Urgent! ! About this information on the Internet Questions about wine-producing regions Explain the overview and division of the Sauternes and Barsac sub-regions
The famous Sauternes sweet white wine is produced 40 kilometers south of Bordeaux. This production area is located between the left bank of the Garonne River and the vast Landes Forest. It covers an area of only about 2,200 hectares and includes five villages and towns: Sauternes, Bohm, Faguet, Panec and Barsac. The wine produced here has the right to use the AOC Sauternes designation of origin (AOC Sauternes), but the winegrowers in Barsac Village can choose to use the Sauternes name (AOC Sauternes) or their own Barsac name (AOC Barsac). . In fact, the legal technical standards for the two are the same. For Sauternes, outsiders can imitate its wine label, but they can never imitate its excellent quality as the "essence of wine": here, the yield is unimaginably low, and the unpredictable process of producing "noble rot" grapes Microclimatic conditions are even more costly. In the list of classified wineries selected for the Paris World Expo in 1855 (the third World Expo in history, also translated as "Universal Exposition" - translator's note), there were 27 Sauternes and Barsac wineries. Among them, they are the guarantee of the excellent quality of Sauternes sweet white wine. Over the past 140 years, although the owners of these wineries have changed from generation to generation, they have always kept their responsibilities in mind and carefully brewed this beautiful nectar full of legends and risks, not only to taste it themselves, but also to share it with everyone.
The "Terroir" of Sauternes: a geomantic treasure land given by God. Sauternes' unique grape-growing area consists of two parts.
On the right bank of the Chiron River, a tributary of the Garonne River, there are four villages and towns: Sauternes, Bohm, Fague and Panek. This is the legal production area of Sauternes in a narrow sense. It is located in a direction. On the east-sloping highlands, its strata consist of Tertiary oyster limestone and sandy clay marl. During the Quaternary glacial period, the formation was covered by layers of gravel brought by the Garonne River. In fact, the Garonne River has flooded and changed its course many times in history, leaving multiple riverbeds from east to west. The latest scientific data shows that the Garonne River has bifurcated many times, and the river channel is meandering: in the straight sections of the river bank, the river bed is wide, and in the twists and turns, there is more sedimentation. Later, as the climate warmed, glaciers melted, sea levels rose, water flow slowed, and alluvial layers settled. After the arrival of the new glacial period, the sea level dropped, the water flow became faster and the river bed was re-washed on the original sedimentary layer, resulting in a multi-layered and complex geological terrain here, with the highest terrain in the west, the oldest terrain, and the lowest in the east.
The gravel layer of Sauternes is several meters deep. The gravel comes from the Pyrenees and the Central Highlands of France, and is carried by the Garonne River and its tributaries. There are some large boulders one meter in diameter, which geologists believe may have been brought along with large ice blocks. In short, these pebble-like gravels, usually several centimeters in size, are mixed in layers of limestone and sandy clay, forming a unique geological feature here. Here, we can see white and pink quartz, black and green sandstone from the Pyrenees, Albian boulders, and even volcanic rocks from the Montenegro. Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau’s The landform embodies the above characteristics. Under the erosion of the river, these gravels formed gentle undulating hills on the surface, with an altitude between 15 and 60 meters, which became a local scenery. Under the irrigation of the Chiron River and its tributaries, the local soil is mainly white soil, which intensifies sunlight and is conducive to grape growth. At night, the heat stored during the day plays a role in regulating the temperature, reducing the risk of frost on the grapevines. . The vine's roots penetrate the surface soil, sometimes as much as ten meters deep, through the impermeable layer, sucking up the nutrient-rich water and salt below. The growth of grapevines thus obtains a constant ecological environment, thus avoiding drought, floods and surface fertilizers.
Comparative table of two designations of origin
Sauternes and Barsac
September 30, 1936 September 30, 1936
1550 hectares 600 hectares
2500 liters per hectare 2500 liters per hectare
Hand-harvested noble rot grapesHand-harvested noble rot grapes
At least 221 grams per liter At least 221 grams per liter
At least 13 degrees, at least 13 degrees,
Among them 12.5 degrees, of which 12.5 degrees are natural
Annual output of 3.3 million Annual output of 1.5 million liters
Wine growers in Barsac Village can choose AOC Sauternes or AOC Barsac
Barsac Village is on the left bank of the Chiron River, and the situation here is different. The local soil is also conducive to grape cultivation, but its formation is star-shaped limestone, which is similar to karst terrain and has good water permeability. River erosion has cleared away the gravel and wind-eroded sand accumulated in the early Quaternary glaciers, leaving behind large pebbles. The strong winds in the late Ice Age blew in slightly clayey sand and gravel, leaving behind the typical red earth landforms that can be seen everywhere. Therefore, the soil here is fine and the soil layer is about 40 to 50 centimeters thick, and the grape roots can easily penetrate the soil layer and penetrate deep into the limestone. This is the unique "terroir" of Barsak AOC wine.
Walking around the five villages and towns in the Sauternes production area, you will find that the best "terroir" is usually barren and dry land, and many top wineries stand on this land. . It is in the gravel hills of Sauternes and on the limestone red soil of Barsac that great sweet white wines are born.
Grape varieties: three kinds of white grapes
Glaciers, Garonne River, Chiron River, etc., all these unique natural conditions, if there were not people who grow and love white grapes here, , this "feng shui treasure land" will still be deserted. Semillon is a grape variety that likely originated in the Sauternes region and has been cultivated in the Bordeaux region for at least 400 years. During the pest and disease disaster that almost destroyed the entire Bordeaux grape growing industry from 1851 to 1885, Semillon replaced the previously dominant Sauvignon grape due to its excellent resistance to downy mildew and powdery mildew. The Semillon grape is the undisputed king of white grapes for Sauternes sweet white wines: it now accounts for 80% of the Sauternes planting area, and in some wineries, it even reaches 100%. In Sauternes and Barsac, it shows off its style. Because it does not sprout at the same time, it can withstand "late spring cold" frost very well.
During the ripening period, its slightly golden and thick skin is covered with the famous "noble mold". It is this kind of beneficial microorganism that brings us "noble rot" grapes. , its juice is delicate and aromatic, with a slight musky taste. Some sensitive people may even detect flavors of apricot, orange or smoke, which are generally considered to be signs of a good wine.
Sauvignon is the second most popular grape. It performs well in Bouillon, Sancerre and Graves, as well as in Sauternes. It buds slowly, thus avoiding the climate change in April, but it blooms and matures earlier than Semillon. Its fruit is small and round, with golden color and firm skin, which is conducive to the formation of "noble mold". Its pulp is soft and slightly musky (and has good acidity), which is a guarantee for making good wine. Therefore, Sauvignon plays an important role: among the vineyards of classified growths, Sauvignon accounts for 20% of the area. The return of Miscadelle. Although it is a local grape variety, Bordeaux do not like it. Historically, it almost disappeared because of its inherent flaw: although it has a late germination period and can escape the last frost period, it has poor resistance to powdery mildew and gray mold.
However, after it changed its previous fruit-bearing method of large clusters of cones, its slightly spotted white berries showed a good "noble rot" phenomenon, and its juice was sweet and slightly musky, fully qualified to participate in the top class. Brewing of sweet liquor. In addition to the eight wineries, the Muscatelle grape is widely planted in this region, but its planting area is small, usually only 2 to 5, and at most 12. Now, with the development of antibacterial biotechnology, Muscadelle is increasingly returning to the vineyards of some classified growths.
The selection of grape varieties is very important, as it determines the personality of the top sweet white wine. Of course, good wine also depends on the soil characteristics and unique climatic conditions of the vineyard, but in any case, choosing the right grape variety is very important.
"Noble rot grapes": a game of fog and sunshine
The Sauternes region is bathed in a mild Aquitaine climate: winters are moist and mild. The spring was wet and warm, which was good for grape budding, but late frosts became an increasingly serious problem. The mild summer heat here is conducive to the gradual ripening of grapes, especially for white grapes, as it avoids excess sugar and low acidity, but hail and storms in the summer can ruin the harvest.
After experiencing the fear of spring and summer, autumn is here. This is a magical season. The unique microclimate of the Sauternes region determines the quality of that year’s grape vintage.
From the end of September, fog usually occurs in the early morning along the Garonne River and its tributaries, the Chiron River, which is lined with trees on both sides. The fog, blocked by pine forests, spread throughout the grape-growing area and gave rise to the famous aristocratic mold, a microorganism that lives on grape grains. Near noon, the sun dispersed the morning fog, the sky was blue and the clouds were white, and the temperature rose: During this period, mold eroded and perforated the grape skin, but the pulp remained intact. This is the phenomenon of "noble rot". This unusual result causes the water in the grape berries to evaporate and the juice to concentrate. These grapes first show brown spots, then turn into brown after "full rot", and then shrink and shrivel with wrinkles on the surface, which are called "noble rot grapes". The time to harvest the grapes has finally arrived.
Due to the irregular ripening process of grapes, the maturity of each fruit on each bunch of grapes is also different. Only the fully ripe fruit must be picked each time, and this process must be repeated many times. Typically, harvesting begins around October 1st and continues through November and even into December. In classified growths, five or six harvests are usually carried out, and some years even nine or ten harvests are carried out. The harvesting is done manually by local winegrowers, who are responsible and carefully cut off the ripe fruit. The picking proceeds slowly, and no noise or play is allowed throughout the process, and the atmosphere is almost like a religious ceremony. In Sauternes, the use of harvesters is strictly prohibited, and any mechanical or robotic harvesting cannot match the eyes and attentiveness of the Sauternes people.
In some years, the "noble rot" phenomenon does not occur or occurs to a very small extent, and no real sweet white wine can be produced that year. If the rainy season lasts too long, all the harvest will be in vain, because the noble fungus will develop in a bad direction and become gray mold. It can be seen from this that what kind of price must be paid to make such noble wine! Sweet liquor is very expensive, and some uninformed consumers think it is too expensive, but we understand when we think about the risks that occur all the time during its growth and the high cost of manual labor. Moreover, according to the management regulations of legal production areas, its production limit is 2,500 liters per hectare, and classified wineries are even limited to 1,500 to 1,000 liters.
Noble mold: an unpredictable mold
In Sauternes and Barsac, people have to wait for the grapes to become moldy before picking. "You mean mold?" "Yes, mold, but it's noble mold." The surface of the wrinkled and shrunk fruit grains is covered with a layer of pale white hairs, called "noble mold," which gradually turns the grape skins gray, producing this strange microbial phenomenon.
It requires two necessary conditions: the grapes are fully ripe, and the alternating effects of morning fog and afternoon sunlight are conducive to the erosion of the grape skins by mold.
The perforation of the skin causes the fruit to dehydrate and evaporate, concentrating the juice, and ultimately forming a delicious golden pulp. Compared with sugar, "noble rot" consumes more acidic substances in grapes, making the final syrup extremely high in sugar and sweet in taste.
At the same time, due to the high viscosity of wine, its various biological components are relatively stable, and the yeast is not active enough, resulting in a prolonged fermentation period of the wine. In addition, what is more interesting is that mold does not attack all grapes at once, but attacks them one by one. Therefore, winegrowers have to look for "mouldy" grapes one by one during picking, and must repeat the picking many times.
Sometimes, the weather is unfavorable and it rains, which greatly reduces the harvest, because the rainwater penetrates through the pores of the grape skin, causing the glucose level to drop. People had no choice but to pray that the rain would pass and the weather would clear up to "repair" some grapes. If unfortunately it rains continuously, there will be no hope for this year's harvest.
The mold can evolve into gray mold, ruining the harvest. The only glimmer of hope at this time is whether we can find some "noble rot" fruit pellets that survived the disaster and see if they can be enough to brew a few bottles of top-quality sweet white wine that can meet the legal standards of 1855.
The secret of brewing: rigor and passion
The rich sugar content and fragrant aroma of Sauternes wine are attributed to its production limit regulations. Among them, the phenomenon of "noble rot" played a big role. Normally "noble rot" will reduce the yield of 4000 liters per hectare to about 1800 liters. Of course, we cannot all count on "noble rot". Once noble rot is inactive that year, production will be out of control. Smart winegrowers have devised many effective methods to limit production. For example, planting density is limited to 6500 to 7500 plants per hectare. Limit fertilization to ensure it does not damage soil structure. In particular, we use short pruning techniques and follow the principle of making 1 to 3 cups of Sauternes sweet white wine per grape! Sauvignon grapes usually use the Guyot pruning method, with 5 to 6 buds per branch, while Semillon or Muscadelle use the fan pruning method, which is the mainstream pruning method in the Sauternes region. Usually, two or three grapevine branches are tied on wires in a cup shape, each branch has a mother branch with 2 to 3 buds, so as to limit the number of grape clusters grown to 6 to 8 clusters.
From harvesting to bottling, the entire brewing process is inseparable from rigor and passion. It requires selection, experience, traditional wisdom and the latest achievements in grape technology. This is a romantic and humane way. In science, prediction is more important than discovery. Some wineries make wine in batches, and each batch represents the amount harvested that day. Some people use traditional methods to brew special blended wines with 22 to 24 degrees of original juice. Unlike botrytis grapes, which wait until they are fully ripe, some people specifically harvest immature Sauvignon grapes to retain their delicate aroma and acidity, making the wine cooler and more refreshing. In short, winemakers are constantly exploring the perfect ratio of various grapes.
A few wineries use gentle squeezing during the harvest period to assist the next step of juice extraction, but most wineries do not agree with this approach. Vertical, horizontal and pneumatic juicing methods, whether direct or indirect, require careful adjustment of the press. The first press usually extracts three-quarters of the juice. Although the quality is very good, the sugar content is the most abundant in the following two presses. The grape juice extracted is sweet and mellow. Then, after a night of sedimentation and clarification, fermentation can begin.
The fermentation is carried out using local natural yeast and the grape juice is put into oak barrels or small stainless steel barrels that can be automatically adjusted.
The fermentation process is carefully monitored and is in line with the previous selection of grapes and juice. Typically, the fermentation process lasts two to four weeks. But in the Sauternes region, fermentation has always faced a dilemma. "Noble Rot" Problems such as the lack of inert substances unique to grape juice, the reduction of yeast after precipitation, and noble mold make fermentation difficult. People had to keep the temperature at 20 to 22 degrees to help fermentation. In principle, when the alcohol concentration reaches a certain level, the yeast will be killed and the fermentation process will automatically stop. This is the law of nature! The ideal fermentation is to reach an alcohol content of 13.5 or 14 degrees. In fact, if the unfermented sugar is completely fermented, the alcohol concentration will increase by 4 to 6 degrees.
The aging process of top-quality sweet white wine is very long: in most cases, it takes 18 months to two years, sometimes three years. It is through this aging process that fine wine is born, sometimes in small barrels, but most often in new oak barrels.
Of course, each winery is different, but the purpose is to promote the combination of wine and oak, so that the wine has not only tannins, but also the taste of vanilla, licorice, cloves, and carnations. Winemakers taste the wine many times before blending it, and sometimes, when they feel the wine has insufficient potential, they have no choice but to give it up and not label the wine as "1855 Grand Cru Classé".
Aging consists of a series of regular processes. After the water in the grape juice evaporates, air will enter the wine barrel. The wine is in danger of being oxidized, which requires constant barrel replacement. In addition to the replacement of oak barrels, the wine must be filtered and clarified again before bottling. The whole process is surprising to outsiders, as the winemakers work respectfully like a work of art.
The Origin of Sauternes - History and Legend
In the wine cellar, facing rows of oak barrels filled with fine wine, visitors usually ask the winery owner the same question. : "Sir, when did this kind of wine start to be brewed?" The owner smiled and replied with some embarrassment: "The time is uncertain, and there are many unsolved mysteries." All in all, there are two major legends about its origin, both of which are somewhat mysterious. The first legend: In 1836, there was a Bordeaux wine merchant named Fogg, whose ancestral home was Germany. His winery was Chateau La Tour Blanche in the village of Bohm. He wanted to wait until the long autumn rain season was over before starting. Harvest grapes. As a result, when the sun came out, the grapes shrank and dried, causing "noble rot" to occur. He got the ideal sweet white wine and was a great success. Perhaps what played a role was the owner’s distant memories of viticulture and the serendipity of success from the banks of the Rhine. The second legend is also very accidental: In 1847, the Marquis de Lluls-Salus, the owner of Chateau d'Yquem, returned late from a trip to Russia. Before his departure, he gave an order to wait for him to return before starting. Grape harvest. God helped, the "noble rot" performed well that year and produced top-quality wine.
Historians do not deny these two legends and anecdotes, but they conduct research based more on historical evidence. According to historians, white wine was purchased in large quantities by Dutch merchants who dominated maritime trade from the late 16th century onwards. Part of the white wine is fired to produce cognac, and the other part is simply processed sweet wine. The Dutch added sugar, alcohol, potions, and infusions of plants to their wine, aiming to satisfy customers in northern countries where sweet drinks were preferred. In the 17th century, many Dutch people came to Bordeaux and got involved in the vineyards. Apparently, at their request, the wine in the Barsac territory turned to high-sugar sweet white wine, but at that time, "noble rot" grapes were not used to make it. The territory of Basak roughly included today's Basak and Sauternes, and it was very famous at that time. Starting in 1613, the nobles of the Bassac territory began to compile the local "Famous Wine Guide". In 1647, the Bordeaux jury and the Dutch businessman *** jointly compiled the "Wine Tax List". Among them, the wines of the five villages and towns in the Sauternes wine region today were listed in the second level, with tax amounts ranging from 84 to 105 silver coins, second only to Bordeaux. Famous wineries (tax amount is 95 to 105 silver coins). The practice of late harvesting in Bassac and Sauternes is also clearly documented in archives from 1666. But does late harvest mean "noble rot"?
Two-thirds of today’s classified wineries began to plant grapes on large areas at the end of the 17th century. At that time, the nobles invested heavily in the territory. This effort lasted throughout the throughout the 18th century. Even so, around 1740, the selling price of local wine was still much lower than that of Medoc wine and Grave wine. The latter was four times more expensive than local wine, reaching 1500-1800 silver coins. Of course, the Dutch are still willing to pay double the price for the sweet white wine of Barsac and Sauternes compared to the shochu produced in the area between the two seas. In the early 18th century, local grape growing areas were mainly along the Garonne River. From 1770 to 1810, it expanded to the following places such as Bohm and Sauternes. In the history of the development of local sweet white wine, the owner family of Chateau Yquem (the Sauvage family and later the Luer-Salous family, who also own St Cricq, Filhot and Couter wineries) played the most important role. They are The earliest practitioner of white grape seed selection and late harvest methods.
Since sweet white wine is also called white wine, according to the practice of new-school chefs, Sauternes or Barsac sweet white wine can also be used with white meat. As for the pork, there's no problem if it's cooked with fruit or in an Asian recipe, as the spices and fruit flavors complement the sweet white wine. Likewise, veal can work well. It also works well with vegetables. When eating vegetarian meals, use sweet white wine with zucchini and eggplant, staple food and cheese, and you will be surprised. Also, why not try it with a sweet white wine?
Botrytis wines are a classic pairing with moldy cheeses, such as Auvergne or Roquefort, whose four basic flavors pair well with sweet white wines. Actually, there are a few pairings that we often forget: Malouisse, Munster or other French goat cheeses. Sweet white wine also has the advantage that if the wine is not finished, it can also be paired with desserts after the meal. Sweet white wine can be paired with a variety of desserts, but it is best to choose light sour fruits like strawberries, or fruit salads, such as small red fruits, kiwis, oranges, etc... In the same way, sweet white wine can also be paired with most seasonal fruit tarts, such as Dadan Egg Tart and Pudalu Egg Tart. But sweet liquor and chocolate are incompatible. If you prefer, sweet white wine can also be paired with pies, bee cakes, and fried stale bread.