🍇 Sémillon
A white grape from France; the main grape of sweet Sauternes, where the berries are picked by hand in several passes.
Sémillon is a white wine grape from south-west France. The VIVC grape catalogue lists 59 synonyms for it, among them Hunter River Riesling and Semilão, and marks it as a wine grape only.
The best-known wine from Sémillon is sweet Sauternes in Bordeaux. The appellation was recognised by a decree of 30 September 1936 and covers five communes, among them Barsac and Sauternes itself. Under the rules, Sémillon is the main grape here, while Sauvignon blanc, Sauvignon gris and Muscadelle are added for aroma. Sémillon berries have thick skins and are easily covered by the noble rot Botrytis cinerea, which concentrates the sugar.
Grapes for Sauternes are picked only by hand, in several passes through the plot: each time, only the shrivelled berries are cut. The juice has to contain at least 221 g of sugar per litre, and the finished wine no less than 45 g/l of residual sugar. The description of the appellation says such wines can age for several decades.
The area under the grape in France has shrunk noticeably: according to VIVC, there were 35,993 ha in 1958 and 11,693 ha in 2009. Outside France, Sémillon is grown in Australia (6,715 ha in 2008), South Africa, Argentina and Chile.
Why it matters to you. The word Sauternes on a label means a sweet wine from grapes touched by noble rot, mostly Sémillon. Hunter River Riesling on old Australian labels is Sémillon too, not Riesling. If a grape name appears on an EU wine, at least 85% of the wine is that grape. White wines are served at 4–10 °C and stored lying down at 10–16 °C.
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Sémillon → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- What is made from it
- 🥃 Fine Bordeaux
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ French wine
- Where it grows
- 📍 Bordeaux, 🍷 Sauternes, 📍 Graves, 📍 Sauternais, 📍 Entre-Deux-Mers, 📍 Bergeracois
- Main grape in
- France: 📜 Pessac-Léognan, 📜 Barsac, 📍 Entre-Deux-Mers, 📜 Côtes de Bordeaux, 📜 Bergerac, 📍 Bordeaux, 📍 Graves, 📜 Monbazillac, 📜 Cadillac, 📜 Crémant de Bordeaux
and 16 more
📜 Cérons, 📜 Côtes de Blaye, 📜 Côtes de Duras, 📜 Graves de Vayres, 📜 Montravel, 📜 Rosette, 📜 Côtes de Montravel, 📜 Graves Supérieures, 📜 Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, 📜 Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, 📜 Côtes de Bergerac, 📜 Côtes de Bordeaux-Saint-Macaire, 📜 Haut-Montravel, 📜 Loupiac, 📜 Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux, 📜 Saussignac - Related to
- 🍷 Sauternes, 🍷 Botrytised wine, 🏰 Château Coutet, 🍷 Cuvée Madame de Château Coutet, 🍷 Opalie de Château Coutet, 🍷 La Chartreuse de Coutet, 🍷 Sauternes
- Offspring
- 🍇 Catawba, 🍇 Flora
- Similar and different
- 🍇 Sauvignon Blanc, 🍇 Muscadelle
Frequently asked questions
What is Sémillon?
A white wine grape from France and the main grape of sweet Sauternes; the VIVC catalogue knows 59 of its synonyms.
Is it true that Sémillon has thin skins?
No. The Sauternes appellation description calls it a variety with thick-skinned berries that suit noble rot well.
How are grapes for Sauternes picked?
Only by hand, in several passes: each time the berries shrivelled by noble rot are cut.
How much sugar is in Sauternes?
The juice has at least 221 g/l of sugar, and the finished wine no less than 45 g/l of residual sugar.
Where else does Sémillon grow?
In Australia (6,715 ha in 2008, according to VIVC), as well as in South Africa, Argentina and Chile.
What to read next
- 🗺️ French wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes and appellations.
- 📜 Pessac-Léognan — The northern Graves near Bordeaux, home of Château Haut-Brion and famous whites.
- 🏰 Château Coutet — A Barsac estate whose wine-growing history the estate dates to 1643; owned by the Baly family since 1977; a first growth of the 1855 classification.
- 🍷 Botrytised wine — Sweet wine from grapes with noble rot, with a honeyed taste.
- 🍷 Opalie de Château Coutet — Opalie de Château Coutet: white wine by Château Coutet from Barsac; vin blanc sec.
Similar
🍇 Muscadelle · 🍇 Sauvignon Blanc · 🍇 Sauvignon Gris · 🍇 Merlot · 🍇 Gros Verdot · 🍇 Colombard
Sources
- INAO: cahier des charges de l'AOC « Sauternes » (homologué par l'arrêté du 25 mars 2026, BO-Agri)
- VIVC (Vitis International Variety Catalogue): passport Sémillon, area
- eAmbrosia — the EU geographical indications register: Sauternes (PDO)
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (grape varieties on labels; Annex VII — Bocksbeutel)
- Simons C.T. Left out in the cold: Serving wines chilled. Temperature, 2019