Sauternes
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Sauternes is a Bordeaux appellation on the left bank of the Ciron river, producing exclusively botrytized dessert wines from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle. The convergence of the cool Ciron with the warmer Garonne generates the morning mists that encourage Botrytis cinerea, the noble rot that concentrates sugars and acids in the grapes. The 1855 Classification divided the appellation into crus, placing Chateau d'Yquem alone in the Premier Cru Supérieur category, with estates like Chateau Suduiraut and Chateau Guiraud ranked among the Premiers Crus Classés. Vintages here span decades of cellaring potential, from Guiraud's 2009 and Suduiraut's 2008 and 2011 half-bottles representing approachable expressions of the appellation, to the legendary Chateau d'Yquem 1997 and 2003, vintages widely regarded among the most celebrated in Sauternes history.
Description
Sauternes is a Bordeaux appellation on the left bank of the Ciron river, producing exclusively botrytized dessert wines from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle. The convergence of the cool Ciron with the warmer Garonne generates the morning mists that encourage Botrytis cinerea, the noble rot that concentrates sugars and acids in the grapes. The 1855 Classification divided the appellation into crus, placing Chateau d'Yquem alone in the Premier Cru Supérieur category, with estates like Chateau Suduiraut and Chateau Guiraud ranked among the Premiers Crus Classés. Vintages here span decades of cellaring potential, from Guiraud's 2009 and Suduiraut's 2008 and 2011 half-bottles representing approachable expressions of the appellation, to the legendary Chateau d'Yquem 1997 and 2003, vintages widely regarded among the most celebrated in Sauternes history.
