2007 Chateau Cruzeau Pessac-Léognan

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this. Most whites I’ve had recently have had fairly dominant citrus notes. This one, barely a hint. My first impression, and one that stayed with me throughout was the minerality. You sometimes hear odd expressions when folks try to describe wine tastes and flavor nuances. Licking wet slate is one I’ve heard recently. While not exactly the first phrase that pops into mind with this wine – you do get a strong feeling or association of rocks. This is what they mean by Terrior. The sensation of place within a wine. If you’re asked ‘what soil conditions does this grape grow in?’ you might jump to rocky and sure enough Graves is know for it’s rocky terrain.

But is it good? Yes, it’s quite good, crisp, dry, refreshing. If you’re in the mood for a crisp white but don’t feel like sucking on a mellon bomb – this might just do the trick. A touch of stone fruit but more vegetal than fruity (in a good way) and more stone than fruit.

You know I often complain about not getting value in a $12 bottle. Well when I spend $30 I really want to feel the quality – and you do here. An excellent white Bordeaux and a great example of a quality wine from Pessac-Leognan that won’t break the bank.