Chateau Picque-Caillou Blanc 2020
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The name Caillou refers to pebbles, reflecting the fact that this was once riverbed, when the river Garonne overflowed millions of years ago. The characteristic elegance and finesse of this wine is 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.
Blend: 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sémillon
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
While this wine is still young, it has all the elements of aging potential. The bright green and citrus fruits are spiced with wood aging and a vivid, taut texture. The wine is sure to develop, to be ready to drink from 2024.
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James Suckling
Fruity nose of pineapple, green mangoes and lime curd. Some spicy undertones. It’s medium-bodied, with a creamy, juicy core of tropical fruit. Tasty and layered finish. 100% sauvignon blanc. Drink now.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Absolutely classic aromas of honeyed pineapple, subtle grapefruit, lemon curd, and chalky minerality all emerge from the 2020 Château Picque Caillou Blanc, a bright, clean, medium-bodied white with bright acidity and a clean, crisp finish. Made in a forward, elegant style, it should keep for 7-8 years, although there's no need to delay gratification.
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Wine Spectator
Bright and juicy, with honeysuckle and verbena infusing a core of white peach and Meyer lemon. Shows salted butter on the finish. Drink now.
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Chateau Picque Caillou was built in 1780 in what was considered then 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 in order 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 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.
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
Recognized for its superior reds as well as whites, Pessac-Léognan on the Left Bank claims classified growths for both—making it quite unique in comparison to its neighboring Médoc properties.
Pessac’s Chateau Haut-Brion, the only first growth located outside of the Médoc, is said to have been the first to conceptualize fine red wine in Bordeaux back in the late 1600s. The estate, along with its high-esteemed neighbors, La Mission Haut-Brion, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pique-Caillou and Chateau Pape-Clément are today all but enveloped by the city of Bordeaux. The rest of the vineyards of Pessac-Léognan are in clearings of heavily forested area or abutting dense suburbs.
Arid sand and gravel on top of clay and limestone make the area unique and conducive to growing Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc as well as the grapes in the usual Left Bank red recipe: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and miniscule percentages of Petit Verdot and Malbec.
The best reds will show great force and finesse with inky blue and black fruit, mushroom, forest, tobacco, iodine and a smooth and intriguing texture.
Its best whites show complexity, longevity and no lack of exotic twists on citrus, tropical and stone fruit with pronounced floral and spice characteristics.