The French Winophiles are sweetening up their tastings this month with some of the sweet white wines produced in Bordeaux, France. You’re invited to join us for a Twitter chat Saturday 11/21 starting at 8 am PT/11 am ET. Simply follow the #Winophiles hashtag.
Only 2% of Bordeaux’s overall wine production area is sweet. But famous folks like Thomas Jefferson appreciated their special character at a time when sweet white wines were more popular than dry red wines.
Maybe you’re familiar with Sauternes? While Sauternes make up 43% of the region’s sweet wine production, Bordeaux’s sweet side goes way beyond that.
Bordeaux’s primary sweet wine region is located 20 miles south of the city of Bordeaux and spans both banks of the Garrone River. Grapes permitted in Bordeaux’s sweet wines are Sémillon (80 percent), Sauvignon Blanc, and, to a lesser extent, Muscadelle. The following AOCs (place names of origin) produce these wines:
- Barsac
- Bordeaux Supérieur
- Cadillac
- Cérons
- Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire
- Graves Supérieurs
- Loupiac
- Premières Côtes de Bordeaux
- Sainte-Croix-du-Mont
- Sauternes
Can you solve this riddle?
Question: When is rot good?
Answer: When it’s noble rot, otherwise known as Botrytis.
Botrytis cinerea, or “noble rot,” is a beneficial fungus that takes hold in wine grapes when conditions are just right – misty fall mornings in the Ciron River valley of Bordeaux, where cold water from the meandering Ciron meets the warm water of the Garonne, followed by dry, sunny afternoons with dry winds from the east.
Under these ideal conditions, the Botrytis fungus breaks the grape skins – thin-skinned Sémillon, specifically – and traps moisture inside the grapes. These grapes slowly dehydrate over time. When these furry, mold-covered, and shriveled grapes are finally picked in the late fall, they’re full of concentrated sweetness and complex flavors.
“Botrytis changes the anatomy of the grape,” explains Bérénice Lurton, owner of Château Climens in Barsac. “It creates a reaction inside the grape and molecules that are precursors of aromas.”
Not every Bordeaux harvest season is ideal for Botrytis – too much rain, for instance, can destroy the fungus – and not every Bordeaux sweet wine is “Botrytized.” Sweet Bordeaux wines are produced in two styles:
- Liquoreux (“liqueur-like”) – Luscious and sweet wines typically produced from Botrytized grapes. Noted for their dried fruit, honey, honeysuckle, and nut characteristics. Sauternes and Barsac, for example, are vins liquoreux. (Note: You probably won’t see the word “liquoreux” on the label.)
- Moelleux (“mellow”) – These semi-sweet wines are made by stopping fermentation at the desired level of sweetness, before the yeast consumes all of the grapes’ sugar. Characterized by more fruit and a smooth mouthfeel.
Sources: Bordeaux Magazine, Spruce Eats, Vivino, Wine Folly, Wine Enthusiast, Wine-Searcher, Wine Spectator. “How Sweet Bordeaux is Breaking Out of the Box,” a Bordeaux Wine School free webinar.
What about pairing sweet Bordeaux?
Go ahead, go crazy! Savor them with savory foods. Spice up your pairing with spicy foods.
Need ideas? Check out the posts below – and remember, these sweet wines are also yummy on their own as an apéritif or dessert.
- Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla: “Surprise! Pairing Spicy and Savory Dishes with Sweet Bordeaux”
- Terri at Our Good Life: “Spicy Hot Tacos and Sweet Bordeaux”
- Martin at ENOFYLZ: “Pairing Sweet Bordeaux with Southern Fare”
- Lauren at The Swirling Dervish: “Golden Bordeaux Meets Savory Pumpkin and Smoked Bacon Tart: a Delicious Thanksgiving Twist!”
- David at Cooking Chat: “Pairings for Sweet Bordeaux Wine”
- Katrina at The Corkscrew Concierge: “Golden Bordeaux Delights in Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole Cuisine”
- Payal at Keep the Peas: “Four Sweet Bordeaux Wines with Four Courses”
- Jane at Always Ravenous: “Golden Sweet Bordeaux Wines: Tasting and Pairings”
- Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm: “Hot Chocolate and Halva Pudding paired with Lion De Tanesse L’Amour”
- Jeff at foodwineclick: “Sweet Bordeaux Meets the Smoke”
- Jill at L’OCCASION : “Sweet Bordeaux Wines Aren’t Just for Dessert”
- Lynn at Savor the Harvest: “Sweet Bordeaux Wines Get Savory Pairings”
- Rupal at Syrah Queen: “Sweet Bordeaux Is A Sweet Delight – Savor These Perfect Food Pairings”
- Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles: “Sweet Bordeaux Wines and pairings from opposite sides of the globe”
- Pinny at Chinese Food & Wine Pairings: “Sweet Bordeaux Paired with Asian Carbs – Chinese Sticky Rice and Korean Japchae”
- Susannah at avvinare: “Delightful Sweet Wines from Bordeaux”
- Nicole at Somm’s Table: “Château Loupiac Gaudiet with Cinnamon Apple Crème Brûlée”
- Gwendolyn at wine predator: “Successful Pairings of Salty and Savory with Sweet Semi-Dry Bordeaux”
- Jennifer at Vino Travels: “A Look Into the Sweeter Side of Bordeaux Wines”
- Linda at My Full Wine Glass: “Appetizers, entrées and yes, dessert please, with sweet Bordeaux”