Château La Croix de Queynac Bordeaux Blanc 2012

The tiny production of 2012 Château La Croix de Queynac’s Bordeaux Blanc is a classic full-flavored blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. Vinified in stainless steel for maximum freshness, it offers the taster a delightful draft of traditional Bordeaux Blanc. The preponderance of Sauvignon Blanc gives the wine its attractive aromatic profile while the Semillon provides body and a smooth lengthy mid-palate and finish. Redolent with soft savory notes of citrus, melon and tropical fruits, Château La Croix de Queynac’s 2012 Bordeaux Blanc comports itself well, as harmony appears to be the calling card of this wine and the key to the pleasure and profound drinkability that it offers. “Gentle, yet crisp and altogether pleasing” is how one panel member described it, so what more can we say but enjoy! For optimum enjoyment we suggest moderate chilling (40°-45° F).

Château La Croix de Queynac takes its name from an old 12th century church built by the Knights Templar. The château is located in the commune of Galgon within the greater Fronsac district of Bordeaux, very near Lalande de Pomerol. Château La Croix de Queynac is very much a Right Bank estate (meaning the property sits north of the Dordogne River along with St. Emilion and Pomerol) where the region’s fine terroir consists of clay and stony soils that are ideal for the production of first rate white and red Bordeaux. The estate’s vineyards have been in the Gabard family since the 1800s and are now being exploited by Stephane and Paola Gabard, a delightful young couple who took charge of the château in 1999.

Château La Croix de Queynac remains a true family affair. Stephane oversees the vineyards and the cellar, while Paola takes charge of the administration and marketing while keeping an eye on the couple’s young daughters. The château produces very fine Bordeaux Blanc and Bordeaux Supérieur Rouge as well as small amounts of Bordeaux Rosé and, most recently, sparkling Crémant de Bordeaux. Stephane's wines have won numerous medals at major Paris and Bordeaux competitions and have been cited for distinction in the Guide Hachette and Gault et Millaut, France’s two most prestigious food and wine publications.

The undisputed king of France's wine regions, Bordeaux sits amidst and astride the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers. The sprawling Bordeaux region accounts for some 800 million bottles of wine each year. Bordeaux has built a reputation on quality, as many of the world's most sought-after wines are crafted along its river banks. Bordeaux boasts over 10,000 winemakers working in the region’s 57 appellations. Known mostly for red blends made primarily from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, Bordeaux also enjoys great notoriety for its excellent dry and sweet white wines, many of which emanate from the central regions between the area’s two great rivers.