📜 Monbazillac
A sweet golden white wine of the Dordogne, made mainly from Semillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle picked overripe, with or without noble rot.
Monbazillac is a sweet still white AOC wine from five communes of the Dordogne, near Bergerac in south-west France. The wine is golden, deepening with age, usually dominated by aromas of honey, acacia and peach, with touches of citrus and candied mirabelle plum.
The main grapes are Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Semillon, which must make up at least 80% of the blend; Chenin, Ondenc and Ugni Blanc are accessory varieties, limited to 10% of the vineyard. The grapes are picked overripe by hand in successive passes, with or without noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). The wine must contain more than 45 g/l of fermentable sugar and reach at least 12% vol actual alcohol; the grapes must have at least 221 g/l of sugar in the must (14% vol potential alcohol). The yield is 30 hl per hectare, with a ceiling of 40 hl/ha, and irrigation is forbidden. Wines are aged at least until 15 May of the year after the harvest.
The label may add the mention Sélection de grains nobles for wines from grapes with at least 255 g/l of sugar (17% vol potential alcohol) and more than 85 g/l of fermentable sugar in the wine. Harvesting and winemaking take place in Colombier, Monbazillac, Pomport, Rouffignac-de-Sigoulès and Saint-Laurent-des-Vignes. The appellation was first recognised by a decree of 15 May 1936.
How it connects to Wine
📜 Monbazillac ← main grape of ← 🍇 Muscadelle → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍷 Botrytised wine
- Where it is
- 📍 Bergeracois
- Main grapes
- 🍇 Sémillon, 🍇 Sauvignon Blanc, 🍇 Muscadelle
- Wines
- 🍷 White wine
- Related to
- 🍷 Sweet wine
- In other topics
- 🥃 Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or
Frequently asked questions
What is Monbazillac?
A sweet still white AOC wine from five communes of the Dordogne, near Bergerac, made from grapes picked overripe, with or without noble rot.
Which grapes are used for Monbazillac?
Mainly Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle (at least 80% of the blend); Chenin, Ondenc and Ugni Blanc may add up to 10% of the vineyard.
What does Sélection de grains nobles mean on a Monbazillac label?
A mention for wines from grapes with at least 255 g/l of sugar in the must (17% vol potential alcohol) and more than 85 g/l of fermentable sugar in the wine.
What to read next
- 📍 Bergeracois — The Dordogne valley upstream of Bordeaux, known for Monbazillac.
- 🍇 Sémillon — A white grape from France; the main grape of sweet Sauternes, where the berries are picked by hand in several passes.
- 🥃 Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or — Glenmorangie line finished in sweet wine casks: Nectar d'Or is the predecessor of today's The Nectar 16, 46% ABV; the sweet wine was only in the casks.
- 🍷 White wine — Wine made from grape juice without the skins; it can come from pale and even dark berries.
- 🍷 Sweet wine — Wines with a lot of grape sugar, from 45 g/l: dried, overripe, botrytised or frozen grapes; EU categories 15 and 16.
Similar
📜 Cérons · 📜 Sainte-Croix-du-Mont · 📜 Loupiac · 📜 Cadillac · 📜 Bonnezeaux · 📜 Coteaux du Layon
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
Sources
- eAmbrosia – EU geographical indications register
- Cahier des charges de l'AOC Monbazillac (BO-AGRI, 4 mai 2017)
- Document unique Monbazillac AOP (eAmbrosia)
- Wikidata