Sauternes, the exciting and interesting sweet wine from left bank Bordeaux. Made from Sauvignon Blanc and/or Semillon grapes this sweet wine is something quite special. Inarguably, it is on the higher side of the price range however, the fine-tuned detail that goes into making each bottle is good enough reason. The sweetness of the wine is a result of the grapes being affected by Botrytis Cinerea, also known as noble rot. The noble rot dries out the grapes which concentrates the flavour giving it an intense sweetness.
Sauternes's key location enhances the development of noble rot; with the national forest to the west of the region, it creates its own mesoclimate with cool temperatures, hence The River Ciron which runs through Sauternes is significantly colder than the Gironde which it flows into. When these two rivers merge the difference in temperature creates a mist that adds humidity into the air causing muggy, foggy conditions. Sauternes has around 100 days of mist a year; mother nature's gift to this unique climatic occurrence providing advantageous conditions for noble rot to develop.
The grapes grown in the vineyards must be in plantings of at least 6,500 plants per hectare and must only be picked when they weigh at least 221g/L as this leads to a naturally high level of sugar in the finished wines. Harvest always takes place by hand and can often take numerous tries making it extremely labour intensive. The grapes are graded then sorted into different barrels based on their quality.
A young Sauternes is fresh and vibrant with luscious sweetness balanced by lively acidity with flavours of lemon, stone fruits and honey and as Sauternes age they become darker in colour and become even sweeter with rich and intense honeyed orange marmalade flavours. At what age you drink your Sauternes completely depends on your personal preference. When it comes to food pairing, matching Sauternes to something sweet would be the obvious choice and yes, it really does pair well with a whole variety of puddings. Why settle for drinking this delicious wine with sweets when a whole variety of fantastic savoury pairings are crying out to be tasted. The sweetness and richness of the wine is balanced by the acidity and therefore, buttery or salty foods pair well.
Try pairing a dish with a creamy/buttery sauce to a wonderfully sweet Sauternes for a delicious combination, the sweetness of the wine cuts through the creaminess and balances out the flavours. Another classic savoury pairing is fois gras, the butteriness of the meat stands up to the richness and sweetness of the Sauternes and creates signature pairing.
Fresh seafood such as lobster or oysters and cured meats such as parma ham pair very well with Sauternes, the saltiness is a great contrast with the sweetness which allows a great pairing to be made.
A fantastic pairing is blue cheese, its creaminess and saltiness tick all the boxes making it a perfect partner to this liquid gold…
An unlikely pairing is with spicy foods however it pairs remarkably well, the Sauternes softens the heat and takes away some of the hotness leaving you with a delicious and interesting pairing.
You can find all our Sauternes wines on our website. If you wish to discuss these wines, pairings or would like more information, please email me, amy@bcfw.co.uk or call me in the office on 01325 776446.
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