Is Sauternes only sweet wines? Yes and no.
Of course, only sweet white wines with minimal sweetness (measured in grams of sugar per liter) can have the appellation, but dry white wines are also produced on its territory, but under the name “dry white Bordeaux” (Bordeaux Blanc Sec).
Why are the winemakers of Sauternes trying to add dry wines to their portfolio, when this appellation, we can say, a brand, a mark and a sign of quality, rarity and uniqueness of a sweet wine.
Perhaps there are three reasons:
- Changing consumer tastes, who are gradually moving away from sweet wines in order to reduce sugar consumption or for other reasons. Accordingly, the demand for sweet wines is falling.
- The fickleness of botrytis, the noble rot that allows the typical and unique aromas to be created in grapes, but which requires specific conditions that cannot occur every year.
- A special terroir, more suitable for growing grapes destinated for dry white wines.
Nevertheless, the region produces excellent dry white wines of different styles – direct, purely fruity and fresh, or deep and complex, barrel-aged.
Today I will focus on the Demoiselle de Sigalas Bordeaux Blanc 2015, the second dry white wine of Château Sigalas Rabaud, one of the Premier Cru Classés in 1855. The grapes for this wine have as much attention as the grapes for Sauternes, the main wine of the château. The grapes are hand-picked, sorted, carefully vinified and partially aged in barrels, essentially Semillon, which makes up 70% of the blend, ferments in barrels, and Sauvignon Blanc (30% of the blend) in neutral fermenters. The result is a classic white Bordeaux, with its characteristic restrained spiciness and citrus freshness, complemented by tertiary nuances.
Tasting
Color: pale lemon
Aroma: expressive, with fresh notes of lemon, candied lemon peel, lemon zest, grapefruit juice, floral hints of acacia, linden, as well as light tertiary notes of honey, wax, saffron and nutmeg.
Palate: balanced, with good concentration, pleasant bitterness of grapefruit, tertiary notes of honey and wax, as well as juicy notes of apricot and peach, dried pineapple and the freshness of lemon zest and candied lemon peel. The finish is long and complex.
Overall impression and quality : a very good white Bordeaux with a harmonious profile combining primary fruity notes and a slight hint of barrel aging – notes of sweet spices turning into tertiary notes of saffron, honey and wax.
Food matching: The wine itself is complex, so dishes with a small number of ingredients are recommended – risotto with saffron, tender veal or hard cheese like Tête de Moine or young Comté with fruity notes.
