Château Hostens-Picant, Grangeneuve Blanc, Sainte-Foy Côtes de Bordeaux 2022

£20.49

The name ‘Grangeneuve’ is a nod to the estate’s former history, where the vineyards and property of ‘Domaine de Grangeneuve’ was owned and worked by a local co-operative when Yves Hostens-Picant, and his wife Nadine first visited in 1986. The site has been the home of wine cultivation since the 15th century, and it has been taken from its original 19 hectares, steadily growing to a now 40 hectare estate; roughly 30 hectares planted to permitted red varieties and 10 to white.

The 2022 Grangeneuve Blanc is a bright, vivid lemon yellow in the glass, hinting at green opalescence at the rim. It is, commonly, majority Sauvignon Blanc, with around 10% Semillon to complete the blend. On the nose there are a host of exotic fruits, with peach, bergamot and elderflower to the fore. The palate has a little welcome weight and texture from time on lees, but this takes nothing away from the limestone acidity, flinty minerality and citrus freshness on the delicate finish.