White wine is a small part of Bordeaux production, remaining stubbornly around just 11%, creeping down from 12% just a few years ago. 

The increasing popularity and awareness of the quality of dry white Bordeaux still isn’t translating into increased plantings.

Within this white niche are the sweet wines that represent 3% of Bordeaux planting and, with their low yields, even less of the production. 

I wanted to look at some of the differences in making the sweet white and red wines in Bordeaux and applaud the few who have risen to the challenges of producing both. And it’s another excuse to indulge my love of all things Sweet Bordeaux.

Variety, varieties. 

Crémant is the only Bordeaux AOC wine that can be a ‘Blanc de Noir’, a white wine made from red grapes. All other whites are ‘Blanc de Blanc’, made only from white grapes. 

Say Bordeaux blend and you think of Merlot and Cabernet, but Bordeaux blends whites too. Across Bordeaux, Semillon and Sauvignon are now equal partners in white plantings, at 46% each (Semillon still had the edge until 2018 according to CIVB figures). 

The balance is made up of Muscadelle, and other smaller plantings of Merlot Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Colombard and miniscule amounts of the two newly introduced varieties: Alvarinho and Liliorila. 

For the sweet wines, Semillon dominates thanks to its affinity for noble rot. It also makes some very special dry whites.

A lot of rot. 

Red and sweet wine production have a very different approach to maturity and in particular mould.

In the oceanic climate of Bordeaux, the effect of heat and humidity on ripening and berry health are key. Vines need controlled access to water, light and sunshine. As the grapes ripen, sugar levels increase, and, they can become very attractive to mould.

Humidity encourages mould, but there’s good mould and bad. Mildew is not something you want to see in your vineyard, red or white. It can hit throughout the year in the right (wrong?) warm and damp conditions, as we are seeing during this year’s damp summer. 

Adapted pruning to encourage air circulation, a sea breeze, preventative and curative treatments all come into play to combat this enemy. 

Botrytis is another humidity-induced enemy for reds, but not for the sweet whites, where it is the key to the great wines and needs to be encouraged.

The right sort of rot.

Botrytis Cinerea can go one of two ways, turning grey and making vinegar, or becoming noble and making the elixir that is Sweet Bordeaux.

Pruning. 

Pruning and deleafing of red vines encourages exposure to sun, but not too much and air circulation, to allow a breeze to dry off berries and leaves. Spur pruning favoured by sweet wine producers encourages the humidity to hang around. It’s a balancing act, once mould is established and starts damaging the skins, breezes in the vineyard speed up evaporation through the damaged skins concentrating sugar and aromas.  

Location, location, location. 
The reason why the sweet wines flourish in the south western corner of Bordeaux is the humid micro-climate here, encouraged by the meeting of waters of cool Ciron and the warmer Garonne. That and the surrounding Landes forest that traps the humidity. 

Rain however isn’t so good, a few light showers towards the end of the ripening season can encourage botrytis to form on ripe berries but heavy rain could wash it away and pave the way for grey or acid rot. 

Breezes that come up the Garonne valley then dry off the grapes later in the season.

Terroir. 

Location is important for the right climate and terroir combination, key to the quality and personality of wine. To allow Botrytis to develop, it must attack ripened berries, green berries will not do. The warmer southern left bank gravel and limestone soils allow fruit to ripen before the cooler autumn nights usher in the contrasting temperatures and morning mists. 

Picking dates. 

Waiting for the evolution of ripeness, the balance between sugars and acid for dry whites and reds, will determine picking dates. The development of the rot for sweet white wines adds another level of complexity and normally a longer wait. 

Added to this, hand picking in several ‘tries’ through the vines, is mandatory for most sweet white appellations in Bordeaux. This is a labour intensive, slow, often long and expensive harvest. Managing teams of pickers to come back again and again, often over a period of months at precisely the time when the ripeness and noble rot is optimum can be challenging. 

Wine making. 

Unlike red wine where the fermentation happens on the whole lightly crushed grapes, white wines are fermented from juice when grapes have been pressed and the skins discarded. With perfectly healthy berries, a little skin contact before fermentation is common practice to maximise the Sauvignon Blanc aromas. Cool fermentation and protection from oxygen are key to protecting these aromas. 

Sweet white wine production is also made from the pressed juice, the skill is to gently extract the sweet viscous juice from such concentrated fruit. Fermentation often starts in vats before continuing in oak, oxygen being less of an enemy for these robust wines.

Climate, seasons and vagaries. 

The ideal conditions, whether for red or white, don’t always happen, such are the vagaries of mother nature, especially in a maritime climate like Bordeaux. Every year and every vintage is a new adventure. 

Vintage definition. 

Some vintages are great across the whole of Bordeaux, left to right bank, sweet to dry. Others might be great for red, but not so good for sweet wines, or vice versa. Critics will often praise or write off a Bordeaux vintage based on the performance of the red wine, which can be an issue for sweet wines, and often dry whites too, when they often produce lovely wines in tricky red vintages. It’s worth looking beyond the headlines for the detail.  

A great red vintage will have quick and early flowering, later water stress (for small berries and intense tannins) then more dry warm days to encourage the production of sugar, colour and aromas. Milder weather with some light rainfall during harvest is the cherry on the cake, allowing producers to wait for that perfect balance of ripeness and acidity without rot or dilution. Not much to ask for, is it? 

For dry white wines, a great vintage means less water stress, moderate daytime temperatures and cool nights for freshness and aromatic complexity. 

To make outstanding sweet white wines, noble rot needs to develop thanks to damp spells, which encourage Botrytis, alternating with warm, dry periods, to concentrate the sugar in the grapes.  

A hot, dry summer (but not too dry) is good for red wines, too hot and dry means dry white wines may lack freshness, and the sweet white wines dependent on noble rot encouraged by humidity can suffer too. That is without mentioning the freaky (although seemingly less so) eventuality of frost damage.

It’s not mutually exclusive, sometimes the stars align, and conditions for great reds and sweet and dry whites come together. Here’s a few recent examples. 

Better for red: 

2000 Is considered an excellent Bordeaux vintage and it was, for red. Heavy early October rain, after most of the red had been harvested, hampered botrytis and made it a difficult vintage for sweet whites.

2019 is famous for its fabulous reds, the dry whites are also excellent. Sweet white producers however had only tiny amounts of lovely, sweet wines. They had to select severely as hot dry conditions dried out berries and then, although it rained towards the end of the season there was a lot of the wrong type of mould!  

2020 fab for reds thanks to hot dry weather, good for dry white on soils that retain enough water, but disastrous for sweet wines. The late development of patchy botrytis with many properties not making any sweet at all or if they did, obliged to declassify to second wine status. 

Better for sweet: 

2001 Although more inconsistent for reds than 2000 (I’m not writing this vintage off for red, there are lovely red wines in 2001 especially from the right bank), this time October showers, and high temperatures spread Botrytis quickly on the ripe white grapes. Dry, windy, sunny afternoons then concentrated the fruit giving lovely aromatic complexity. 2001 is an exceptional sweet white vintage in Bordeaux.

2003 was a heatwave year across France. A hot, wet September followed by a hot August that perfectly primed the grapes for Botrytis. I have never seen Sauternes and Barsac bunches with such evenly developed Botrytis. Picking was early and fast, all the grapes were in by late September with producers struggling to justify the second wave of picking, legally required by the appellation. High sugar and lower acidity in red wines led to many atypical Bordeaux reds and tricky fermentation. 

2014 Outstanding sweet white wines. Cool year saved for the reds by a hot dry September and October especially for Cabernets.

In 2017, a disastrous April frost, affected red and white alike. Not a great Bordeaux red vintage, even for vines that survived. Ripe, crisp, aromatic dry whites. The alternating wet and dry periods allowed botrytis to spread quickly and evenly giving sweet wines were acidity perfectly balanced concentration. 

When stars align.

2005 was that rare beast, a great vintage for red and dry and sweet white wines.  Grapes ripened early across all Bordeaux appellations. Dry, sunny weather eliminated the risk of grey rot, producers could wait for perfect ripeness, a rare luxury in Maritime Bordeaux. Although Sauvignon Blanc produced low yields, Sémillon did better with an abundant and exceptional sweet harvest thanks to Botrytis cinerea settling in early September on ripe grapes. Brief rainy spells allowed noble rot to produce pure and very rich wines.

2009 was another great all-rounder with a lovely summer and magnificent harvest. Hotter than the previous three years, cooler August and September nights helped dry whites. Mid-September rains, followed by morning mists and warm afternoons gave textbook conditions for noble rot and fabulous sweet wines. The reds have deep colour and great fruit, perhaps a tad overripe and lacking acidity for some, but they are already drinking beautifully. 

2010 After a cool, wet June with tricky fruit set, there was great weather and ideal water stress for reds. Cool nights in August and September maintained acidity in both dry Sauvignon and Semillon and another textbook year for Sauternes and Barsac with botrytis development followed by misty mornings and warm drying afternoons.

And 2021?  It’s too early to tell but frost damaged vines across Bordeaux, both red and white. Sauternes and Barsac were hit particularly hard. A damp summer has ushered in mildew. As I write this, we are all hoping for a warmer end to the summer – it’s bright and breezy today – here’s hoping. 

Who is brave enough to make wines in these very different red and sweet white appellations?

It’s a challenge to master these two very different disciplines, but one some Bordeaux winemakers obviously enjoy. Sweet wines are niche in so many ways, and not only the small complicated and uneven production. Sauternes may be easy to drink but not so easy to make nor to sell. Commercially, there’s an advantage in having a big red brother. 

There are some unique terroirs in Bordeaux that, in certain vintages, will allow both excellent sweet white and red wines to be produced on the same site. Graves is the perfect multitasking appellation that can make dry white, sweet white (Graves Superieur) and red wines, although production of Graves Superieur is tiny. 

Tucked away in the Southern part of the Graves, is the enclave of Cérons, with its own sweet appellation. The eponymous Château de Cerons for example produces red and white wines under the Graves appellation and the sweet white wines under the Cérons appellation. 

On the opposite bank of the Garonne is Cadillac, the appellation produces red wines under Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux and sweet whites under Cadilac.

Some producers travel a lot further to make both styles, investing across Bordeaux to create these very different wines in very different appellations.

Classified Club .

Twenty-seven Sauternes and Barsac properties were classified alongside the red in 1855. Unlike Medoc and graves with five levels of quality, here only the top three levels, first and second made the grade, including Château d’Yquem classified as premiere Grand Cru Superieur, the highest accolade at the time, and still today. Understandable that amongst classified growths, both red and white there is a sense of comradery.

Left bank brothers.

Médoc and Sauternes are both on the left bank, but the similarity ends there. Geographically the Medoc is further north, lower lying with the climate influence of the peninsula surrounded by water. The famous Garonnaise Gravel however is present along the banks of both the Garonne and the Gironde Estuary from North to South.

Domaines Baron de Rothschild (Lafite) are well represented across the banks of Bordeaux. As well as Château Lafite and Duhart-Milon in Pauillac, I have already mentioned their presence on the right bank with Château Evangile in Pomerol, and they also own Chateau Rieussec, first growth of Sauternes. 

Acquired in 1984, with over 110ha, Rieussec, is one of the large properties on the plateau of the appellation alongside Guiraud and Suduiraut that encircle Château d’Yquem. They built a new chais, more recently renovated in 2000 and introduced rigorous selection in the 1980s.

Dominated by Semillon with Sauvignon and Muscadelle the wines are fermented in barrels aged for 16 to 18 months. The second wine, Les Carmes de Rieussec, is named after the religious order that owned the property pre-revolution. A dry white, R de Rieussec, is also produced. 

Axa Millésimes.

Serving your Sauternes alongside your Pauillac at a tasting dinner is a great way to raise its profile and Axa Millésimes is renowned for their hospitality at Château Pichon Baron, where they showcase all the wines of the group. 

Chateau Suduiraut, first growth of Sauternes, was purchased by the Axa in 1992. I mentioned Château Suduiraut above as one of the trio of large first growth properties encircling Château d’Yquem. The 91 ha of gravel and sand vines are certified HVE (Haut Valeur Environmental) and the blend is dominated by 90% Semillon.

The vineyard is overseen by Christian Seely, who manages all the Axa properties and Pierre Montegut, the technical director of Suduiraut. Since 2001 the cellar master is Caroline Gendry, one of many dynamic women in the appellation. 

Château Suduiraut makes two second wines, Castelnau de Suduiraut (less new oak) and Lions de Suduiraut and of course the ‘de rigeur’ dry white wines: S de Suduiraut and Le Blanc Sec de Suduiraut. I’ve talked at length in a previous post about the dry whites of Sauternes and Barsac. While there’s nothing new about second wines in red properties, and more and more in the sweet wine appellations, at Suduiraut they apply the same principal to their dry whites. Both dry whites are Semillon dominated, the S is fermented and aged 100% in oak from grapes picked in plots of land that are destined for the Suduiraut Grand Vin, making a wine characterised by ageing potential and minerality. Le Blanc Sec is made from plots that would go into the Castelnau, making a bright and fruity dry white.   

Le Taillan group, led by the Merlaut family has a large portfolio of properties in Bordeaux, concentrated mainly in the Medoc with flagship Chateau Gruaud Larose in Saint Julien and Château Citran in Haut Médoc.

In 2010 they added Château Broustet, Deuxieme Grand Cru Classé of Barsac to their portfolio. On limestone subsoil covered with sandy gravel, this 20ha property has up to 10% of Muscadelle in the blend reinforcing the lovely fresh fruit and florals notes.

Merlaut has recently taken a share in first growth Château Rabaud Promis, alongside the Dejean family. This larger 40 ha property is on the rolling hills of clay and sand covered with the famous gravel of Sauternes. Their new bottle design underlines their passion for biodiversity, and bees in particular, an echo of the elegant sweetness found in the bottle wine.  They are also shaking up tradition by promoting cocktail recipes using their wines, check out the recipes on their website. 

East to West. 

Red gold partnerships are not reserved for the left bank. The most prestigious and emblematic red and sweet white pairing is a right bank – left bank partnership, that of LVMH with Château Cheval Blanc, first growth A (for the moment!) of Saint Emilion and First Growth Superior Chateau d’Yquem in Sauternes. Two iconic brands now under the same umbrella. 

Both properties are overseen by Pierre Lurton, at the helm of Cheval Blanc since 1991. He stayed on when it was purchased by Bernard Arnaud and Albert Frere in 1998 and oversaw the construction of the impressive new Christian de Portzamparc cellar, completed in June 2011. 

Arnaud acquired Château d’Yquem on behalf of LVMH, from the Lur Saluces family in 2000. Pierre was made President in 2004, overseeing both properties, fitting for a child of the Entre deux Mers, geographically smack bang in the middle. Sandrine Garbay had joined the property in 1994 and has been cellar master since 1998, yet another dynamic woman of Sauternes. 

More recently, in 2005, Swiss perfumer Silvio Denz bought two properties in Saint Emilion, Château Peby Faugeres and Chateau Faugeres and neighbouring Chateau Cap de Faugeres in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux. The large, for the right bank, property, covers over 50 ha with a plot of old merlot dedicated uniquely to Château Peby Faugeres. In 2009, Denz completed the new cellars, working with architect Mario Botta, creating an emblematic winery at the heart of this UNESCO heritage site. In 2012, both Château Peby Faugères and Faugeres became Grand Cru Classés of Saint Emilion. 

In 2008 Denz purchased crystal house Lalique, having been a long-time collector. In 2014, he brought his two passions together, buying Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, First growth of Sauternes. The cellars were already state of the art, thanks to previous investment, so Denz concentrated his efforts on transforming the Chateau into a spectacular 13-bedroom Lalique hotel, a show case for the crystal. 

There are other red and white links across Bordeaux. Laure de Lambert, owner wine maker at first growth Château Sigalas Rabaud, is the sixth generation of the de Lambert family to run the property, but she also has red wine running in her veins. She is one of 14 cousins who co-own Chateau de Salles in Pomerol. Berernice Lurton owner wine maker at Chateau Climens, first growth in Barsac comes from the Medoc branch of the family with siblings owning properties in Margaux. 

And when Robert Peugot purchased Chateau Guiraud he brought on board the left and right bank expertise of Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier in Pessac Leognan and Stephan von Neipperg of Château Canon la Gaffeliere in Saint Emilion. 

From afar, Sauternes and Barsac might seem like an isolated corner of Bordeaux, but these spellbinding sweet white wines attract passionate producers as well as enthusiastic consumers. It’s a brave and talented winemaker that has the flexibility to excel across these different styles, whether in the same vineyard or across a portfolio of properties.

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