The legend of Sauternes

In 1846, a famous marquis went bear-hunting in Russia. Because he was late coming back, he was unable to instruct his stewart to start grape-picking. As they patiently waited, the workers saw with anguish signs of rot on the grapes.

As soon as the marquis arrived, they were told to start picking. To their surprise, despite this rot, the wine was rich in sweet aromas, to such an extent that, a year later, the Russian grand dukes were quarrelling over it and paying more than 20 000 francs a barrel for it !

It was the Grand Duke Constantin Nicolaievitch, a great wine-lover, who bought it. It is said that thanks to this, Sauternes was acknowledged to be the top wine in the 1855 classification.

Thomas Jefferson also helped to enhance the reputation of the Sauternes wines. As he travelled through the wine-growing regions of Europe in 1787, among others that of Bordeaux, he recorded and graded the best vintages and wine-producing areas, singling out Sauternes as a great wine and a source of great pleasure. Many think his work influenced the 1855 classification.