The Bordeaux Winery Breaking the Rules to Make Great & Unusual Whites

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While the famous Medoc is known as the home of some of the world’s best bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, one producer is quietly bucking the trend. Baron Edmond de Rothschild acquired Chateau Clark (a historic estate dating back 12 years) more than 50 years ago.^Th century) not only produces a Merlot-dominant Left Bank wine in the heart of Cabernet country, but also a rare white in Listrac-Médoc, which traditionally only produces reds. Made using all four permitted white varieties instead of the usual Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, in 1995 Château Clarke revived this heritage bottling, first made in 1898. With the same vineyard and cellar team for almost 30 years, this pillar has been serving the specialist Roschild’s spotlight. It is rarely received.

When de Rothschild first visited Chateau Clark, there were several prestigious estates on the market, including the likes of Château Margaux and Château Becheville, yet he chose this run-down, neglected estate “precisely because everything had yet to be done,” says Chateau Clark winemaker Darmacbres. “Edmund D. Rothschild was not looking for a name; he was looking for a place of expression. Thus Clarke became his life’s work.” It was a bold move indeed: the de Rothschild name is associated with some of the world’s most famous wines, and it’s been years since bottles of Chateau Clark were considered anything but ordinary.

While conventional wisdom holds that the Left Bank of Bordeaux is the Cabernet Sauvignon region in general and the Médoc in particular, the Listrac-Médoc subregion is home to large plantings of its half-sibling Merlot, which today comprises 70 percent of the 136 acres. (An additional 13.5 acres are planted with white varieties.) The first several releases were Cabernet Sauvignon-based, but Chateau Clark Red became a Merlot-based blend beginning with the 1986 vintage. “Surrounded by a team of experts, de Rothschild and his team came to the conclusion that the terroir of Château Clarke was more suitable for growing Merlot,” explains Darmaillacq, who describes the estate as a “unique terroir,” with clay and limestone veins and deep, cool Merlot soils that are well-suited to the culture. He explains that the coolness of the soil allows the merlot to ripen slowly in hot conditions, helping to retain its natural acidity.

“If we tell our customers it’s from Left Bank, they immediately think it’s going to have more Cabernet Sauvignon,” says Roxanne Langer, co-owner and sommelier at LadySomm, a winery and shop in Carmel, California. “The average user doesn’t know that Listrac-Médoc is basically helping us understand what our customers are interested in, so that helps a lot.” Despite their genetic similarities, Merlot naturally has softer tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon, leading to wines that are often lighter on the palate and easier to enjoy young. “This distinction explains the wine’s soft texture, accessible fruit profile, and aromatic brightness,” explains Langer Rob Report.

Darmaillacq explains that in Bordeaux, Merlot’s natural characteristics were masked by heavy oak aging for many years, resulting in a more austere style of wine. However, the combination of the château’s unique terroir and cool Bordeaux climate provides an ideal base for a Merlot that is fresh, refined and balanced, “a wine that respects both flavor and texture, while showing the true personality of the grape,” he says. Lying between the appellations of Pauillac and Margaux, the Médoc is known for good rather than great wine, and de Rothschild set out to change that from day one. He quickly replanted the vineyard, completing the project by 1978, just five years after acquiring it. Aiming to revive the reputation of Château Clarke in the 19th and early 20th centuries, he also revived Le Merle Blanc, a rare white Bordeaux made with Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Sauvignon Gris, and Muscadel.

Considered an excellent businessman and a bit of a visionary, de Rothschild anticipated the growing demand for white wine long before the rest of the industry caught on. Le Merle Blanc re-released in 1995. The greater Médoc has an abundance of whites, but Listrac-Médoc is a hardy red wine zone, so producing whites here was considered daring. Adding Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle to typical Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon adds complexity to the wine, explains Darmaillacq. “By combining the four varieties, we created a limited-production wine with a harmonious profile; rich and textured, yet simultaneously fresh, vibrant and fruit-forward,” he says.

“The clarity of the blend and how it brings aromatic lift, richness and freshness to the structure, gives guests a deeper understanding of how Bordeaux’s sub-regions and varietal diversity are shaped than expected,” explains Langer. She likes to pair white with oysters topped with a lemon mignonette on the half shell. While she prefers oysters from Bordeaux’s Gulf of Arcachon for a true local wedding, she says oysters will come from anywhere. Regardless of the origin, Langer sees it as what she calls a “mirror pairing,” as the wine’s acidity and minerality match the exact same characteristics in oysters.

Made with 70 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 10 percent Sauvignon Gris, Sémillon, and Muscadelle, Le Merle Blanc may be labeled Médoc Blanc—a new appellation, permitted from the 2025 vintage—instead of the more widely recognized Blanc in the future. Despite Darmaillacq’s belief that this could allow Château Clarke and its neighbors to establish a category defined by very high-quality, small-production wines, thus distinguishing it from high-volume, typical Bordeaux Blancs, he is aware of the challenges that an unknown AOP presents, potentially confusing wine lovers. “Our goal is always to make the world of wine cleaner, more accessible, and more accessible,” he says. De Rothschild may be a rule breaker, but it seems there are limits to what the market will bear.

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