SAUTERNES SEC, ANYONE?
Decanter|June 2023
The fabulous sweet wines of Sauternes have won fame for its leading estates but many of them are now producing top-quality dry whites, too, to meet changing tastes and secure their future
GEORGIE HINDLE
SAUTERNES SEC, ANYONE?

When was the last time you opened a bottle of sweet Sauternes? Perhaps Christmas, or maybe with some cheese at a dinner party? Have you one in the fridge, ready to enjoy once the weather warms? I hope the answer's yes, but the likelihood is it's not.

As consumer tastes and preferences shift towards drier and lighter wines at lower alcohol levels and less sweetness, in recent years, bottles of Sauternes have unfortunately been relegated to the confines of dusty cellars or (wrongly, in my opinion) opened solely at the end of meals. But, as the saying goes, 'necessity is the mother of invention, and Sauternes producers are now finding opportunities for diversification and market demand for their growing number of terroir-influenced dry white styles.

While sweet wines will inevitably (and should) remain the focus in Sauternes, there's a strong case for dry whites, too: world-class winemaking know-how and facilities, heavy investment in top-quality grape production resulting in large quantities of beautiful old-vine Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and terroirs that are perfect to show both freshness and power. They also have ageing potential, which puts them in the category of fine wines,' say Jean-Jacques Dubourdieu and David Bolzan, co-directors of the appellation's management body (sauternes-barsac.com).

'Other sweet wine-producing areas - Jurançon, Vouvray and Germany - all produce dry whites, so why shouldn't Sauternes?" asks ex-négociant and long-term proponent of Sauternes, Bill Blatch. Historically that was the case, and the beauty is that it's adaptable.'

Dry Sauternes whites are made using the same grapes allowed in the production of sweet wines but picked before, or in the absence of, the onset of botrytis (noble rot, the fungus that concentrates grape sugars and flavours in the fruit, resulting in the traditionally luscious, rich and complex sugary styles) and then fermented to dryness.

Esta historia es de la edición June 2023 de Decanter.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición June 2023 de Decanter.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE DECANTERVer todo
Pepe Raventós
Decanter

Pepe Raventós

A single-minded commitment to sustainability and terroir, combined with business acumen and first-class communication skills, have made his one the most interesting (and divisive) names in Spanish wine. In the end, though, all he wants is for the land to speak through his wines

time-read
7 minutos  |
February 2025
DO TORO - Tasting a land and its history
Decanter

DO TORO - Tasting a land and its history

In Spain's Castilla y León, DO Toro still offers the serious, powerful Tinta de Toro that established its reputation - as well as elegant, refined expressions and even organic white wines

time-read
5 minutos  |
February 2025
SPANISH ICONS
Decanter

SPANISH ICONS

For decades, there were just a few wines regarded as Spain's most revered. Recently, these have been joined by a growing cast of modern-day powerhouses that have risen rapidly to win the hearts of critics and collectors alike. Read on to discover the 10 Spanish wines you should try before you die

time-read
10+ minutos  |
February 2025
Wine myths debunked
Decanter

Wine myths debunked

Accepted wisdom isn't always especially wise. Here are four examples from the world of wine

time-read
3 minutos  |
February 2025
HUGH JOHNSON - 'I've often tried offering a little First Steps in Tasting'
Decanter

HUGH JOHNSON - 'I've often tried offering a little First Steps in Tasting'

There are a few bottles in my gradually dwindling cellar here that have question marks over them.

time-read
2 minutos  |
February 2025
THE CAMINO - A food & wine guide
Decanter

THE CAMINO - A food & wine guide

Quite possibly the world's most popular Christian pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago conveniently passes through some of northern Spain's best wine- and food-producing regions

time-read
7 minutos  |
February 2025
Pink gins for Valentine's Day
Decanter

Pink gins for Valentine's Day

Turn on the romance with a pre-dinner cocktail concocted from one of these rosy spirits

time-read
2 minutos  |
February 2025
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS
Decanter

PUTTING DOWN ROOTS

Why a range of Italian grape varieties are flourishing in Australia's soils, and what the future holds for them

time-read
9 minutos  |
February 2025
Rhône 2023
Decanter

Rhône 2023

In a year that was respectively 'challenging' and 'troublesome' in south and north, it will be vital to follow expert advice when it comes to finding the wines that you'll enjoy. The effects of some extreme swings in the weather were quite localised, however, so there are plenty of good wines to be found. Our Rhône expert Contributing Editor tasted 1,250 wines in all - here's a selection of 45 of his top picks

time-read
10+ minutos  |
February 2025
Plaimont
Decanter

Plaimont

Preserving the wisdom of the past - to shape the wines of the future

time-read
4 minutos  |
February 2025