Sauternes
Sauternes
Sauternes is a French wine from Bordeaux, particularly the Sauternes and Barsac regions. Sauternes wine is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot). The fungus dehydrates the grapes, concentrating their sugars and flavors so that the resulting wines are distinctly sweet, rich and high in acidity. The most famous producer is Château d’Yquem, a Premier Cru Supérieur estate.
See Also
Dessert Wine
Dessert wine is any wine with high residual sugar, often served in smaller, chilled glasses as a dessert or with a dessert. They typically feature high acidity, with some being fortified with spirits.
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine refers to the type of wine with significant amounts of carbon dioxide dissolved in it, which makes it fizzy or bubbly. Carbon dioxide is introduced through a secondary fermentation process in the bottle (e.g., Champagne) or tank (Prosecco).
Porto
Porto is the official name for Port. It is a a sweet, fortified red wine made from traditional grapes like Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesca, Touriga Nacional and others in Duoro Valley, Portugal.
Natural Wine
Natural wine is produced with minimal intervention, using organic or biodynamic grapes and little to no additives, synthetic chemicals, preservatives or artificial yeasts. There is no legal definition for natural wine and it is often described as a winemaking philosophy, rather than a strict style.
Fortified Wine
Fortified wine is a style of wine to which a distilled spirit (usually brandy) has been added, resulting in a higher alcohol content (15-22%). The spirits are either added during fermentation to create sweet wines like Port, or after fermentation to craft dry wines like Sherry.
Organic Wine
Organic wine is made from grapes grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or fungicides, according to the principles of organic farming.
Brunello di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino is a full bodied 100% Sangiovese red wine made exclusively in Tuscany, Italy. It is strictly regulated under DOCG rules, renowned for its high acidity, high tannins and noteworthy aging potential.
Blend
A blend is the combination of two or more different grape varieties, vineyard parcels, fermented wines or vintages to create a more balanced, complex and consistent wine.