2017 Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux Bordeaux 750 ml

Precious, opulent, and crafted by what is arguably Bordeaux’s most august estate, Pavillon Blanc de Château Margaux stands as not just one of the great white wines of Bordeaux, but of the world.

A bottle that rivals the great Haut Brion Blanc and La Mission Haut Brion Blanc, and it would be hard to ask for a better recommendation for this very wine than the one provided by Jane Anson in her 2020 book Inside Bordeaux:

“There can be few oak-aged Sauvignon Blancs in the world that receive these levels of attention and deliver such intense and mouth-watering flavours, and I strongly urge you to find a bottle of the 2017 if you can—absolute proof that Pavillon Blanc is now equal in quality to the brilliance of La Mission Haut Brion Blanc.”

White-wine production at Château Margaux dates back to the late 17th century, and this particular white has been made since the 1800s and existed under its current name since 1920. While historically this wine was made from a mix of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle, and Merlot Blanc, today it is made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc planted on an 11-hectare vineyard on the gravel plateau called Viré Fougasse in the hamlet of Soussans. 

This wine is also rare—Margaux makes a mere fraction as much Pavillon Blanc as they do of their Grand Vin, making it a prized collectors’ bottle. It’s an inimitable white wine that every serious connoisseur should experience.