Sauternes Wine Region

 

Sauternes, Bordeaux, France as a Wine Region

(saw-TURN & BAR-sak)
Liquid Gold
The regions of Sauternes & Barsac are both located southeast of Graves, almost directly south of St-Émilion, and hug the Garonne River as it curves. Both areas are dedicated to producing sweet, white wines. The rains, the mists, the humidity and the climate, all help foster the necessary mold that leads to the unfortified, but lusciously sweet wines produced there. Notable Facts
Semillon is the primary grape here as it takes well to bortrytis, also known as "noble rot." Sauvignon Blanc is used in the blend to add acidity to the richer, thinker Semillon. The process for making the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac is long, labored and costly. Adter it has reached maximum ripeness, the Semillon grapes are left on the vine until they are infected with botrytis. This helpful mold then shrivels the grapes, concentrating the sugars but maintaining the acids. Weather is not always agreeable and berries must be picked at just the right moment, all by hand. The grapes yeild less juice than dry wines, due to their shriveled and concentrated state. Some houses, like the famed Chateau Yquem, will not make a wine in a less-than-perfect year. All these factors lead to highly prized, and often expensive, wine. However, the taste is well worth it. In the palate the wines of Sauternes & Barsac are luscious and sweet, yet with the balanced acidity to keep them from being too cloying or candied. Wines with the Sauternes AC must be sweet - dry wines are labeled under the Graves or Bordeaux AC. Barsac wines may be labeled either Barsac AC or Sauternes AC. Typically, Barsac wines are a little lighter in body and less intense than Sauternes.

France as a Wine Country

Capital: Paris
Currency: Euro

When it comes to wine, France is a classic. Classic blends, grapes and styles began in the country and they still remain. Think about it - people ask for a Burgundian style Pinot Noir, they refer to wines as Bordeaux or Rhone blends - Champagne even had to pass a law to stop international wineries from putting their region on the label of all sparkling wine.
The top regions of France are: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Rhone. And these regions are so diverse! It makes sense that wine regions throughout the world try to emulate their style. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are no longer French varieties, but international varieties. They may not be the leader of cutting edge technology or value-priced wines, but there is no doubt that they are still producing wines of great quality and diversity.



Wines from Sauternes Region

Wine£
2003 Chateau Rabaud Promis Sauternes, 1er Cru Classé, half

Honeyed, mouthfilling sweetness with hints of marmalade and lingering dry complexity. Save..
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20.00
2005 Ch la Chartreuse,Sauternes

Full bodied, honeyed peach and apricot fruit. Richly sweet but not cloying...
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15.00
2006 Ch la Chartreuse, Sauternes

Full bodied, honeyed peach and apricot fruit. Richly sweet but not cloying...
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15.00
Château d'Yquem 2003 Sauternes, 1er Cru Classé

Jancis Robinson said of the 2003 Sauternes, "I found this group of wines one of the m..
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195.00
Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2006 De Bortoli

When Penfolds said they were looking to make the white equivalent of their world famous 'G..
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18.99
1996 Château d'Arche 37.5cl Sauternes AOC 2'me Cru Classé

An unctuous wine due to the high percentage of Semillon in the blend. Luminous yellow and ..
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20.00
Haut Sauternes Blanc 1955 Paul Zuger half bottle

This half bottle of sweet white wine from the excellent 1955 vintage is a medium golden w..
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80.00
Chateau La Tour Blanche 1948 1ere Cru Classe Sauternes

This fabulous sweet white wine from the good 1948 vintage has a fabulous honeyed golden co..
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210.00
Chateau d' Yquem 1958 Sauternes

This d'Yquem is rich and ripe with a singed caramel nose and taste and has a hot fat f..
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498.00
Chateau d' Yquem 1950 Sauternes

This d'Yquem is rich and ripe with a singed caramel nose and taste and has a hot fat f..
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490.00
Chateau d' Yquem 1941 Sauternes

This very rare Yquem has good colour with a singed raisiny tangy nose. It is rich and asse..
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940.00
Chateau Gilette 1947 Doux Sauternes

This rare sweet white wine from the outstanding 1947 vintage is sweet fat and concentrate..
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360.00
Chateau Rayne Vigneau 1948 Sauternes 1ere Grand Cru Classe

This sweet white Sauternes wine from the good 1948 vintage is an deep orange amber colour ..
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150.00
Chateau d' Yquem 1957 Sauternes

This stunning sweet white wine is orange brown in colour and is full-bodied harmonious an..
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600.00
Chateau d' Yquem 1921 Sauternes

Tasting Note: A colossus. Perhaps the most staggeringly rich Yquem of all time certainly ..
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999.99
Chateau Filhout 1937 2eme Cru Class Sauternes

This sweet white wine from the outstanding 1937 vintage has a rich golden colour and is cr..
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280.00
Chateau Lamothe Guignard 1995 2eme Grand Cru Classe Sauternes

From the very good 1995 vintage this delightful sweet white wine possesses a waxy honeye..
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50.00
Chateau Doisy Daene 1996 Grand Cru Classe Sauternes

Scoring 86/100 Parker points and from the outstanding 1996 vintage this stunning sweet wh..
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50.00
Chateau d' Yquem 1945 Sauternes

From the outstanding 1945 vintage this very rare Yquem scored 91/100 Parker points and is..
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999.99
Chateau Raymond Lafon 1971 Sauternes

This sweet white wine from the excellent 1971 vintage is buttercup yellow and has lovely f..
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150.00


Subregions in Sauternes

Region

Hotels in France

Hotel£
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