wine regions where infection with noble rot is a frequent occurrence. Even so, production is a hit-or-miss proposition, with widely varying harvests from vintage to vintage. Wines from Sauternes, especially the Premier Cru Supérieur estate Château d'Yquem, can be very expensive, largely due to the very high cost of production. Barsac lies within Sauternes and is entitled to use either name. Somewhat similar but less expensive and typically less-distinguished wines are produced in the neighboring regions of Monbazillac, Cérons, Loupiac and Cadillac. In the United States, there is a semi-generic label for sweet white dessert wines known as sauterne without the "s" at the end and uncapitalized.[1]
History
A 1999 Sauternes from La Tour Blanche. This winery was classed Premier Cru in 1855
As in most of France,
yeast that stimulates fermentation, eventually bringing it to a halt with high levels of sugars still in the wine. The Dutch began to identify areas that could produce grapes well suited for white wine production, and soon homed in on the area of Sauternes. The wine produced from this area was known as vins liquoreux, but it is not clear if the Dutch were actively using nobly rotted grapes at this point.[3]
Wine expert
Hugh Johnson has suggested that the unappealing thought of drinking wine made from fungus-infested grapes may have caused Sauternes producers to keep the use of Botrytis a secret. There are records from the 17th century that by October, Sémillon grapes were known to be infected by rot and vineyard workers had to separate rotted and clean berries, but they are incomplete in regard to whether the rotted grapes were used in winemaking. By the 18th century, the practice of using nobly rotted grapes in Germany and the Tokaji region of Hungary was well known. It seems that at this point the "unspoken secret" was more widely accepted and the reputation of Sauternes rose to rival those of the German and Hungarian dessert wines.[4]
By the end of the 18th century, the region's reputation for Sauternes was internationally known: Thomas Jefferson was an avid connoisseur.[5] Jefferson recorded that after tasting a sample of Château d'Yquem while President, George Washington immediately placed an order for 30 dozen bottles.[4]
Climate and geography
The village of Sauternes
Like most of the Bordeaux wine region, the Sauternes region has a
spring which has cooler waters than the Garonne. In the autumn, when the climate is warm and dry, the different temperatures from the two rivers meet to produce mist that descends upon the vineyards from evening to late morning. This condition promotes the development of the Botrytis cinerea fungus. By midday, the warm sun will help dissipate the mist and dry the grapes to keep them from developing less favorable rot.[5]
Wine regions
The Sauternes wine region comprises five
alcohol level and pass a tasting exam where the wines need to taste noticeably sweet. There is no regulation on the exact amount of residual sugar that the wines need to have.[5]
Unlike the red wines of the Médoc, which received five degrees (from Premier Cru to Cinquième Cru), the Sauternes and Barsac wines were classified in two: Premiers Crus and Deuxièmes Crus. In order to recognize the special prestige and extremely high price of the wines from the Château d'Yquem winery, its wines were classified as Premier Cru Supérieur. No other winery in the Bordeaux wine area, whether red or sweet, has received the classification of Supérieur. Currently, there are eleven Premiers Crus and fifteen Deuxièmes Crus wineries. The commune of Barsac has the most cataloged wineries with ten, followed by Bommes and Sauternes with six each, Fargues with three and Preignac with two.[7]
Among the outstanding wineries in the Sauternes region, it is worth mentioning the Château d'Yquem, the Guiraud, the Filhot, the Rayne-Vigneau, the Climens, the Coutet, and La Tour Blanche. In addition to the classified wines, there are numerous unclassified Sauternes-Barsac designation of origin wineries, such as Château de Villefranche or Château Cantegril. Many wineries also carry second brands of inferior wines, usually with names based on the château, such as La Chartreuse de Coutet (from Coutet), or Petit Vedrines (from Doisy-Védrines).[8]
Wine areas close to Sauternes, such as Cérons, Loupiac and Cadillac (and the further Monbazillac area) also tend to produce sweet botrified-style wines under their own appellation of origin, although these wines are considered to be of much lower quality than those from Sauternes.[7]
Wine style and serving
Foie gras and Sauternes
Sauternes are characterized by the balance of sweetness with the zest of acidity. Some common flavor notes include
finish can resonate on the palate for several minutes. Sauternes are some of the longest-lived wines, with premium examples from exceptional vintages properly kept having the potential to age well even beyond 100 years.[9] A Sauternes typically starts out with a golden, yellow color that becomes progressively darker as it ages. Some wine experts believe that only once the wine reaches the color of an old copper coin has it started to develop its more complex and mature flavors.[1]
Most Sauternes are sold in
paired with a variety of foods. Foie gras is a classic match.[1]
