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Sauternes and Barsac, Bordeaux wine regions, left bank, AOC, Regions and
wine appellations, Bordeaux wines France |
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SAUTERNES AND BARSAC,
BORDEAUX WINE REGIONS LEFT BANK
BORDEAUX WINES FRANCE |
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Sauternes and Barsac
Situation and soil
about Sauternes and Barsac region
The two communes Sauternes and Barsac are on a portion of land within the
Graves
area. Sauternes Barsac is at about 50 kilometers south-west of Bordeaux. Together, the vineyards of Barsac and Sauternes constitute what is commonly called the "Sauternais".
If we include the
Entre-Deux-Mers and the Cérons district at the North of the Sauternais - which created its own "Appellation Cérons Contrôlée" (click the following link for more information on Cérons:
http://www.bordeaux-netwine.com/), the
Sauternes Barsac area represents the stronghold of Bordeaux's "syrupy-like" wines.
Sauternes Barsac is lying on long undulations along the left bank of the Garonne River, the best vineyards spread over the hilltops overlooking the Garonne.
The soil of the Sauternais area consists of gravel layers sometimes in the form of knolls lying on a subsoil of clay.
Botrytis, associated with extremely low yields gives truly sensational
sweet wines.
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Characteristics about
Sauternes Barsac appellation
It is the commonly called "noble rot" or
botrytis on the grapes which put on the map the famous Sauternes wines. This very special rot
from Sauternes Barsac is more exists thanks to a little stream called the CIRON, whose presence creates night and morning autumn mists along its banks. The quasi magic combination of heat and moisture allows the development of a bacterium (Botrytis
Cinerea) which concentrates noble elements and the
sugar of the grape. With an astonishing complexity and
richness, the "Sauternes" remain the absolute benchmark for all the mellow-like wines produced throughout the world.
In style, neighbour appellations such as Barsac, Fargues de Langon, Bommes or Preignac, although very close to Sauternes, may have more freshness and less concentration than Sauternes. |
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Main properties of the appellation Sauternes Barsac
The non exhaustive list of the appellation's best properties includes:
d'Yquem - the undisputed star of the appellation -
Climens,
Rieussec,
Lafaurie-Peyraguey,
Suduiraut,
Fargues,
Clos
Haut-Peyraguey,
Coutet,
Guiraud,
La Tour
Blanche,
Rayne
Vigneau,
Sigalas Rabaud,
Doisy Védrine
and
Doisy
Daene.
Sauternes-Barsac has its own classification.
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Varietals and technical data about Sauternes Barsac
appellation
With a surface of 900 ha for Barsac and 1400 ha for
Sauternes the average total production, is of approx. 30000 hl.
Average yields about Sauternes Barsac appellation: 21 hl/ha.
Type of vines about Sauternes Barsac appellation:
Semillon(70% to 80%) -
Sauvignon (20% to 30%) with sometimes a complement of
Muscadelle.
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To know more about Bordeaux Area
Left Bank
Right Bank
Entre
deux Mers and surroundings
Grapes and varietals in the Bordeaux wines area
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Other informative web site worth visiting:
http://www.sauternes.com/
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