At their best, the wines of Sauternes are otherworldly. Clara Bouffard explains how centuries of know-how, precision in the vineyards and meticulous winemaking are distilled into every precious drop.<\/p>\n
Once its most famous export, Sauternes is now Bordeaux\u2019s best-kept secret. Though it was a favourite of wine lovers like Washington and Jefferson, Sauternes is more often relegated to the status of \u201cjust a dessert wine\u201d today. But in every bottle \u2013 and half-bottle \u2013 lies an incredible human story \u2013 not to mention an accessible, fresh, diverse and enticing wine.<\/p>\n
REMARKABLE TERROIR<\/p>\n
Sauternes is tucked away in a remarkable pocket of terroir between the Garonne river and the Landes pine forest. It\u2019s almost an hour\u2019s drive south of Bordeaux city, beyond the vineyards of Pessac-L\u00e9ognan and most of Graves. There are five villages here: Sauternes, Barsac, Bommes, Preignac and Fargues. All have the right to use the Sauternes appellation; producers in Barsac are entitled to use their own appellation should they choose to do so.<\/p>\n
Like the M\u00e9doc, Sauternes was also classified in 1855, indicating its relative stature at the time. The region accounts for no fewer than 27 classified growths.<\/p>\n
With some exceptions, most properties in Sauternes remain family owned. Successive generations follow one another, working together and passing on savoir-faire. At Ch. Coutet in Barsac, Aline Baly represents the third generation of her family, working with her uncle today. \u201cWe want to maintain a balance between experience and innovation with a multi-generational and multi-cultured team,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Sauternes is a wine of miracles
At Ch. Climens \u2013 another Barsac first growth \u2013 B\u00e9r\u00e9nice Lurton took over from her father almost 30 years ago. She is still in awe of the land and the wines: \u201cIt is such a magical terroir, associated with a demanding history. The wines are transcendent: they are as deep as they are airy; and as powerful as they are subtle.\u201d
Nearby, at second growth Ch. Doisy-Da\u00ebne, Jean-Jacques Dubourdieu represents the fourth generation of his family. He is also the co-director of the Sauternes appellation. \u201cOur savoir-faire is centuries-old,\u201d he says. \u201cWe have no competition on a global scale. We produce less than one percent of overall production in Bordeaux.\u201d<\/p>\n
For such a small percentage of Bordeaux\u2019s overall output, a huge amount of work goes into making Sauternes.<\/p>\n
Harvest baskets in Sauternes, cleaned and ready for the next pass through the vineyard<\/p>\n
WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE SAUTERNES<\/p>\n
\u201cSauternes is a wine of miracles,\u201d says Aline. The idea of making wine is, for many, a romantic one. Many of us would like to believe that it\u2019s the result of magic.<\/p>\n
But producing wine of any kind is a real challenge: you have to worry about nurturing vines; warding off diseases; and enduring frost, hail, drought and floods. Then there\u2019s harvest, fermentation, maturation and bottling. And that\u2019s not to get into sales and distribution. As if all that were not intricate enough, making Sauternes has yet another challenging, but crucial, step: the development and action of botrytis or \u201cnoble rot\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSweet wine production is by essence even more risky and unpredictable than any other agricultural work,\u201d says B\u00e9r\u00e9nice. Yields for Sauternes and Barsac in 2020 were very low, just 12.3 hl\/ha, compared with 17 hl\/ha for sweet Bordeaux overall.<\/p>\n
What may sound like a herculean task to the ordinary consumer is very much the norm at the ch\u00e2teaux. That Sauternes has a rich heritage and exceptional terroir is well understood. Listening to producers, it becomes clear that making Sauternes goes beyond the workmanlike management of natural hazards. The producers love these golden wines, and their passion is what it really takes to make Sauternes. But passion means nothing if it cannot be shared.<\/p>\n
A GUIDE TO OPTIMUM INDULGENCE<\/p>\n
Traditionally, sweet-wine pairings with food have been limited to foie gras or dessert. But in recent years, consumption patterns have changed. New trends have emerged, revealing Sauternes\u2019 incredible gastronomic versatility. These wines are known for their delicate balance between sweetness and acidity, earning them a place at the dinner table. If you haven\u2019t yet given them a chance, these wines will surprise and charm you.
Lighter or younger vintages pair especially well with savoury food. Iberico ham, oysters and foie gras would make a dazzling tapas trio. But there are many more options of charcuterie and seafood that would work just as well.
\u201cI specifically enjoy Climens as an ap\u00e9ritif,\u201d says B\u00e9r\u00e9nice, who also has a penchant for food-and-wine pairings, especially with spices and cheese. Spicy food and Asian cuisine paired with Sauternes will bring out the best of those sweet and sour flavours.<\/p>\n
Aline particularly enjoys Sauternes with cheese: \u201cDon\u2019t be surprised to find me with a glass of Coutet and a cheese platter, enjoying a book in my hammock.\u201d The wonders of blue cheese and aged Sauternes together are well known. But other styles, such as – but certainly not limited to \u2013 mature Comt\u00e9 or Gouda, work beautifully too.<\/p>\n
The wines are transcendent: they are as deep as they are airy and as powerful as they are subtle.
The key is contrast and balance. And the beauty is that, once opened, a bottle will easily keep for three weeks in the fridge. With desserts, best practice is to avoid pairing wines with anything too rich or too sweet. Fruit-dominant desserts, such as a lemon meringue tart, will perfectly balance the sweetness and acidity.<\/p>\n
At Doisy-Da\u00ebne, the Dubourdieu family enjoy all of the above, as well as poultry and pork pairings, too. But simplicity sometimes prevails, and they\u2019ll enjoy a glass \u201cin lieu of dessert, or on its own to celebrate good news,\u201d says Jean-Jacques.<\/p>\n
Serving Sauternes on ice with a slice of orange, or as part of a cocktail, is a more contemporary approach. Indeed, it\u2019s a local favourite becoming widely adopted in Sauternes, where hospitality and wine tourism are growing.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur region is magnificent,\u201d says Jean-Jacques, \u201cand there\u2019s a boom in wine tourism.\u201d New generations are taking the lead \u2013 investing in hotels, restaurants and wine-tourism activities offering a complete epicurean experience. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing time to be in our region,\u201d says Aline.
From speaking with Aline, B\u00e9r\u00e9nice and Jean-Jacques, it\u2019s clear that the wines of Sauternes are borne of passion. Often overlooked, this is a style of wine which is traditional yet surprisingly modern. These golden wines are exhilarating and otherworldly; their exotic perfume and sweet, spicy and refreshing flavours have the power to entice and enrapture newcomers and connoisseurs alike<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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