Related region Bordeaux Related grapes Muscadelle Sauvignon Blanc Sémillon Wineries in this region aIndependent Wines Château d'Yquem   more					Sauternes The difference between sweet wines and the great noble-sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac is like day and night. It is the complexity in these wines, made from grapes that were affected by the famous noble rot, that creates this difference. Of course the ultimate wine in this region is Château d’Yquem. As said, what gives all these wines their complexity is the noble rot, Botrytis cinera. The low-lying hills, together with a warm and humid climate provide a natural breeding ground to activate this fungal growth under suitable conditions, like early-morning mists followed by mid-morning sunshine. The spores of the Botyritis cinera replace the structure of the grape with a fungal growth, feeding on moisture from within the grape. Because five-sixth of the grape’s acidity, one-third of the sugar and between one-half and two-thirds of its amount of water is consumed, the effect is to concentrate the juice into sugar-rich pulp. So the yields are very low, with the best châteaux between 15 and 20 hectolitre per hectare, less than half the yield as in the Médoc. Moreover, the vinification is complex and maturation of a serious sweet wine needs a good proportion of expensive new oak. -Surface: 1600 ha. -Only wines from communes Sauternes, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac and Barsac. For the appellation Barsac contrôlée only from the commune of Barsac. -Only white wines made from grapes that are touched by noble rot. -Grape varieties white wines: Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc, Muscadelle -Production: max. 25 hl per ha., for both red and white wines The gravel mounds that are so typical for the Médoc dominate the soil. These mounds afford excellent drainage of water and are loose and airy. Because of their infertility the gravel mounds encourage the vines to send their roots down deep in search of nutrients. These gravel mounds rest on (starfish) limestone (Calcaire à astéries) plateaux. The small enclave of Barsac is an exception in the region with almost no gravel at all. Sauternes has various gravel mounds, some as thick as 20 m. combined with sandstone and limestone. Gravel Clay Sand Sauternes and Barsac have a maritime climate, caused by the Atlantic. The warm Gulf Stream and the Gironde act as a heat-regulator and moderate the climate. This gives the region mild winters, warm summers, and long, sunny autumns. The region is protected from sea winds by the coastal strip of pine forest which runs almost parallel to the region. The mild humid climate alters in autumn when the mornings become misty with late sunshine. The ideal conditions for the noble rot. The oceanic influence places the region in a very privileged position with few unwelcome extremes of temperature. Much to the concern of the vignerons however, harvest time and the rainy season arrive about the same time. If the rains come early all grapes will not be fully ripened. If the rains come during harvest, the grapes can lose concentration. The record keepers have observed that in any ten-year span there will be, from a climate point of view, three great years, three poor years, and four that are mediocre. Sometimes the normally mild region is rudely reminded of its northern latitude. In February 1956 a hard frost occurred with temperatures below -18 C (0F). There is also the lingering concern that the Saint de Glace may visit the budding vines in the first weeks of May. Like in 1991. Misty mornings Heat-reservoir Soft Autumn