Iconic Dessert Wines of France

Sauternes and Monbazillac

When you’re looking for a dessert wine to match that perfect chocolate moose or that allusive crème brulee, think French. There is no substitute that can match sweetness with all the elegance and complexity on the planet like a French dessert wine. The most famous area in France for making dessert wine is the Sauternais district, nestled in the south-east of the famed Bordeaux region. It’s made from grapes indigenous to Bordeaux, semillon, sauvignon blanc and muscadelle that have been affected by the botrytis cinerea or noble rot.

However, another iconic area making similar wines from the same grapes that grow an incredibly close imposter is Monbazillac. It sits south-west of Bordeaux city, just outside of the Bordeaux wine growing district and is sometimes half the price of similar quality Sauternes. If you have never sampled a Sauternes or Monbazillac dessert wine, you need to do so soon -before everyone outside of France discovers them and they become too expensive!

As luck would have it, Popsy and JJ have a gorgeous example from Monbazillac. And it won’t cost you the Earth to see just how good French dessert wine is. The Epoque Monbazillac 2015 which Popsy and JJ rated 95/100 was matched with an Ash goat’s cheese from Minchinbury NSW but you could just as easily pair it with chocolate moose, crème brulee or your favourite dessert. Be prepared and make sure you have a second bottle handy!