Winemaker Notes
For several decades, this wine has been made mostly from old Semillon vines originally intended for the production of AOC Barsac-Sauternes great wines. Its exceptional terroir gives this wine a certain minerality and remarkable finesse. It is well balanced and beautifully tangy, with citrus notes that defi ne the character of all vintages. Château Ducasse is best served as an aperitif or paired with seafood, fish, oysters, spicy or Asian dishes.
Blend: 70% Semillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
Famous for both its red and white wines, Graves is a large region, extending 30 miles southeast of the city of Bordeaux, along the left bank of the Garonne River. Red wine producing vineyards cover well over three times as much area as the whites. In the late 1980s, the French created the separate appellation of Pessac-Léognan within the northern confines of Graves. It includes all of its most famous properties, and the southern suburbs of the city Bordeaux itself. In French "graves" is a term used to indicate gravelly soils.