Get ready for the sweet side of Bordeaux (#Winophiles)

Bordeaux is more than red blends – Sweeeeet!

The French Winophiles are sweetening up their tastings in November with some of the sweet white wines produced in Bordeaux, and you’re invited to join us! Check out the posting and chat instructions at the end of this post.  

Only 2% of the region’s overall wine production areas is sweet. But famous folks like Thomas Jefferson appreciated their special character during 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. The only grapes used in Bordeaux’s sweet wines are Sémillon (80 percent), Sauvignon Blanc, and, to a lesser extent, Muscadelle. A total of 10 AOCs (place names of origin) produce sweet wines:

• Barsac
• Bordeaux Supérieur
• Cadillac
• Cérons
• Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire
• Graves Supérieurs
• Loupiac
• Premières Côtes de Bordeaux
• Sainte-Croix-du-Mont
• Sauternes

What do we mean by “sweet”?

Riddle: 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. It creates a reaction inside the grape and molecules that are precursors of aromas.” – Bérénice Lurton, owner of Château Climens in Barsac.

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 are vins liquoreux but carry their AOC designations on their labels.)
• 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.

What about pairing sweet Bordeaux with food? Go ahead, go crazy! Savory, yes. Spicy, yes. Or simply sip them on their own as an apéritif or dessert wine. Yum!

Sources: Bordeaux Magazine, Spruce Eats, Vivino, Wine Folly, Wine Enthusiast, Wine-Searcher, Wine Spectator. The Bordeaux Wine School free webinar, “How Sweet Bordeaux is Breaking Out of the Box,” offers an introduction to Botrytized wines. WATCH THE FULL REPLAY HERE.

Want to join us for Sweet Bordeaux?

Some of the French Winophiles are receiving samples of sweet Bordeaux, thanks to Jeff at foodwineclick. But everyone is welcome! Your sweet Bordeaux can be either “Liquoreux” or “Moelleux” from any of the 10 AOCs. Here’s what to do:

Blog post: Send your title, blog url, and Twitter handle by Tuesday, November 17, to be included in the preview post. Email Linda at lbwhipple@gmail.com, or drop your title and info in the designated post thread via the Facebook event in the Winophiles Coordinating Group. We’ll be posting updates to this event including Twitter chat questions and links to other blogs. Need to join the group? Let me know and I’ll connect you with the organizers.

We ask that blog posts for this event be published either on Friday, November 20, or on Saturday, November 21, no later than 8 am PT/11 am ET. Please use the #winophiles tag in your title.

Twitter Chat: Our live Twitter chat is set for Saturday, November 21, at 8 am PT/11 am ET. No need to have published a post to join the conversation — just an interest in learning and sharing about sweet wines from Bordeaux! Simply tune into the #winophiles hashtag during the hour we’re chatting.

Ready? Set? Nous Allons!