Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made of 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2018 Le Sec de Rayne-Vigneau is a little closed to begin, opening slowly to reveal scents of coriander seed, lemongrass and grapefruit over notions of ripe pears and white peach. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating citrus flavors with a seriously racy line and saline finish. Range: 89-91
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Le Sac de Rayne Vigneau is an excellent example of Bordeaux Blanc. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows classic aromas and flavors of savory spices, dried mushrooms, and rustic earth. Pair it with pan-fried Petrale sole topped with capers. (Tasted: October 2, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
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.
Sweet and unctuous but delightfully charming, the finest Sauternes typically express flavors of exotic dried tropical fruit, candied apricot, dried citrus peel, honey or ginger and a zesty beam of acidity.
Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle are the grapes of Sauternes. But Sémillon's susceptibility to the requisite noble rot makes it the main variety and contributor to what makes Sauternes so unique. As a result, most Sauternes estates are planted to about 80% Sémillon. Sauvignon is prized for its balancing acidity and Muscadelle adds aromatic complexity to the blend with Sémillon.
Botrytis cinerea or “noble rot” is a fungus that grows on grapes only in specific conditions and its onset is crucial to the development of the most stunning of sweet wines.
In the fall, evening mists develop along the Garonne River, and settle into the small Sauternes district, creeping into the vineyards and sitting low until late morning. The next day, the sun has a chance to burn the moisture away, drying the grapes and concentrating their sugars and phenolic qualities. What distinguishes a fine Sauternes from a normal one is the producer’s willingness to wait and tend to the delicate botrytis-infected grapes through the end of the season.