are underlined by a firm, tart backbone and a mineral finish.

Chateau Coucheroy 2004 Pessac-Léognan ($13, W.J. Deutsch & Sons): André Lurton collects Bordeaux estates like marbles, and has turned his collection of 11 into a formidable empire, based from his Chateau Bonnet in humble Entre-Deux-Mers. Lurton essentially created the Pessac appellation, and here’s as affordable an entry as you’ll find, with sweet spun sugar, lemon and guava, plus orange blossom from the semillon. Falls away a bit at the end, but it’s young — perhaps too young — and could develop nicely.

Chateau la Louvière 2002 Pessac-Léognan ($30, W.J. Deutsch & Sons): Lurton strikes again, with another sauvignon-dominant bottling (85 percent) that shows the virtues of age. Sweet churned butter and buttercups, peach, lemon curd and honey. It’s just starting to mature, and a beautiful sharp acidity balances out the rich, oaky flavors. Could still use more time, but it shows how durable white Bordeaux can be.

MORE FROM WINE

Wine Section Front

Sauvignon blanc: A perfect white for fall meals Long Island winery quickly makes its mark Spaghetti, meatballs and an $8 Italian red wine Italy’s diversity shows off in these top red wines With a chill in the air, a hearty red wine For a lunch party, crab cakes and crisp wines These lighter white wines are hardly lightweight Try this trio of top Australian red wines For the beach party, don’t forget the bubbly Give a bouquet of rosés for this Mother’s Day Wine Section Front   Add Wine headlines to your news reader: