Video about Sauternes on my YouTube channel.
The legendary Sauternes, the white pearl of Bordeaux, is often hailed as the greatest sweet wine in the world—and rightfully so. Even today, despite a decline in demand for sweet wines, Sauternes maintains its prestigious status.
But what gives Sauternes its exceptional taste and high price?
The secret lies in a unique combination of Noble Rot (Botrytis cinerea), the distinctive climate of the Sauternes region, and the meticulous work of winemakers.
The taste of naturally sweet wines (apart from varietal characteristics) depends on the technique used to retain high sugar levels during production. For high-quality sweet wines, grapes must accumulate so much sugar that fermentation halts naturally before all the sugar is converted into alcohol.
There are four primary methods for achieving this, all based on removing water from the grapes to concentrate sugar and aromas—each method imparting its own distinct character to the wine. You can find more detailed information about this here.
However, the rarest, most labor-intensive, and hardest to control method is the use of Noble Rot (Botrytis cinerea).
The mold Botrytis cinerea is not uncommon in vineyards—it appears on grape berries frequently. However, among winemakers, it goes by two different names, depending on the conditions.
Grey Rot: If Botrytis develops before the grapes fully ripen—especially in damp, rainy conditions—it destroys the harvest. Winemakers actively combat it in this form.
Noble Rot: Under very specific conditions, this harmful enemy transforms into a most valuable player. When Botrytis infects fully ripened grapes under a long, dry autumn, with sunny days and cool, foggy mornings, it enhances the grapes rather than destroying them.
The fungus pierces the grape skins, causing water to evaporate. That leads to concentrated sugar, acidity, and flavors. It also imparts unique aromas of honey and dried tropical fruits to the wine.
Conditions for Noble Rot do not occur every year, nor does every vine or every grape bunch get affected.
Because of this, botrytized grapes must be hand-harvested, bunch by bunch, making the production very limited and expensive.
Regions with the perfect climate for Noble Rot are extremely rare. Even in such locations, favorable conditions alone are not enough to produce wine from botrytized grapes. As a result, there are just a few truly great botrytized wines—and one of them is Sauternes.
The Graves wine region, located south of Bordeaux, contains two neighboring sub-regions: Sauternes and Barsac. Like the rest of Bordeaux, these areas have been producing wine since the Roman Empire. However, until the 17th century, they produced mostly dry red wines. At the time, England was the primary importer of Bordeaux wines, and the English preferred dry claret.
That changed in the 17th century, when Dutch merchants turned their attention to Bordeaux. The Dutch had a long tradition of trading sweet German wines, but Germany’s Thirty Years’ War had devastated the economy—and its vineyards. Seeking an alternative source, the Dutch recognized that Sauternes had the ideal conditions for producing late-harvest sweet wines.
Bringing white grape varieties and winemaking techniques from Germany, the Dutch modified the region’s production. By the end of the 17th century, Sauternes had already earned a reputation for exceptional sweet white wines.
The late-harvest method is a traditional technique for crafting high-quality sweet wines. It relies on a long, warm, and dry autumn. Once the grapes fully ripen, they are left on the vine for several weeks, slowly losing water and developing higher sugar concentration and richer aromas.
For wines made with Noble Rot, the process requires an even more delicate balance:
Warm, dry days – Necessary for proper ripening and concentration of sugar.
Cool, foggy mornings – Essential to activate Noble Rot, allowing it to pierce the grape skins and enhance complexity.
Limited moisture – Just enough for Noble Rot to thrive, but not too much, or it turns into Grey Rot, which destroys the harvest.
The Graves region, on the left bank of the Garonne River, enjoys a long, warm autumn, similar to the rest of Bordeaux. However, Sauternes and Barsac have a crucial geographical advantage: a small tributary, the Ciron River, feeds into the Garonne. The Ciron’s water is colder than the Garonne’s, creating cool morning fogs that blanket the vineyards of Sauternes and Barsac. These fogs are essential for the development of Noble Rot, making this region one of the few places in the world where botrytized wines can be produced more or less consistently.
It is unclear whether the winemakers of Sauternes were using Noble Rot before the 18th century, or if they were simply producing late-harvest wines. However, by that time, the practice of botrytized winemaking was already well known in Germany and Hungary (Tokaji). Additionally, some historical documents referencing Sauternes mention a “secret technology,” suggesting that botrytized grapes were adopted relatively early in the region.
By the late 18th century, Sauternes wines had gained worldwide fame. In 1787, Thomas Jefferson visited Château d’Yquem, the most prestigious estate in Sauternes. He declared its wine the best white wine in France and promptly ordered 250 bottles of the 1784 vintage for George Washington and himself.
Today, the Sauternes wine region consists of five communes: Barsac, Sauternes, Bommes, Fargues, and Preignac. All five are allowed to produce wine under the Sauternes AOC. However, Barsac has the unique right to label its wines under its own Barsac AOC, as its vineyards—located on the west bank of the Ciron River—have unique soils, producing wines that are lighter-bodied compared to the rest of Sauternes.
The classification system for Sauternes wines differs from that of the rest of Bordeaux. Instead of the complex ranking system used for red wines, Sauternes wines are divided into only two categories: Deuxièmes Crus – 15 wineries, and Premiers Crus – 11 wineries.
There is a single exception: Château d’Yquem, which was given its own exclusive classification, Premier Cru Supérieur, due to its unmatched prestige. No other Bordeaux estate holds such a high status.
Sauternes and Barsac use the same white grape varieties as the rest of Bordeaux, but their proportions in the final blend differ significantly.
Sémillon – The dominant variety, covering 80% of all vineyards. Its thin skin makes it highly susceptible to Botrytis cinerea, which enhances the wine’s complexity. Sémillon contributes a rich structure with flavors of beeswax and apricots.
Sauvignon Blanc – Adds herbal aromas and acidity, providing the freshness needed to balance the sweetness of Sémillon.
Muscadelle & Sauvignon Gris – Used in small amounts to add additional aromatic complexity.
After the grapes fully ripen, they are left on the vine for several weeks, giving Noble Rot a chance to develop. However, in some years, Botrytis fails to appear at all. When this happens, the grapes are used to produce dry white wine under the Bordeaux AOC, rather than Sauternes AOC. While rare, such years do occur—for example, in 2012, Château d’Yquem did not release any Sauternes due to unfavorable weather conditions.
If rainfall is excessive, Noble Rot can turn into Grey Rot, which destroys the grapes entirely. Additionally, because Botrytis develops unevenly, vineyard workers must hand-pick the botrytized grapes over multiple passes throughout the harvest season, selecting only the grapes in the right condition.
The combination of weather risks, the possibility of losing an entire harvest, and labor-intensive hand-harvesting by skilled workers all contribute to the high price of Sauternes.
For grapes to develop the ideal sugar concentration, they must remain on the vine long enough for Noble Rot to reduce their water content significantly. According to regulations, grapes for Sauternes must reach a minimum sugar concentration of 221 grams per liter—considerably higher than the 162 g/L required for dry white Bordeaux.
This high sugar content ensures that some residual sugar remains in the wine after fermentation. While Sauternes must have a minimum alcohol content of 13% ABV, its level of sweetness is not strictly regulated. Instead, each batch is evaluated by experts to confirm that it meets the necessary sweetness and balance requirements. On average, Sauternes contains between 120 and 220 g/L of residual sugar, making it an exceptionally sweet wine.
At a certain stage during fermentation, the wine is transferred to new oak barrels, where fermentation continues. While dry white wine typically requires a few weeks for fermentation, fermentation of the Sauternes can take up to a year, as the yeast are inhibited by high concentration of sugar.
Once fermentation is complete, Sauternes undergoes barrel aging for 18 to 36 months, exclusively in new oak barrels. After aging in barrels, the wine is bottled and continues to develop further in bottles.
While Sauternes can be enjoyed young, it is a wine that truly benefits from aging. Depending on the vintage, Sauternes reaches its peak maturity from 5 to 40 years, though some exceptional wines can age for over 100 years. The older the Sauternes, the more complex and rich its flavor profile becomes.
Young Sauternes have a vibrant golden hue, which deepens over time, eventually turning into a rich amber color.
The signature aromas of Sauternes include: honey, apricot, peach, ginger, tropical fruit, and spices. With age additional notes of nuts and dried fruits emerge.
Sauternes is best served chilled, ideally at 6-10°C (42-50°F). Older Sauternes should be served at a slightly higher temperature.
Sweet Sauternes with its rich taste can be enjoyed perfectly on its own.
Meanwhile, thanks to its high sweetness balanced by refreshing acidity, Sauternes pairs beautifully with rich, salty, and even spicy foods.
Classic pair with Sauternes is Foie gras – the buttery texture and savory depth of foie gras create a perfect contrast to the wine’s sweetness.
Other excellent pairings are roast chicken with creamy sauce, blue cheese (such as Roquefort or Stilton), oysters, spicy Asian cuisine
For those who prefer to pair Sauternes with desserts, it is best to choose light, citrus-based pastries such as Lemon tart or Meringue
Sauternes is known for its premium quality and high price, but enjoying a good bottle doesn’t necessarily require robbing a bank. While the legendary Château d’Yquem can cost up to $1,000 per bottle, excellent Sauternes from less renowned but still reputable Châteaux can be found for as little as $30 per 375ml half-bottle (the standard bottle size for Sauternes). Younger vintages are typically less expensive while still offering a delightful tasting experience for sweet wine enthusiasts.
However, be aware of misleading labelling.
In the United States, a sweet dessert wine labeled “sauterne” (with a lowercase “s” and no “s” at the end) is produced, but it has no connection to authentic Sauternes from France. This is merely an attempt to make money on the prestige of the famous French name.
The primary producers of this American “sauterne” include Kedem, Pleasant Valley and Taylor Family from New York), and Californian La Salle. Not only is this wine unrelated to real Sauternes, but Kedem’s version isn’t even sweet—it’s a dry wine!
