Château Ducasse Graves Blanc 2023

Albert Perromat has fashioned his finest Graves Blanc to date in the superlatively crafted 2023 Château Ducasse Graves Blanc, a crystalline wine that captures the essence of white Graves from the appellation’s premier classic white varietals: Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Aromatic and juicy with citrus, herb, melon, and grassy notes, this is classic white Graves, which means a real mouthful of wine that drinks well now and is increasingly complex as it evolves in the glass. Dry and laser-like on first impression, the 2023 Château Ducasse Graves Blanc possesses not only ripe fruit but also a superb texture and a satisfying minerality thanks to the yin and yang presented by equal parts Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc in conjunction with Graves’ unique terroir. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest affording this classic white Graves a moderate chill (38°-40° F) before allowing it a few minutes in the glass to relinquish its prolific charm. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2027. Enjoy!

In Bordeaux, white Graves is the ideal match for the region’s legendary seafood. Consequently, the 2023 Château Ducasse Graves Blanc truly shines at table in the company of all that once swam in the sea or stream. Shellfish risotto served with butternut squash or wild caught cod or salmon in a light lemon beurre blanc served with saffron risotto and poached asparagus provide especially mouthwatering accompaniments to Château Ducasse’s complex white Graves. A simple plate of prawns, dipped in drawn butter, steamed mussels in a savory broth, sautéed oysters, or just about any other fruits de mer will also accentuate the flavors in both the wine and the food. More complex seafood recipes such as Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp and Pineapple served with a butternut squash crispy spring roll or Baked Grouper Filets prepared with a pumpkin seed pesto provide additional tasty accompaniments to the 2023 Château Ducasse Graves Blanc. White Graves is also one of the easiest wines to pair with cheeses, especially the finest French cheeses. A cheese platter that includes Brie or Camembert will provide a simple, satisfying complement to Château Ducasse’s racy, complex 2023 Graves Blanc. Bon appétit!

Château Ducasse emanates from the prestigious Graves estate of Château Beauregard Ducasse located in the tiny Graves village of Mazères. The young, affable Albert Perromat, the 7th generation to make wine at Château Beauregard Ducasse, makes the wine and is in charge of the family estate. Albert’s family has been in possession of this venerable château since 1850 and all remains very much a family affair with Jacques and Marie-Laure, Albert’s parents, still involved in the daily operation of the property.

Mazères lies in the southern and most rural section of the Graves region on a bed of gravel (from which the name Graves is derived). The Perromat’s 27-acre estate occupies the highest ground in Graves, which serves to protect the surrounding vineyards from the late spring frosts that have become common in lower lying vineyards throughout Bordeaux, including those in the Médoc. Year in and year out, the Perromats produce exceptional red and white Graves at Château Ducasse.

The majority of the estate’s production is traditional white Graves made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, while the two red Graves of Château Beauregard Ducasse consist of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, while a small quantity of Petit Verdot may also be part of the final blend. The Perromats fashion two special white Graves, Château Ducasse Graves Blanc (this month’s feature), a racy traditional white Graves, and Cuvée Albertine Peyri, a barrel fermented white Graves for longer ageing. Château Beauregard Ducasse also produces two exceptional red Graves at the château, Château Ducasse and Château Beauregard Ducasse Cuvée Albert Duran.

Graves is the oldest and most historic of all the Bordeaux communes. Before Latour, Lafite, Margaux, and the rest of the well-known names of the Médoc even existed or had even seen a cultivated vine, there was Graves. In fact, Graves has been the home of cultivated vines since as early as the 1st century AD, due at least in part to the Romans inability to grow other crops in the graveled soil from which the name Graves is derived. The stone and gravel deposits are vestiges of the last Ice Age, a bane to most farmers but a boon to grape growers, whose vines struggle deep into the thin porous soil to draw life and subtle complex flavors from the nutrients below. Graves is a rarity in Bordeaux as both its exceptional red and white wines enjoy equal renown.