The magic of

Botrytis Cinerea

The rich resources of the Château Suduiraut terroir are due notably to its geographic proximity to the Ciron and Garonne rivers. They both provide ideal conditions for the development of the noble rot Botrytis Cinerea: cool nights and morning autumn mists followed by fine sunny weather during the day.

The fungus is already present in the vineyard immediately after flowering and appears on the grapes as soon as they start to ripen. Its arrival is unpredictable, which has a significant effect on yield, making each harvest even more exceptional.

If the weather is too damp the fungus develops as grey rot and makes the harvested grapes unusable. Any such clusters are cut off and disposed of.

Under optimal conditions, the fungus develops as noble rot. It modifies the skin of each grape, making it porous. Evaporation of water is thus possible, favouring the concentration of sugar. Botrytis Cinerea causes a reaction in the grape, resulting in an abundance of aromas that gives the wine its grandeur and complexity.

The grape becomes raisined and its flesh highly concentrated in sugar and aromas of candied fruit that are characteristic of Sauternes wines.

Unusual harvests

The development of Botrytis Cinerea is very unpredictable and does not affect all vines at the same time. This requires us to pick the grapes carefully, exclusively by hand, selecting only part of the bunch as the over-ripening develops. Harvesting is staggered, with up to five pickings between the end of September and mid-November.