2021 Blanc de Clos du Beau Pere

The first vintage of an unusual new white wine, from half a hectare of Pomerol clay-sand-gravel soils but bottled under Bordeaux Blanc, this makes an impressive entrance into the Bordeaux white wine scene. Savoury in the spirit of the vintage, with touches of lemon grass, cassis bud, a juicy dollop of white peaches, and a mouthwatering signoff. The vines themselves were planted three years ago, and are the only white grapes in the Pomerol boundaries, proving once again that Jean-Luc Thunevin is the original disrupter, because if anyone was going to try out planting white grapes in Pomerol (on land that costs an average of €2 million per hetare for its reds), it was him. Having 2021 as the first year of white is lucky in many ways, because the cooler climate helped encourage high aromatics, although they did suffer 20hl/h yield after frost. Aged in 500 litre barrels, with 10% new oak. Marion Favroul winemaker. It will be interesting to follow how it performs in warmer years, but this is definitely a wine to look out.
93/100 Jane Anson