Examine individual changes

'{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} [[File:Yquem99.jpg|thumb|A half bottle of Sauternes from Château d'Yquem]] '''Sauternes''' is a [[French wine|French]] [[sweet wine]] from the [[Graves (wine region)#Sauternes AOC and Barsac AOC|region of the same name]] in the [[Graves (wine region)|Graves]] section in [[Bordeaux]]. Sauternes wine is made from [[sémillon]], [[sauvignon blanc]], and [[muscadelle]] [[grape]]s that have been affected by ''[[Botrytis cinerea]]'', also known as [[noble rot]]. This causes the grapes to become partially [[raisin]]ed, resulting in concentrated and distinctively flavored wines. Due to its [[climate]], Sauternes is one of the few [[List of wine producing regions|wine regions]] where infection with noble rot is a frequent occurrence. Even so, production is a hit-or-miss proposition, with widely varying [[harvest (wine)|harvest]]s from [[vintage]] to vintage. Wines from Sauternes, especially the ''Premier Cru Supérieur'' estate [[Château d'Yquem]], can be very expensive, largely due to the very high cost of production. [[Barsac, Gironde|Barsac]] lies within Sauternes and is entitled to use either name. Somewhat similar but less expensive and typically less-distinguished wines are produced in the neighboring regions of [[Monbazillac AOC|Monbazillac]], [[Cérons]], [[Loupiac, Gironde|Loupiac]] and [[Cadillac AOC|Cadillac]]. In the United States, there is a [[semi-generic]] label for sweet white dessert wines known as ''sauterne'' without the "s" at the end and uncapitalized.<ref name="Dummies pp 73-77">E. McCarthy & M. Ewing-Mulligan: ''"French Wine for Dummies"'', pp. 73-77, Wiley Publishing 2001 {{ISBN|0-7645-5354-2}}.</ref> ==History== [[File:La tour Blanche Sauternes.jpg|left|thumb|A 1999 Sauternes from La Tour Blanche. This winery was classed Premier Cru in 1855]] As in most of France, [[viticulture]] is believed to have been introduced into [[Aquitania]] by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]]. The earliest evidence of [[sweetness of wine|sweet wine]] production, however, dates only to the 17th century. While the [[English people|English]] had been the region's primary export market since the [[Middle Ages]], their tastes primarily ran to drier wines, starting with [[clairet]] in medieval times and eventually shifting to red [[claret]].<ref name="OCW-Claret">winepros.com.au. {{cite web |last=Oxford Companion to Wine |title=Claret |url=http://www.winepros.com.au/jsp/cda/reference/oxford_entry.jsp?entry_id=710 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210071918/http://www.winepros.com.au/jsp/cda/reference/oxford_entry.jsp?entry_id=710 |archive-date=10 February 2012}}</ref> It was the [[Dutch (ethnic group)|Dutch]] traders of the 17th century who first developed an interest in white wine. For years they were active in the trade of [[German wine]]s but production in [[Germany]] began to wane in the 17th century as the German lands were affected by conflict (particularly the [[Thirty Years' War]]) and as the popularity of [[beer]] increased. The Dutch saw an opportunity for a new production source in Bordeaux and began investing in the planting of white grape varieties. They introduced to the region German white wine making techniques, such as halting [[fermentation (wine)|fermentation]] with the use of [[sulphur]] in order to maintain [[residual sugar]] levels. One of these techniques involved taking a [[candle]] (known as a "brimstone candle") with its [[Candle wick|wick]] dipped in the sulphur and burned in the barrel that the wine will be fermenting in. This would leave a presence of sulphur in the barrel that the wine would slowly interact with as it was fermenting. Being an anti-microbial agent, sulphur stuns the [[yeast (wine)|yeast]] that stimulates fermentation, eventually bringing it to a halt with high levels of sugars still in the wine. The Dutch began to identify areas that could produce grapes well suited for white wine production and soon homed in on the area of Sauternes. The wine produced from this area was known as ''vins liquoreux'' but it is not clear if the Dutch were actively using nobly rotted grapes at this point.<ref name="Johnson pp 185-188">H. Johnson: ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'', pp. 185-188. Simon and Schuster 1989 {{ISBN|0-671-68702-6}}.</ref> Wine expert [[Hugh Johnson (wine)|Hugh Johnson]] has suggested that the unappealing thought of drinking wine made from fungus-infested grapes may have caused Sauternes producers to keep the use of ''Botrytis'' a secret. There are records from the 17th century that by October, sémillon grapes were known to be infected by rot and vineyard workers had to separate rotted and clean berries, but they are incomplete in regards to whether the rotted grapes were used in [[winemaking]]. By the 18th century, the practice of using nobly rotted grapes in Germany and the [[Tokaji]] region of Hungary was well known. It seems that at this point the "unspoken secret" was more widely accepted and the reputation of Sauternes rose to rival those of the German and [[Hungarian wine|Hungarian]] dessert wines.<ref name="Johnson pp 264-266">H. Johnson: ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'', pp. 264-266, Simon and Schuster, 1989, {{ISBN|0-671-68702-6}}.</ref> By the end of the 18th century, the region's reputation for Sauternes was internationally known: [[Thomas Jefferson]] was an avid connoisseur.<ref name="Oxford pp 611-612">J. Robinson (ed): ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition, pp. 611-612. Oxford University Press 2006 {{ISBN|0-19-860990-6}}.</ref> Jefferson recorded that after tasting a sample of Château d'Yquem while [[President of the United States|President]], [[George Washington]] immediately placed an order for 30 dozen bottles.<ref name="Johnson pp 264-266"/> ==Climate and geography== [[File:Sauternes 01.jpg|right|thumb|The village of Sauternes]] Like most of the Bordeaux wine region, the Sauternes region has a [[maritime climate (wine)|maritime climate]], which brings the viticultural hazards of autumn [[frost]], [[hail]] and rains that can ruin an entire vintage. The Sauternes region is located {{convert|40|km|mi|abbr=on}} southeast of the city of [[Bordeaux]] along the [[Garonne]] river and its [[tributary]], the [[Ciron]].<ref name="Dummies pp 73-77"/> The source of the Ciron is a [[Spring (hydrosphere)|spring]] which has cooler waters than the Garonne. In the autumn, when the climate is warm and dry, the different temperatures from the two rivers meet to produce [[mist]] that descends upon the vineyards from evening to late morning. This condition promotes the development of the ''Botrytis cinerea'' fungus. By mid day, the warm sun will help dissipate the mist and dry the grapes to keep them from developing less favorable rot.<ref name="Oxford pp 611-612"/> ==Wine regions== The Sauternes wine region comprises five ''[[Communes of France|communes]]''— Barsac, Sauternes, [[Bommes]], [[Fargues, Gironde|Fargues]] and [[Preignac]]. While all five communes are permitted to use the name Sauternes, the Barsac region is also permitted to label their wines under the Barsac [[appellation]]. The Barsac region is located on the west bank of the Ciron river where the tributary meets the Garonne. The area sits on an [[alluvial]] plain with sandy and limy soils.<ref name="Oxford p 71">J. Robinson (ed): ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition, p. 71. Oxford University Press 2006 {{ISBN|0-19-860990-6}}.</ref> In general, Barsac wine is distinguished from other Sauternes in being drier with a lighter [[body (wine)|body]]; currently more Barsac producers are choosing to promote the wines under their own name.<ref name="Dummies pp 73-77"/> In years when the noble rot does not develop, Sauternes producers will often make dry white wines under the generic [[Bordeaux AOC]]. To qualify for the Sauternes label, the wines must have a minimum 13% [[alcohol level]] and pass a tasting exam where the wines need to taste noticeably sweet. There is no regulation on the exact amount of residual sugar that the wines need to have.<ref name="Oxford pp 611-612"/> Unlike the red wines of the Médoc, which received five degrees (from Premier Cru to Cinquième Cru), the Sauternes and Barsac wines were classified in two: Premiers Crus and Deuxièmes Crus. In order to recognize the special prestige and extremely high price of the wines from the Château d'Yquem winery, its wines were classified as Premier Cru Supérieur. No other winery in the Bordeaux wine area, whether red or sweet, has received the classification of Supérieur. Currently, there are eleven Premiers Crus and fifteen Deuxièmes Crus wineries. The commune of Barsac has the most cataloged wineries with ten, followed by Bommes and Sauternes with six each, Fargues with three and Preignac with two. ==Wine style and serving== [[File:Foie gras with sauternes.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Foie gras and Sauternes]] Sauternes are characterized by the balance of sweetness with the zest of acidity. Some common flavor notes include [[apricot]]s, [[honey]], [[peach]]es but with a nutty note, which is a typical characteristic of noble semillon itself (cf. Australian noble (late-harvest) semillon). The [[finish (wine)|finish]] can resonate on the palate for several minutes. Sauternes are some of longest-lived wines, with premium examples from exceptional vintages properly kept having the potential to age well even beyond 100 years.<ref name=ALE>{{cite book |last=Lichine |first=Alexis |title=Alexis Lichine's Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits |publisher=Cassell & Company Ltd. |year=1967 |location=London |pages=562–563}}</ref> A Sauternes typically starts out with a golden, yellow color that becomes progressively darker as it ages. Some wine experts believe that only once the wine reaches the color of an old [[copper]] coin has it started to develop its more complex and mature flavors.<ref name="Dummies pp 73-77"/> Several Sauternes are sold in [[wine bottle|half bottles]] of 375 [[milliliters|ml]] though larger bottles are also produced. The wines are typically [[Wine serving temperature|served chilled]] at {{convert|10|°C|°F}}, but wines older than 15 years are often served a few degrees warmer. Sauternes can be [[Wine and food matching|paired]] with a variety of foods. [[Foie gras]] is a classic match.<ref name="Dummies pp 73-77"/> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Wines}} {{French wine regions}} {{Wine by country}} {{Portal bar|Wine|France}} [[Category:Bordeaux AOCs]] [[Category:Noble rot wines]] [[Category:Dessert wine]]'