Sémillon
Sauvignon’s partner in dry and sweet Bordeaux whites.
Sémillon adds breadth to dry blends. In Sauternes and Barsac, noble rot can concentrate its grapes for sweet wines; the grape name alone does not indicate sweetness.
What to notice
Compare a dry white Graves and a Sauternes: separate texture, sugar and acidity.
Explore styles and places
Style descriptions are guides, not rules: vintage, vineyard, blending and maturation change the result.
Bordeaux — Cabernet Sauvignon leads on the Left Bank, Merlot on the Right; styles range from approachable bottles to ageworthy wines.
Southwest France — Cahors and Malbec, Madiran and Tannat, Jurançon and Manseng: three starting points, not one regional style.
