Sauternes

Sauternes is an appellation of sweet white wines south of Bordeaux, produced across five communes on the left bank of the Garonne. Sémillon, in the majority, is blended with sauvignon blanc and muscadelle. Morning mists encourage Botrytis cinerea, or noble rot, which concentrates the sugars. The 1855 classification crowns a single premier cru supérieur here, Château d'Yquem, standing above all other estates.