Sweet Gold

If I were a vine grower, and one day, close to harvest, found the grapes on the vines I had painstakingly grown and nurtured over the year raisined and covered in mold, I probably would have dropped to my knees and cried. But in the area of Sauternes in Bordeaux, the vine growers and Château owners jump for joy seeing their grapes affected by this specific and “special” mold, which is essential in making these delectable, legendary sweet white wines. Many call these wines “liquid gold,” but the fact that they exist at all is the confluence of a touch of madness and luck.

Botrytis Cinerea is the name of this mold. The French call it “pourriture noble,” which translates to “noble rot.” But how can mold be “noble”? With just the right climatic conditions: humidity, prevalence of the mold in the area, temperature, and even wind, botrytis can grow on mature grapes. What it does is dehydrates the grapes, shrinking their volume, while intensifying sugar and acids. It also changes some of the chemical composition, giving the wine a unique aromatic profile (the tell-tale botrytis quality one smells in wine from Sauternes). The result of making great wine from horrible looking grapes is a wine that is marvelously sweet but impeccably balanced and wonderfully complex.

The grapes for Sauternes, which can only be white, are Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Botrytis seems to have an affinity for these grapes, particularly in this area. Remember Sauternes is also the name of the commune and region from which these wines originate. There are actually five communes in which some connoisseurs claim to detect the differences. What is perhaps more interesting is that this area obtained its own classification system in 1855 at the behest of Napoleon III for The Universal Exhibition of Paris. These wines were classified according to their market value and were accorded either Premier Cru (First Growth) or Deux- ième Cru (Second Growth) with one exception. That exception is Château d’Yquem, which for centuries was already recognized as not only one of the greatest sweet wines, but also one of the greatest wines on the planet. It was given the ranking of Premier Grand Cru (First Great Growth). Altogether, there are 26 Châteaux in the classification. This classification is still in effect today; however, some Châteaux that outshine others within their category. Château d’Yquem is deserving of its place in the Pantheon of great wines and the top Sauternes. Recently a half bottle of 1989 was a glorious panoply of aromatics, from glacée apricots, crème brûlée, figs, toffee, candy apple, cinnamon and apple pie: sweet but balanced, gorgeous richness and mouthfeel with an aftertaste that imprints itself on your palate. And it is still youthful at 32 years! Great Sauternes are so intense, not only because of their sweetness, but also because of the acidity: They can age for a century or more! After d’Yquem, my other favorites include: Château Rieussec, which is one of the most consistent of the First Growths; Château Climens is always rich, and to me, has an added cotton candy almost aerial component to it, which I enjoy. When Château Suduiraut is great; it is as sultry and sexy as Sauternes can be.

For Gourmands, tradition has forever paired Sauternes with foie gras on the table. But Sauternes should not be relegated to only foie gras and, of course, dessert. A rich dish of fish with a beurre blanc sauce, moist roasted chicken with truffles jus (one of my chef friend’s favorite pairings), cured salmon and crème fraîche on brioche will also pair magically.

I wish I could have had a conversation with the first person in Sauternes who made this sweet wine from moldy grapes. What were you thinking? How did it happen? I would like to thank them for creating this heavenly sweet liquid that we now enjoy.