🍇 Sémillon
A white grape from Bordeaux; the base of sweet Sauternes and dry white wines.
Sémillon is a white grape from Bordeaux in France. The skins of the berries are thin, so noble rot settles on them easily. It draws water out of the berries and concentrates the sugar. Because of this Sémillon became the base of the famous sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac, and of other sweet wines of the south-west: Loupiac, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, Cadillac, Monbazillac and Bergerac.
But the grape also makes dry wines. In Pessac-Léognan and Graves dry Sémillon is blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon gives freshness and aroma, Sémillon gives body and softness. Such wines age for many years and take on nutty, honeyed notes.
The grape has left France. It is especially known in Australia, in the Hunter Valley, where it makes a dry, light white wine that becomes rich with time.
Sémillon belongs to French wine and to the general list of grape varieties, and its name often appears in Bordeaux.
Links
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ French wine
- Where it grows
- 📍 Bordeaux, 📜 Sauternes, 📍 Graves, 📍 Sauternais, 📍 Entre-Deux-Mers, 📍 Bergeracois
- Main grape in
- France: 📜 Pessac-Léognan, 📜 Sauternes, 📜 Barsac, 📍 Entre-Deux-Mers, 📜 Côtes de Bordeaux, 📜 Bergerac, 📍 Bordeaux, 📍 Graves, 📜 Monbazillac, 📜 Cadillac, 📜 Crémant de Bordeaux, 📜 Cérons, 📜 Côtes de Blaye, 📜 Côtes de Duras, 📜 Graves de Vayres and 12 more
- Related to
- 🍷 Sauternes
- Offspring
- 🍇 Catawba, 🍇 Flora
Frequently asked questions
What is Sémillon?
A white grape from Bordeaux, the base of the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac and of dry white wines.
Why is Sémillon good for sweet wines?
It has thin skins, and noble rot develops easily on the berries, concentrating sugar.
Where else is Sémillon grown?
In Australia, especially the Hunter Valley, and in other countries.
Similar
🍇 Muscadelle · 🍇 Sauvignon Blanc · 🍇 Merlot · 🍇 Sauvignon Gris · 🍇 Gros Verdot · 🍇 Saint-Macaire