SAUTERNES AOC AND SWEET WINES
Sauternes, 40 miles (65km) south the city of Bordeaux, is a village famous for its high-quality sweet wines. Although some wineries here produce dry wines, they sell them under appellations other than the sweet-specific Sauternes appellation. The village is surrounded on all sides by vineyards, the best of which produce some of the world's most prestigious, long-lived and expensive dessert wines. A half-bottle of top-quality, aged Sauternes wine from a good vintage can command prices in excess of US$1000.
The classic Sauternes wine has an intense golden color (darker than most other dessert wines), which turns a deep amber as it ages in its bottle. The aromas include blossom and stone fruit, with a hint of honeysuckle – the trademark of botrytized, "noble rot" wines. The best wines balance sweetness with acidity, concentration with freshness and power with elegance.
Sauternes wines are made mostly from the Semillon grape variety, which accounts for about eight in every 10 vines in this area. Sauvignon Blanc accounts for much of the rest and is the dominant variety in just a small handful of Sauternes wines.
The classic Sauternes wine has an intense golden color (darker than most other dessert wines), which turns a deep amber as it ages in its bottle. The aromas include blossom and stone fruit, with a hint of honeysuckle – the trademark of botrytized, "noble rot" wines. The best wines balance sweetness with acidity, concentration with freshness and power with elegance.
Sauternes wines are made mostly from the Semillon grape variety, which accounts for about eight in every 10 vines in this area. Sauvignon Blanc accounts for much of the rest and is the dominant variety in just a small handful of Sauternes wines.
CHATEAU CHERCHY DESQUEYROUX GRAVES SUPERIEURES AOC
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CHATEAU SAINT VINCENT SAUTERNES AOC
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