Barsac

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The commune of Barsac is separated from the other communes of the Sauternes appellation by the valley of the Ciron to the south-east and by the Saint-Cricq stream from the Graves region to the north-west.
• The Ciron, which rises in the Landes, meanders beneath a tree canopy that cools its waters, and their meeting with the warmer Garonne produces mists that lift during sunny afternoons; this alternation of humid and dry periods is extremely favourable to the development of Botrytis cinerea.
• The area has a very flat topography, with elevations ranging from 20 metres on the plateau down to 5 metres in the zone of modern alluvial deposits near the Garonne.
• The astéries limestone plateau known as Haut-Barsac, heavily fissured, is covered by sandy colluvial deposits forming a layer of red soil 40 to 60 cm deep, through which vine roots penetrate to depths of more than 10 metres.
• Further east, descending towards the Garonne, remnants of gravel deposits carried down from the Pyrenees and rounded by the river during Quaternary glacial episodes form warm, well-draining gravelly soils.

• The Barsac appellation was recognised by decree on 11 September 1936, which regulated the production of wine from over-ripened grapes harvested in successive selective pickings.
• The commune of Barsac obtained the right to market its wines under its own name or under the name 'Sauternes', with two thirds of the 660-hectare vineyard carrying the name 'Barsac' and one third the name 'Sauternes'.
• Harvesters carry out successive selective pickings, cutting individual botrytis-roasted berries with scissors, a practice that became widespread across all estates during the nineteenth century.

• In their youth, the wines display a golden colour with aromas of flowers and fruit; as they age, their colour deepens to amber and they develop a 'roasted' bouquet of candied fruits, citrus, and honey.
• These are wines of very long ageing potential, capable of keeping for several decades, while also being excellent from the moment of bottling, as all great wines are.

• The particular microclimatic conditions are responsible for the development of Botrytis cinerea, the fungus that produces the noble rot which gives the wines their typicity.
• The water supply and calcareous mineral elements of the soil lend original nuances to the wines of Barsac, which are fairly lively and fresh, with persistent aromas of a markedly fruity character.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 25 mars 2026
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — Syndicat Viticole de Sauternes & Barsac