12 June 2020 | nicolas Sauternes is a French sweet wine from the Sauternais region in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from different grapes: Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis Cinerea, also known as noble rot. This results in the concentrated and distinct flavours in the wines. Due to its climate, Sauternes is one of the few regions where infection with noble rot frequent. It is suggested that the unappealing thought of drinking wine made from fungus-infested grapes may have caused Sauternes producers to keep the use of noble rot a secret. Used Cask & Barrel benefits Sauternes used casks & barrels are very favourable as they have a very sweet and complex flavour. Also the Sauternes production is very expensive and the Châteaux don’t want to risk their high investment in the grapes by using bad casks or barrels. Sauternes Used Casks Tasting notes Sauternes are charecterized by the balance of sweetness with the zest of acidity. Some common flavour notes include apricots, honey, peaches but with a nutty note, which is a typical characteristic of noble semillon itself.