Why is Sauternes so expensive?

Let’s start by what are the parameters in the pricing of a wine? First, there is the production cost (in the vineyard and in the cellar), then, transport costs, storing costs and taxes…

If you want more details on this subject, check out this article.

So, back to Sauternes! Sauternes is a sweet white wine from Bordeaux. Bordeaux wines are known to be expensive (although not all) and Sauternes are known to be very expensive (then again, not all actually)

However, why is Sauternes so expensive?

Sauternes is more expensive because it’s harder to produce

The great sweet wines of Bordeaux, Sauternes (or Barsac) are made from grapes affected by noble rot. The best are fermented and aged for up to three years in new barrels.

And actually, everything is said in this sentence

Grapes Infected With Botrytis Cinerea is a photograph by Dr Jeremy Burgess/science Photo Library which was uploaded on September 16th, 2018 on Fineartamerica.com

What is noble rot? Noble rot is caused by a fungus, Botrytis cinerea, which is also the cause of gray rot. Specific conditions are indeed necessary for the appearance of noble rot. First of all, the grapes must be perfectly ripe before the fungus develops. Then the vines should be in a foggy and humid region in the morning, then sunny and dry in the afternoon.

Indeed, the morning humidity allows the development of rot on the berries. The microscopic filaments of the fungus pierce their film, forming tiny holes. The warm, sunny afternoon weather then slows down the development of the fungus while causing the water in the grapes to evaporate, concentrating acids, flavors and sugars. Botrytis also gives rise to new aromas that are specific to it.

This means, the winemakers have to make several passes in the vineyard to collect the botrytized grape at the RIGHT moment. This means 8 to 10 passes (versus only one for other wines). This requires hard work and man power.

Moreover, not all grapes are botrytized, so this means low yields. When one vine would be sufficient to make a bottle of red wine, with Sauternes, it only adds up to a glass.

The aging part is done in barrels up to three years. This means, the winemakers have to stock its wine for three years. That costs too.

Because it’s rare

After harvest, the grapes are then sorted. The best grapes go for the Sauternes, the second lot goes for basic Sauternes and the last is kept for further years in case of a bad harvest.

So the yield was already low with the botrytization but now it’s even lower… So there’s exclusivity in Sauternes (a reason why Bordeaux wines are so expensive)

Moreover, special conditions are required for noble rot.

And, in the Bordeaux region, the ideal conditions for noble rot are not met every year. If it is too humid, the fungus grows too quickly and causes gray rot, which causes the berries to burst and promote infections.

Thus, Sauternes is the Bordeaux wine the most subject to vintage effect. Some vintages, Château Yquem doesn’t even produce Sauternes.

Because it has high level of alcohol (taxes) and sugar (long-aging potential)

Tax is another reason! A lot of countries tax alcohol products. And Sauternes have high level of alcohol…

Moreover, due to their high sugar levels, Sauternes can last centuries so this makes it an ideal wine for speculation…and of course, this increases the price! (you know how the market works)

But, all depends on which Sauternes you buy

Like for all Bordeaux wines, the classification of 1855 does impact the price of a wine unfortunately. So Château Yquem and other first growths will unfortunately be too expensive for many of us.

However, some First Growth can be found at reasonable price in France (roughly 100€) such as Château Guiraud, Château de Rayne-Vigneau, Château de Rieussec…

For those who live across the Atlantic (in America), you can even have Sauternes delivered to you under $40 a bottle via SomMailier (check out the full review here)

Another way to decrease the price is to buy in half bottles. Although, I wouldn’t recommend that for other wines, it’s unlikely you’ll finish a bottle of Sauternes once you’ve opened it. So instead of forcing yourself to drink it or pouring it down the drain afterwards, half bottles are a very good compromise.

This may even enable you to tap in higher quality Sauternes.

Conclusion : why is Sauternes so expensive

Sauternes is expensive because it’s expensive to produce. In the vineyard, more manpower is required. The yields are low so Sauternes is exclusive. They have to be stored, sometimes up to three years, so this adds to the cost.

Their high level of alcohol usually means more taxes. Their level of sugar means they have a long aging potential and this calls for speculation.

However, not all Sauternes are expensive and some very good Sauternes can be found at a regular price.

For those abroad, I would recommend the club SomMailier who delivers to your doorstep Sauternes from small-batch family. It’s authentic and affordable!

>> Check my review here: Is it worth it? <<