Laville Haut Brion 2007

Very minerally, with lemon curd, cream and fresh pineapple aromas. Full, yet racy and very, very long. Bright acidity and structure

82% Sémillon, 18% Sauvignon Blanc but it tastes much more like a Sauvignon than a Sémillon. Very ripe and ample on the nose. Menthol and a hint of blackcurrant leaf. Very dry finish. Lots of astringency and powerful Sauvignon-like characteristics. Super fresh and vibrant with a only light undertow of lemony weight. Racy rather than fat. Sharp and refreshing. Much more complex and spicy than a regular oaked Sauvignon/Sémillon blend, for example, but not the richest vintage for Laville – a slightly slimline bitter lemon of a wine. Very tight but light too. Drink 2012-18

Bright, green-tinged yellow. Knockout nose combines white peach, lime, pineapple, citrus oil, honey and flowers, with a sappiness that would have had me guessing there was a majority of sauvignon blanc. Then sappy, rich, saline and dry, conveying an impression of powerful extract. Wonderfully tactile, pungent wine whose sheer vibrancy gives the finishing white peach flavor terrific lift and aromatic perfume. This is already so rich that enologist Jean-Philippe Masclet was about to stop stirring the lees.

Honeysuckle and peach, waxy, lanolin aromas. Palate lemon-fresh, with peachy, mid-weight fruit and lime-tinged acidity. Honeyed finish. Fairly austere. Should age well. Very good. Drink 2016-23. 5 stars.