94pts Vinous
The 2021 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc is one of the most distinctive dry whites in Bordeaux. Intensely aromatic and tropical, the 2021 is captivating right out of the gate. Lemon confit, tangerine peel, mint, pineapple, jasmine and passionfruit give the 2021 tons of character. Bâtonnage in élevage builds texture. This is seriously impressive, not to mention quite delicious.
- Antonio Galloni, December 2023
94pts Jeb Dunnuck
Ripe melon, honeyed lemon, mint, and a kiss of spice all emerge from the 2021 Château Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc, a richer, medium to full-bodied, powerful white from this team that has tons to love. It has a kiss of clean reduction and will benefit from just a year or two of bottle age and should easily evolve nicely over the following decade. The blend is 78% Sauvignon Blanc and 22% Semillon, from a mix of sandy and gravelly soils, that spent 8 months in 50% new barrels.
94pts James Suckling
This is showing aromas of salted almonds, flint, dried pineapples, lemon pith and chopped herbs. Tight, bright and spicy on the palate, with a medium body and sharp acidity. Precise and flinty. Sauvignon and semillon. Drink or hold.
94pts The Wine Independent
The white 2021 Larrivet Haut-Brion swans out of the glass with gregarious notions of orange blossoms, yellow apples, and juicy pears, followed by hints of beeswax and sea spray. The medium-bodied palate delivers compelling tension and intense apple and pear flavors, finishing long and fragrant. Beautiful!
93pts Decanter
Fresh and fragrant, white flowers, smells clean. Quite punchy on the palate, strong lemon and lime, sweet tropical and exotic fruit and juicy, a round body and nice freshness too. It has some zip and zing, really lively and captivating definitely with a ripe element, with some small hints of vanilla and white chocolate on the finish along with a kick of acidity that leaves a fresh feeling. Seems the vintage really suits the estate and this style is lovely.
91-93pts Wine Advocate
The 2021 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc exhibits aromas of confit citrus, crisp orchard fruit and pastry cream, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive palate that's textural but tensile, concluding with a saline finish. A maturing vineyard combined with winemaking that emphasizes plenty of lees has delivered an excellent result this year.
92pts Vinous
The 2021 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc has a composed bouquet with red apple, lime and light stem ginger scents that gradually unfurl in the glass. The palate is well-balanced with a crisp entry. There's something a little Alsace-like about this white Bordeaux, in a positive sense. It's tensile with a clever reduction that plays out on the finish. This is the one to go for, rather than its red counterpart.
-Neal Martin, November 2023.
92pts Jane Anson
Clear richness through the palate, creamy oak notes with white peach and pear fruit, and leaning into the vintage where the fresh acidities are translated as precision and carefully-carved out structure.
91pts Wine Spectator
Shows grapefruit peel and lemon curd notes set against a backdrop of salted butter and hay. Tasty. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2024. 1,000 cases made, 150 cases imported.
History
Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion was acquired by the Gervoson family in 1987. They restored the estate's unity, once again combining the Chateau, outbuildings, 13 hectares of grounds, and 42 hectares of vines under one owner, as well as replanting 18 hectares of land that had laid fallow.
A team of enthusiastic professionals has done a wonderful job of giving Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion back its superb reputation, and the estate is once again universally recognised as one of the finest wines in the Pessac-Léognan appellation.
