Saussignac

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The exposed geological substratum belongs exclusively to Tertiary fluvio-lacustrine deposits, derived from marshy deltaic plains or lakes with calcareous sedimentation.
• The Castillon limestone, hard and whitish, forms a cliff roughly ten metres high and constitutes the hardest structural unit of the plateau.
• The Monbazillac limestone, white and more friable, has a shallow thickness of 1 to 4 metres depending on location, and is interbedded within the molasses of the Agenais.
• The leached soils of the molassic plateaux sometimes have a high iron content, as recalled by certain place names such as 'La Ferrière', 'Rouillac', or 'Ferriol'.
• The geographical zone covers a vast clay-limestone plateau reaching a maximum elevation of 152 metres, with a general dip oriented northward towards the Dordogne valley.
• The tempered oceanic climate is characterised by lower rainfall and higher summer temperatures and colder winters than on the Atlantic seaboard.

• A deed of donation to Saint-Sylvain attests, as early as the eleventh century, to the presence of numerous vineyards, bearing witness to the monastic origins of the Saussignac vineyard.
• The production of wines with residual fermentable sugars developed in the eighteenth century through the introduction of the Muscadelle variety, locally known as 'muscat fou'.
• Harvesting must be carried out exclusively by successive manual tries of overripe grapes, whether through the action of Botrytis cinerea or through natural drying on the vine.
• The appellation d'origine contrôlée Saussignac was recognised by the decree of 28 April 1982 and is defined as a medium-sweet white wine.

• The appearance shows a golden-yellow colour, with frequent aromas of honey, flowers, and citrus on the nose, and flavours of candied fruit, quince, or apricot on the palate.
• These wines, rich in fermentable sugars, reach an interesting balance after 2 to 3 years of ageing, and certain great vintages can sometimes be kept for several decades.

• The Atlantic influence and the configuration of the valley, open to the west, allow in autumn for the combination of morning dews or mists, afternoon sunshine, and dry winds — optimal conditions for the development of Botrytis cinerea.

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), JORF 3 mai 2017
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — IVBD — Vins de Bergerac & Duras