Wine for sale: Sauternes

Located on the Left Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, Sauternes lies adjacent to the Barsac and Cérons appellations. Its vineyards are found in several villages or communes, including Barsac, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac and Sauternes. The morning mists created by the Garonne and Ciron rivers and the sunny afternoons in early autumn allow noble rot or botrytis cinerea to develop on the grapes. This withers the berries and concentrates their sugars. The bunches are hand-picked so as to avoid selecting those affected by grey rot, which causes defects in the wines. The residual sugar content of Sauternes wines is often very high, at around 150 g/L, making them sweet or lusciously sweet wines. When tasting, the wines reveal aromas of ripe fruits such as peach, quince and tropical fruit, as well as honey, caramel and orange zest. The 1855 classification of crus classés includes 27 Sauternes and Barsac wines. Just one wine bears the title of premier cru supérieur – the iconic Château d'Yquem. Some of the finest premier crus are Château La Tour Blanche, Château Rieussec, Château Rayne Vigneau, Château Suduiraut and Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey. At softer price points, look out for Château de Fargues, Château Gilette and Château Raymond Lafon.