🍷 Sauternes

Sauternes is a famous sweet white wine from Bordeaux in France. It is made from grapes affected by noble rot.

In autumn, in the valley near the Ciron river, mornings are foggy and afternoons can be warm. Because of this, a special fungus grows on the berries. It reduces the water in the berry and leaves a lot of sugar. Such grapes are called botrytised. Harvest happens in several passes: pickers take only the right berries. The crop is small, so the wine is not cheap.

The main grapes are Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The finished wine usually has 13-14% alcohol and often well over 100 g/L of sugar. Sauternes was included in the famous 1855 classification, like other Bordeaux wines. This French wine keeps well for decades, and its sweetness is balanced by acidity. It is often served with desserts or pâté. It is served chilled and in small portions, like other dessert wines.