Semillon is the majority (75%) white variety in the Montbazillac and Sauternes Barsac districts. Sauternes produces the world-famous sweet wines, which capitalize on Sémillon's susceptibility to botrytis cinerea, the noble rot that concentrates the sugars and flavours, intensifying the acid and sugar levels. Sémillon is easy to cultivate. Semillon is fairly resistant to common vine diseases, with the notable exception of noble rot. Combined with Sauvignon and eventually Muscadelle, the wines created are then richer, honeyed, concentrated and more complex with great aging ability. Sémillon marries well with oak and tends to produce high-alcohol wines that have good extract and texture but what are often low in acid and on aromas. Vinified when its crop has not yet started to concentrate, Sémillon provides excellent dry wines (Graves blancs), characterized by flavours of honey, lime tree and little citrus fruits. Semillon grows more in Chile than anywhere else on earth, but it is also planted elsewhere around the world: Argentina, Australia, South Africa, Eastern Europe, and in the United States.

Others grapes and varietals in the Bordeaux wines area

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