Carbonnieux Blanc 1988 - Pessac-Léognan

The white wine of Château Carbonnieux is a legendary wine. It is said that in the 18th century it entered the Sultan of Constantinople thanks to its great clarity, under the name of "Carbonnieux Mineral Water" thus defying Koranic law.

Carbonnieux whites develop notes of dried and candied fruits as they age.

WUAT's opinion: Generally speaking, white Graves offer very interesting developments. When young, they are very lively, refreshing with notes of exotic fruits. They pair wonderfully well with seafood. As they age, they change significantly, they acquire a patina and the acidity gives way to a certain false roundness. They evolve towards candied notes and for Carbonnieux, dried orange zest and orange blossom. It reminds me of Provençal "navettes". A surprising tasting that is generally remembered for a long time.

Be careful though when you choose a bottle of white Carbonnieux, trust its color. A young bottle should be almost transparent. Never buy it if you think it may have spent time exposed to natural or artificial light. And yes, white glass is pretty, but it does not protect the wines. And there is nothing worse than a taste of light on a white Bordeaux (apart from maybe the taste of cork)