Monbazillac

The wine

South of the Bergeracois, watched over by its Renaissance château, Monbazillac stretches across five villages in the southern Dordogne, at the heart of a river bend that creates perfect conditions for noble rot. AOC since 1936, it is made on two thousand three hundred hectares from the three historic varieties of white Bordeaux: dominant Sémillon, Sauvignon, and Muscadelle. As at Sauternes, the magic lies in Botrytis cinerea, which slowly shrivels the berries at autumn's end; manual harvests in successive passes select only fully passerillage-affected grapes. The resulting must yields a wine of straw colour deepening to gold then amber with age — nuances that the finest vintages develop over twenty to thirty years. The nose offers aromas of acacia honey, white flowers, and candied fruit, extended by a touch of spice. Serve chilled with seared foie gras, aged Roquefort, or a vanilla crème brûlée — the full Bordeaux trio for sweet pairings.