Hervé Dubourdieu owns a number of wineries. Graville-Lacoste, Romieu-Lacoste, and Ducasse. Ive…read moretried the Romieu Lacoste Barsac dessert wine which is quite good. The white Bordeaux, Ducasse Graves Sauvignon Blanc is not quite as good. It's acidic as you'd expect a sauv blanc to be, but not really too complex or tasty. It doesnt stand on it's own and really required the fruit compote and or cheese plate that we had to make it better. Unless youre going with food Id day gimfor the Barsac and be happier

TGonet Medeville owns a slew of wine brands but Im focused on their dessert wines. There are very…read morefew Sauternes wines that I've not liked and the Château Les Justices definitely isn't one of them. The wine is made with Sémillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle, ageing in oak barrels during 2 years. The wine is not as honeyed as some more traditional Sauternes and the color also gives off a pinkish hue a bit different from the golden normally associated. THe most important part? It tastes good.

We enjoyed wine tasting at Château Mémoires with owner Beate Ménard. Specializing in organic…read moreproduction methods, she and husband Jean-François have created a line-up of wines that includes something for all tastes. Our favorites today were the dry white Semillon and Fleur d'Opale. The Semillion is a classic Bordeaux white that is beautifully balanced. The Fleur d'Opale has more complex floral notes and a smoothness from being aged in oak barrels. Beate provided heaps of information about the region and their wine production methods, and she also gave us a short tour of their production facility. I'm sure our memories of Château Mémoires will last a lifetime, even if the twelve bottles we took home with us won't last long at all.

Vinoma is a huge wine conglomerate that makes wines all over France. Some of the styles produced:…read more Bordeaux Bordeaux Supérieur Côtes de Castillon Côtes de Castillon Côtes de Bourg Côtes de Francs Sainte-Foy Bordeaux Montagne Saint Emilion Saint Emilion Grand Cru Lalande de Pomerol Pomerol Médoc Cru Bourgeois Médoc Cru Bourgeois Haut Médoc Cru Bourgeois Listrac-Médoc Cru Bourgeois Saint Julien Cru Bourgeois Graves I particularly like the Sauternes from Chateau Grand Piquey. A solid dessert wine that is in the middle of the Sauternes scale. Good honeyed richness but young enough for a little acid, going well with stone fruit desserts.

Sauternes is a region celebrated for making sweet white wines, which can range from dulcet nirvana…read moreto downright cloying. Although I previously knew that I enjoyed the wine type, I didn't understand the full complexity involved in the production of this liquid gold. A visit to Château Rieussec provided me with a thorough explanation and a knowledge of what it takes to produce such a magnificent bottle of wine. Having made reservations in advance for an English speaking tour, we were warmly greeted in the reception area and then we were directed to the tasting room to wait for our host. Considering they don't charge for the visit (which seems uncommon in the area), it is a sensational value. Unlike the tours I'm used to in the United States, there were no throngs of bachelorette parties, nor was there an easy to amble up to bar for tasting large pours of many different varietals. Instead we were treated to a private experience, given a complete look at the history of the winery, the terroir, and the process used. Since Rieussec's vineyards border the highly lauded Château d`Yquem (who does not accept visitors unless you are in the industry), they are perfectly positioned to produce the top notch wine that has earned them the title of 1er Cru Classé. For wine lovers, it is like visiting a sacred temple, and being allowed to observe some of their rituals. I never realized how important the climate was to the wine itself, the local fog creating the perfect conditions to yield the candied grapes. There is a delicate balance to the plots selected for the grapes themselves, of which the primary grape grown is Sémillon, with a smaller percentage of Sauvignon Blanc as well. The picking process requires an eagle eye and multiple pickings to ensure the right balance and the highest quality in the wine. Then there are many other details that I would never have considered, all of which are necessary to create a bottle that meets their stringent guidelines. Truly we felt honored to be able to receive such an in depth look at region, and steps required to create a bottle of Château Rieussec's wine. Our host was gracious to and full of interesting information. At the end of our tour we were given some of the wine to sample, enjoying the smooth complexity as notes of honeysuckle, peach, and lychee made their way through. I only wish we had a block of blue cheese with us at the time to pair it with! I cannot recommend a visit enthusiastically enough, it is without doubt, a must for any wine lover.

From the same producers of Chateau Lafite Rosthschild, one of the most famous Bordeaux wines of all…read moretime. They make a pretty fantastic Sauternes to boot. Made of 90 - 95% Sémillon , Muscadelle and 5-10% Sauvignon, this late harvest wine is amongst some of the best Sauternes out there, batting in the same league as Yquem but much more affordable

Excellent welcome, tour with clear explanations in English and very nice wines to taste…read more This company focuses on biological production. No pesticides are used to increase production yield. Biodiversity is of great importance to this vineyard. Balance of nature is key for success. Grapes are hand picked. New barrels are used. The site is well organised and looks pretty. Well worth a visit! Be prepared to spend some money as the dessert wines are excellent and also pricey! ;)

Guirard uses only Semillion and Sauvignon in their Sauternes blend. Another of the 1st cru wines,…read morewhich sits nearby the famed Yquem, it's also another excellent Sauternes producer for those of us that can't afford the Premier Crus of Yquem

The best for a reason. The beauty of the property, incredible history, graciousness of the staff…read moreand legendary wines set Chateau d'Yquem apart. If you are a true lover of wine you must visit. I also want to give a special thank you to Perrine for giving such a wonderful experience!

The premier gran cru superior chateau is one of the finest in Bordeaux. Owned by LVMH, this winery…read moreis the epitome of class and pretentiousness. My mother and I paid $300 each to have three glasses of wine and a mini tour of the estate which I found rather disappointing. I would of enjoyed seeing the bottling facility wish is located on the property, the aging vats, or even the wine library (this wine is known for aging very well!). We were shown the courtyard of the castle, a few vines and then rushed into a tasting room after a video describing noble rot. While the wine at chateau d'yquem is some of the best in the world, the experience could of been better for the cost. Offering a little bit of food with our wine would of been amazing.

Im usually a huge fan of Sauternes and their like minded late harvest wines. However the Raymond…read moreLafon that I had was a bit on the weak and un complex side, especially for the money. There are too many good vintners from Sauternes and Barsac to choose from so I'd save your money on this one and get something more compelling for the price.