“Leave the Yquem for the millionaires: load up on La Tour Blanche” says Wine Advocate smartly.

“The 18th century Château La Tour Blanche is justifiably proud of its ranking in the classification of 1855, coming second only to Yquem” adds Decanter.

Ooh, what a treat we have for you today…

Dry white by La Tour Blanche, a Wine Spies Exclusive first appearance in the US!

First of all, you HAVE TO watch this:

This wine is a love letter to those oenophiles who like to drink outside the box, and KNOW Bordeaux is not just for red or sweet wines. There are the great whites of Pessac-Leognan, whereas the dry whites of Sauternes, up there with the best of the best, are far lesser known. This is why Agent Noir FLIPPED over this inaugural release when he came across it during a visit to Bordeaux and wanted to get it in front of Operatives before the whole wide world woke up to it. First made in 1959, Yquem’s comparable $200 a bottle Ygrec is nearly impossible to source, so Léonie is a find and a steal at our introductory $35!

Decanter explains “While sweet wines will inevitably (and should) remain the focus in Sauternes, there’s a strong case for dry whites, too: world-class winemaking know-how and facilities, heavy investment in top-quality grape production resulting in large quantities of beautiful old-vine Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and terroirs that are perfect to show both freshness and power. ‘They also have ageing potential, which puts them in the category of fine wines,’ say Jean-Jacques Dubourdieu and David Bolzan, co-directors of the appellation’s management body.”

It’s such a new project that the only review we could find to help explain our awe in the presence of such grace is below from a prominent German wine merchant. There was a barrel review on The Wine Dependent for the upcoming 2023 vintage too, worth sharing: “It soars from the glass with fragrant notes of orange blossoms, honey-drizzled pears, and white peaches, followed by touches of Marcona almonds and lemongrass. The medium-bodied palate is filled with delicately nuanced orchard fruit flavors, framed by well-knit freshness and a silky texture, finishing with a spicy lift.”

Back to Decanter for a final word: “Due to the limited production in Sauternes – the vineyards cover only 2,200ha, according to the appellation body, with 150ha reserved for dry whites – these ‘Sauternes Secs’ are rarities. Demand is still relatively niche but growing, with collectors and enthusiasts enamored by the complexity, quality, and distinctiveness of this renowned winemaking region.”

Be enamored. We were able to snag a small chunk of the ~400 cases made, so while supplies last.

97-98+ Points – Lobenberg “A dry, early-harvested ‘Auslese’ from the Estate’s oldest clay-limestone plots. The oldest Semillons and Sauvignon Blancs with tiny yields from biodynamic vineyards are used for spontaneous fermentation in wooden barrels. There are only 5,000 bottles. Matured on the lees in new and used barriques. Brilliant and radiant green-yellow color. Rich yellow fruit nose with green plums, kiwi, and lychee, a hint of green tea, and yellow-white stone fruit. Associations with Palomino Fino and Chenin Blanc, fine in aroma and yet expressive. Unexpectedly fresh and incredibly intense, vibrant palate with white peach, stone fruit, green apricot, kumquat, sea buckthorn, citrus, and lots of passion fruit. Brilliant freshness of yellow and even red fruit, lots of pressure but without fat. Green plums return, surprisingly also a lot of minerals with flint and salty limestone. Complex, round, powerful palate. Hazelnuts, orange zest, green plum, passionfruit, sea buckthorn, kumquat, and apricot on the long finish. For me, without question, the most exciting and best white Sauternes after the Ygrec from Yquem, truly not far behind, even stronger in the fruit. On the second day, after plenty of air, almost even more expressive, a brilliant one-off, Semillon from the right terroir and the right winery can be truly world-class! And dry! A great wine!”