Sauternes
What is it?
Sauternes is a French sweet wine from the region of the same name in Bordeaux. It is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadella grapes that have been affected by the fungus Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot [1]. Typical flavors found in a Sauternes include lemon curd, apricot, quince, honey, and ginger [2]. Suggested food pairings are soft cheeses, washed-rind cheeses, blue cheese, terrine, foie gras, ice cream, cheesecake, fruit tarts, and fruit-based desserts[3]. We had it by itself and with Chinese food which were both good. Maybe next time we'll try some of the suggested food pairings! We got this wine from Howard Street Wine Merchant in Omaha, which offers a good selection of harder-to-find wines.
Molly's Rating and Tasting Notes
8.8. Smells somewhat like a Riesling, but tastes very different. Lots of honey flavor. It's a very creamy texture, and I get a lemony whisper, as though this was a cheesecake with a dash of lemon. This is so much better (to me) than the Vin Santo we tried a few weeks ago. It isn't so sweet as to be hard to drink. One thing that could give it a higher rating, however, is the finish, which (to me) is almost overpoweringly sweet, and I find myself wanting a drink of water. All in all, a decent dessert wine that I would definitely come back to (maybe with a slice of cheesecake)
Ryan's Rating and Tasting Notes
9.2.On the nose I'm getting lemon, green apple, and strong hints of grape Jolly Rancher. I'm also picking up something floral, maybe honeysuckle? On the tongue it is rather sweet, but not overpoweringly so. I get apricot, honey, and lemon initially. On the backend there is a sweet burn similar to a candied ginger that balances out the intense sweetness found up front without losing its identity as a dessert wine. It is pretty viscous and oily, which allows the rich flavors to really coat the mouth and sing. Overall, I found this wine to be very delicious and would definitely recommend.
References
[1] E. McCarthy & M. Ewing-Mulligan. "French Wine for Dummies". Wiley Publishing. 2001
[2] Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack. Wine Folly: The Master Guide. Avery - A Penguin Imprint, New York, NY, 2018.
[3] Serious Sweets: Sauternes Wine Guide https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/sauternes-wine-guide/ Wine Folly. Accessed March 2023.
Suggestion of what we should try next?
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