Sauternes is an appellation in France, covering 3,056.7 ha across 5 communes. The rules allow white wine, based on Muscadelle, Sauvignon, Sauvignon Gris and Semillon. Regional bedrock: unconsolidated sediments. It lies 5 km north-west of Langon and 37 km south-east of Bordeaux.
Sweet white wine from grapes affected by noble rot, helped by autumn mists from the Ciron river. Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Château d'Yquem was the only Premier Cru Supérieur in 1855.
Distances from the centre of the place. Towns: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sea, rivers and lakes: Natural Earth.
Terrain
Elevation
6–81 m
Mean elevation
34 m
Mean slope
1.6° (3 %)
Steepest tenth
above 4°
Faces
north-west
Measured over the whole outline on 42,639 elevation cells of about 27 m (Mapterhorn terrain tiles).
Wines and grape rules
SauternesWhite
MuscadelleSauvignonSauvignon GrisSemillon
max 28 hl/ha · min 6,500 vines/ha
Vintages: Bordeaux (red)
505
306
207
308
509
510
311
312
113
314
415
516
317
518
519
520
221
522
423
224
Atlas editorial scores: a consensus of widely published vintage reports, not one critic's view. Scores for 2023 and 2024 are early and can change as the wines develop. Scale 1 to 5.
Bedrock
Unconsolidated sediments54%
Mixed sedimentary rocks40%
Regional bedrock from the GLiM global lithological map (Hartmann and Moosdorf 2012), not a soil survey.