Chateau Picque Caillou Pessac Leognan BLANC 2022

Alcohol: 12.5%

Grape(s): 60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon 

Localization: Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France

Tasting Notes: The name Caillou refers to pebbles, reflecting that this was once riverbed, when the river Garonne overflowed millions of years ago. This wine's characteristic elegance and finesse are attributed to its free-draining, gravelly soil and subsoil. Lovely, gentle grassiness and wet-stone minerality, with enough weight to give this real substance. A great example of white Bordeaux wine.

94 points Wine Enthusiast: Initially, the wine is lean, but it has a reserve of black-currant flavors to bring freshness and density to the wine. The structure is already an important element.

The Domain: Chateau Picque Caillou was built in 1780 in what was considered the countryside of Bordeaux. Today, it has become a part of the growing city of Bordeaux. It is surrounded by illustrious neighbors such as Château Haut Brion (1er Grand Cru Classé), Château La Mission Haut-Brion (1er Grand Cru Classé Graves) and Château Pape-Clément (1er Grand Cru Classé Graves). All of these properties have resisted urbanization since the past century to preserve their extraordinary terroir to make outstanding wines. The Pessac-Léognan appellation, created in 1987, is reserved for the most exclusive estates in the northern part of the Graves region. C

Chateau Picque Caillou is owned by Isabelle and Paulin Calvet who took over the management of the estate in 1995 and purchased it in 1997. This dynamic couple has brought a fresh burst of life with significant investments done in the vineyard and the cellar over the years. Valérie Lavigne (from the famous consulting team of Denis Dubourdieu) has been involved as the consultant winemaker for over a decade. As a result, the wines have improved tremendously in quality, finesse and consistency while offering outstanding value. It is 23 hectares in size (57 acres) on gravel and sand subsoils with high density planting. About 20.50 hectares is dedicated to red wine and 2.5 hectares is dedicated to white wine. Harvest starts end August for the white wine whereas it starts mid-September for the red wine. After manual harvest, the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks. The red wine benefits from 12 months of aging in 30% new French oak whereas the white wine benefits from 6 months of aging in 20% new French oak. Estate grown and bottled. Sustainable practices.h

The property produces every year a red and white wine both under the Pessac-Léognan appellation.