📜 Sauternes
The famous sweet white wines of Bordeaux from grapes with noble rot.
Sauternes is a famous appellation for sweet white wines in Bordeaux, southwestern France. It lies by the Garonne river, and a small tributary, the Ciron, flows near it. The cold water of the Ciron meets the warm Garonne, and in autumn mornings mists hang over the vineyards.
The mist and warm days encourage the growth of the noble mould botrytis. It pierces the skin and draws out water, the berries shrivel, and sugar and aroma become concentrated. The harvest is done by hand in several passes, picking only the affected berries. In a good year one vine gives very little wine, sometimes about a single glass.
The main grape is Sémillon, with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle added. The wine is golden, thick, with aromas of honey, apricot, orange zest and nuts. Bright acidity keeps it from tasting cloying.
Sauternes keeps for decades. It is served with foie gras, blue cheeses and desserts. In style the sweet Jurançon can stand near it, but its sweetness is obtained differently.
How it connects to Wine
📜 Sauternes ← main grape of ← 🍇 Muscadelle → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Where it is
- 📍 Sauternais
- Grapes
- 🍇 Sémillon
- Main grapes
- 🍇 Sémillon, 🍇 Sauvignon Blanc, 🍇 Muscadelle
- Wines
- 🍷 White wine, 🍷 Sweet wine
Frequently asked questions
What is Sauternes?
It is a sweet white wine from Bordeaux made from grapes with noble rot, mostly Sémillon.
Why is Sauternes so sweet?
Noble rot draws water out of the berries, so the sugar in them becomes concentrated.
What is Sauternes served with?
Foie gras, blue cheeses and desserts.
What to read next
- 📍 Sauternais — The Sauternes and Barsac zone, where sweet wines are made from grapes with noble rot.
- 🍷 Sweet wine — Wine with a lot of sugar, drunk with dessert or instead of it.
Similar
📜 Barsac · 📜 Cadillac · 📜 Cérons · 📜 Rosette · 📜 Côtes de Montravel · 📜 Graves Supérieures
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.