Description
This delicious Semillon was bottled at our beautifully refurbished 19th century cellar and mini-winery Le Chai au Quai on the banks of the Dodogne. The wine’s a thoroughbred beauty … partly because, again, we’ve thrown the most expensive of everything at it, and partly because Bordeaux 2006 is an even better year for white wines than the much-lauded 2005.

Pure Sémillon is as classic in Bordeaux as Sauvignon in Sancerre and Chardonnay in Burgundy. When Laithwaites first started hunting for wines here (some 40 years ago!) there was more white wine than red. Hard to imagine now, after growers realised there was a fortune to be made selling reds overseas. The beloved Bordeaux Sémillon disappeared from many vineyards … we’ve been fighting its corner ever since …

So, our trophy-winning Bordeaux winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua set out to track down the tastiest Semillon grapes. Following leads and tip-offs, tasting grapes off the vine, he tracked down two precious batches and took them back to the Chai ready to transform them into this sumptuous white.

“Rich, glowing gold with lively aromas of citrus, nectarine, honey and toasty oak. Deliciously rounded, with layers of juicy lemon, pear and apricot giving way to fine, moreish oak on the finish. Perfect lightly chilled and served with grilled salmon.”