Château La Tour Blanche is a First Growth estate of the Sauternes appellation of Bordeaux. The 91-acre estate traces its roots to the 18th century, when it was established by Monsieur de Latour Blanche. In the early 19th century it was acquired by Frederic Focke, who began making Sauternes. Today the vineyards are planted to 83% Semillon, 12% Sauvignon and 5% Muscadelle and the estate is owned by the French Ministry of Agriculture. The estate was bequeathed to the state by the last private owner, Daniel Iffla, who died in 1907 and wanted his estate turned into a wine school. Robert M. Parker Jr. notes that “La Tour Blanche is now one of the superstars of the appellation.”