Rotten grapes, honeyed sips: A look at the sweet wines of Sauternes
Better known for its red wines, the region of Bordeaux also produces a luscious sweet white wine known as Sauternes, an ambrosia made with the help of a fungus.
Winemakers like to describe their vineyards as a microcosm; a little universe in which flora and fauna co-exist and sometimes conflict with each other. A simpler way of looking at it is to think of the vineyard as a town in the Wild West where there’s a melange of good guys and bad guys; strong ones and weak ones, each playing a role that has an impact, for better or worse, on their community.
Among insects, there are beneficial ones and harmful ones. For example, ladybugs are considered helpful insects as they feed on aphids and moth eggs on vine leaves and grapes, preventing infestation in the vineyards.
Like in any Old West tale, there’s always a mysterious antihero who straddles the line, a character with ambiguous morals and intentions; a “Man with No Name”, so to speak. In the vineyard, this role goes to a fungus, which has a name — botrytis cinerea. Botrytis cinerea — commonly referred to as botrytis rot — is widely considered a winemaker’s nightmare. When conditions are wet and humid in the vineyard, for instance, after a rainy spell, botrytis spores attack the grapes, penetrating their skins. If the wet conditions persist, the fungal infections spread and worsen, threatening the entire crop. By this stage, the fruit is sheathed in an ugly grey mould known as grey rot.
Occasionally, depending on certain circumstances, botrytis turns from foe to friend. If the botrytised grapes encounter dry conditions after the wet spell, the fungal infection stops spreading. Water evaporates from the shrivelled fruit’s cracked skin, leaving a higher concentration of sugar and flavours in the grapes (picture a cup with equal parts water and honey, the latter at the bottom, and now with the water component drained away). The fungus also produces glycerol, which lends a silky texture to the wine, as well as laccase, an enzyme that gives the wine a deep golden hue and delicious notes of caramel. A gift from nature, this beneficial form of botrytis is known as noble rot.
White wines made from noble rot are rich, luscious, and honeyed, and thus typically served as dessert wines. (While one can make sweet wines from botrytised red or black grapes, this is rare as dark-skinned grapes infected by the fungus tend to taste unpleasant.) Given the varying degrees of noble rot on the grapes, winemakers have to hand-harvest the berries to select the ones most affected by the fungus.
Botrytised wines are made in several wine regions across the world, such as Hungary, where the wines are known as Tokay, after the region of Tokaj; Germany and Austria, where the wines are categorised as beerenauslese and trockenbeerenauslese; and France’s Loire Valley and Bordeaux.
It is in Bordeaux — a region more commonly known for its top red wines — that the botrytised wine, known as Sauternes, has made a reputation as the world’s finest noble rot ambrosia and one of the most sought-after liquids by wine lovers. Named after the appellation in Bordeaux’s Graves subregion, Sauternes is made from Semillion, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes affected by noble rot.
“Sauternes has paved the way by setting the highest standard for winemakers to emulate in the world of sweet winemaking,” said Justin Wee, chef sommelier of Raffles Hotel Singapore’s La Dame de Pic.
SWEET WINES THAT AGE WELL
The Sauternes region is located near two rivers, the Garonne and the Ciron, which bring a morning mist to the vineyards. In the afternoons, the warm sun clears the mist and dries the grapes, allowing noble rot to develop.
Sauternes wines can be expensive, with prices ranging from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. What makes the wine costly?
“One tends to forget how incredibly difficult and time-consuming it is to hand-harvest botrytis-affected grapes at the optimal time,” explained Wee. “Botrytis does not affect all the grapes at the same time; it varies from bunch to bunch. [The winemaker] often needs to make many different passes through rows of vines, checking on the grapes to ensure their quality before picking them.”
The wines of Chateau d’Yquem, Bordeaux’s most famous Sauternes producer (and the only Sauternes producer to be classified as Premier Cru Superieur or “Superior First Growth” in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification), can command eye-watering prices for its old and rare vintages. In 2011, a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem 1811 was sold for an astonishing US$117,000 (S$158,000) to a French private collector based in Bali, making it the most expensive white wine ever sold outside of an auction.
“Chateau d’Yquem has a consistent ability to produce wines of unparalleled quality with an extraordinary ageing potential,” said Linda Chan, assistant general manager of fine wine distributor Grand Vin, adding that the wine can age gracefully for decades to well over a century.
In general, Sauternes wines have a longer ageing ability than dry wines as their high residual sugar and acidity act as a kind of natural preservative.
Chan said there is a misconception that Sauternes is produced only in exceptional vintages. “Sauternes’ winemakers possess expertise in managing challenging conditions even in years when noble rot may not develop extensively,” she said. “Producers carefully select botrytised grapes and blend them with healthier grapes to create a balanced wine of quality.”
Sauternes doesn’t just work as a dessert wine. Chan said its versatility allows it to be paired with foie gras, blue cheese, roasted poultry, and spicy Asian dishes. Le Dame du Pic’s Wee suggests serving the wine with a charcuterie board, calling it a “perfect pairing”.
We pick four Sauternes wines you should try.
CHATEAU D’YQUEM 2004
Chateau d’Yquem considers the 2004 to be a wine of “astonishing complexity and great freshness”. Made from a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, the wine is unctuous and honeyed, with notes of mango, grapefruit, and caramel. A fresh acidity injects the wine with some elegance.
S$540, from Grand Vin
One of the most renowned Sauternes producers, Chateau Guiraud is ranked as a Premier Cru (First Growth) in the 1855 Classification. Its wines are often considered a close rival of Chateau d’Yquem’s. The 2011 vintage offers a fine acidity alongside flavours of honey, apricot, and orange peel. It is also the estate’s first vintage to be certified organic.
S$118, from Grand Vin
Another Premier Cru-classified producer, Chateau Suduiraut makes beautiful, expressive Sauternes. The 2008 vintage flaunts a perfect balance between viscosity and acidity. The bouquet flaunts lemon and peach aromas, while the palate is a whirl of vanilla, pineapple, and honey.
S$108, from 1855 The Bottle Shop
A blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, Chateau Rieussec’s golden nectar is fresh and powerful, offering a rich profile of candied orange, vanilla, and spicy touches. The 2019 vintage also comes in a new bottle design, which was launched in 2021: The vessel is made from 95 percent recycled glass and comes with a replaceable cork closure, allowing the wine to be stored for several weeks in the fridge after opening.
S$199, from 1855 The Bottle Shop
