There are a variety of French appellations that utilise late-harvest Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and occasionally Muscadelle for stunning dessert wines. The most famous by far is Sauternes. This appellation is in the region of Bordeaux, in a relatively humid climate – perfect for the cautiously cultivating noble rot. Developing botrytis in the vineyard is an essential step for many dessert wines.
With Sauternes, you get the highest quality imaginable, as examples from the best vintages can age almost indefinitely. Another reason these wines command a high price is this: cultivating botrytis-influenced grapes is a delicate situation. Sometimes, entire vintages are destroyed by undesirable weather, and grape pickers must tend to their crops extremely carefully. Each bottle of Sauternes dessert wine is something special.
Our pick from Sauternes is produced by Chateau Suduiraut, a wine that will tie a bow on the end of your year. It is delectable, with complex, harmonious flavours of honey, tropical fruit and toasted nuts. It’s deserving of grand occasions, and while it’s perfect on its own, it’ll be beautiful with a variety of Christmas desserts, particularly fruity ones.
A final thing to remember with the dessert wines mentioned here is that most are extremely age-worthy. Good examples of Quarts Des Chaumes and Sauternes have been known to age for over 100 years! To check out our other recommendations for Christmas, take a look at this deep dive into Christmas wines. It goes into detail on potential wine and food pairings, and might give you some more ideas for the holiday season!
Dining and Cooking