The Terroirs

The Vins d'Or terroir is composed of all the territories where Sémillon can overripe, producing an exceptional concentration of sugar that is later found in the bottle. This primarily includes the area around Sauternais where the Garonne and Ciron Rivers meet. It is here and only here where, due to the meeting of the cooler Ciron waters and those of the warmer Garonne, night mists form in autumn that encourage the growth of noble rot. Sémillon is a favourite target of this fungus that dries out the grapes and concentrates their sugar. Thanks to these climatic factors, and to the wine-makers' know-how, the resulting sweet nectar is enjoyed around the world. Certain domains have such valuable terroirs that they are classified.