Sauternes appellation wine
Sauternes appellation wine

Sauternes Appellation

Create an alert

To the south of Bordeaux, on the left bank of the Garonne, the Sauternes appellation extends the great family of Bordeaux wines with its exclusively sweet wines. Its clay-gravel terroirs border the Ciron, whose autumnal mists trigger noble rot on a grape blend led by sémillon, supported by sauvignon blanc and muscadelle. Its hierarchy has been ordered since 1855 through the classed growths of Sauternes, from the premier cru supérieur to the seconds crus.

This concentration by botrytis produces amber-hued wines of rare density, balancing sugar, lively acidity and candied fruits, destined for decades of cellaring. Château Suduiraut 1985 illustrates its truffle-laden richness, while Château Climens 2007 unfolds the chiselled finesse of Barsac. The 2001 vintage, the absolute reference of the Sauternais, and the 2009 wine rank among its most revelatory years.

  Read more
Read more
Create an alert
Learn more about the Sauternes appellation

Learn more about the Sauternes appellation
Crus Classés of Sauternes

Crus Classés of Sauternes
Grands Crus Classés of Bordeaux

Grands Crus Classés of Bordeaux
Discover the preparation of your order

Discover the preparation of your order

Filtrer

Château

Products (81)

Filter
1 2 3

Receive our latest arrivals of Sauternes Appellation by email!

Sign up and be the first to know about new arrivals.

The F.A.Q

What is the Sauternes appellation?

The Sauternes appellation refers to sweet wines produced south of Bordeaux, on the left bank of the Garonne. It is world-renowned for its wines made from noble rot, offering richness, elegance and exceptional ageing potential.

Why is Sauternes a unique sweet wine?

The unique character of Sauternes comes from the combination of its terroir, microclimate and the development of botrytis cinerea. The autumnal mists generated by the Ciron promote the over-ripening of the grapes, naturally concentrating sugars and aromas.

What are the greatest châteaux of the Sauternes appellation?

The Sauternes appellation is among the most prestigious estates in Bordeaux. Some châteaux stand out for their history, the consistency of their quality and their ability to produce wines with very long ageing potential. Among the essential references are Château d'Yquem, the only Premier Cru Supérieur, as well as emblematic Premiers Grands Crus Classés such as Château Suduiraut, Château Coutet, Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey and Château Climens, all recognised for the finesse, complexity and longevity of their sweet wines.

Birth and history of the Sauternes appellation

The Sauternais vineyard was shaped over the centuries around an idea that long seemed counter-intuitive: allowing the grapes to become covered by a fungus rather than harvesting them in perfect health. It was the northern European markets, with their appetite for sweet wines, that from the early modern period onwards encouraged the production of rich whites capable of withstanding long journeys. In the 19th century, the vinification of grapes affected by noble rot became firmly established in the region and set the style that would make it famous. Recognition came in 1855: at the request of the Paris Universal Exhibition, an official classification ranked the growths of Sauternes and Barsac, placing one estate at the very summit. The Sauternes appellation d'origine contrôlée was subsequently recognised in 1936, among the very first French AOCs, enshrining its production area and its rules in law.

Terroir, the Ciron and noble rot in Sauternes

The appellation extends across five communes on the left bank of the Garonne — Sauternes, Barsac, Bommes, Preignac and Fargues — over a vineyard of approximately 1,700 hectares. The secret of the place lies in a small river, the Ciron: its cool waters, shaded by the forest, meet the warmer Garonne and produce, on autumn mornings, mists that blanket the vines. This humidity, followed by sunny afternoons, encourages the development of a fungus, Botrytis cinerea, known here as noble rot. Far from damaging the grape, it pierces the skin and causes it to dehydrate: the water evaporates while the sugar and aromas concentrate. The soils, a mixture of gravel (pebbles and grit that drain water and retain heat), clay and limestone, create nuances between sectors, with the commune of Barsac distinguished by more calcareous soils that tend to yield livelier wines. To explore further, our blog article dedicated to the Sauternes appellation explains these mechanisms in detail.

Grape varieties and style of Sauternes wines

Three white grape varieties make up Sauternes wines. Sémillon, the dominant variety by far, provides body, roundness and this predisposition to noble rot; sauvignon blanc adds freshness and lively citrus notes; muscadelle, more discreet, completes the palette with a floral touch. The harvest here is a painstaking exercise: the pickers pass through the rows several times over several weeks, selecting only the grains concentrated by botrytis, bunch by bunch — these successive passes are called tries. A large quantity of grapes is required to produce a single bottle, which explains the rarity of these wines. In the glass, a young Sauternes shines with a golden robe, over aromas of candied fruits, apricot, mango and quince; as it ages, it takes on amber hues and grows more complex with notes of honey, dried fruits, saffron and beeswax. It is served chilled, to accompany foie gras, blue-veined cheeses, a cream-based poultry dish, certain spiced cuisines or a lightly sweetened dessert.

Classed growths and hierarchy of Sauternes (1855 classification)

Sauternes shares with the Médoc the distinction of a historic classification established in 1855, specific to sweet wines. Its structure is straightforward: at the summit stands a single growth, distinguished as premier cru supérieur, the only property to hold this rank above all others. Then come the premiers crus, around ten estates of the very highest standing, followed by the seconds crus, equally worthy of interest. One geographical peculiarity is worth noting: properties situated in Barsac may choose to claim either the Barsac or the Sauternes appellation, meaning that several celebrated classed growths belong to both at once. This hierarchy, almost unchanged for more than a century and a half, remains a reliable guide for understanding the reputation of the great wines of the appellation.

Cellaring potential and great vintages of Sauternes

Few white wines stand the test of time like a great Sauternes. Thanks to the combination of sugar, acidity and concentration, the finest cuvées keep for several decades, with the greatest vintages still drinking beautifully after fifty years or more. A young sweet wine charms with its vibrant fruit; with age, it gains in depth, its aromas evolving towards honey, truffle and dried fruits, while its colour deepens. Quality depends greatly on the vintage, as noble rot establishes itself generously only in certain years: the Sauternais thus boasts legendary vintages, long celebrated by international critics, as well as some very fine more recent years. The 1990 vintage is among these benchmarks; to place each year in context, our vintage ratings guide offers a practical point of reference.

Iconic châteaux and estates of Sauternes

The appellation's renown rests on a constellation of properties. At the summit, Château d'Yquem, the sole premier cru supérieur, embodies the absolute pinnacle of the genre. Around it orbit great premiers crus such as Château Guiraud, Château Coutet and Château de Rayne Vigneau, joined by Château Rabaud Promis, heir to a vast historic estate. Without featuring in the 1855 classification, Château de Fargues has raised itself through its exacting standards to the level of the greatest. Among the second growths and estates of character, Château Doisy Daene and Château Filhot perpetuate a precise and distinguished style, while Château Raymond-Lafon, a neighbour of Yquem, has built a solid reputation. Together, these estates reflect the diversity and the excellence of the Sauternes appellation.

Read more