Can I substitute sherry for Sauternes?

Sauternes wines are known to be expensive and for the best of them, prices are through the roof!

So finding a substitute can come in handy once in a while.

For instance : Can you substitute sherry for Sauternes?

What does sherry taste like?

Sherry is made from three grape varieties. Palomino produces wines with naturally low acidity that do not have a specific varietal character. PX (Pedro Ximenez) is also very unaromatic. With its thin film, it is ideal for raisining. Finally, Muscat of Alexandria is very little cultivated

ANECDOTE : How are sherries made? After the harvest, the grapes for the production of naturally sweet wines are dried in the sun in order to concentrate their sugar content. This process also develops raisin flavors. Once the desired must density is reached, the grapes are pressed and fermentation begins. The juice is so concentrated that the yeasts have trouble fermenting the sugars, so the wine rarely reaches more than a few degrees of alcohol. When fermentation stops. The must is then fortified to 17%. Sherries are subsequently raised in 600-litre oak barrels, called botas. These were often used to age unfortified wines before being used for sherry, so as not to communicate any oak aroma. The wood allows contact between oxygen and wine, and this is further favored by filling only five-sixths.

These naturally sweet wines are all made by oxidative aging. The wines have an intense brown color and are very sweet with a residual sugar content often reaching 500g/L. They have aromas of dried fruits, coffee and licorice.

What does Sauternes taste like?

The great sweet wines of Bordeaux, Sauternes (or Barsac) are made from grapes affected by noble rot. The best are fermented and aged for up to three years in new barrels.

Sauternes wines are usually a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Semillon is the most common grape variety for sweet wines because of the finesse of its skin and its affinity for noble rot. These grapes have medium to high acidity and bring aromas of dried fruit, nuts and honey.

Sauvignon Blanc brings the acidity to the blend.

Muscadelle is sometimes added to the blend, in small proportion. It is characterized by marked aromas of fresh grapes and flowers.

These wines have distinctive notes of honey, apricot, citrus zest and dried fruit.

What is noble rot? Noble rot is caused by a fungus, Botrytis cinerea, which is also the cause of gray rot. Specific conditions are indeed necessary for the appearance of noble rot. First of all, the grapes must be perfectly ripe before the fungus develops. Then the vines should be in a foggy and humid region in the morning, then sunny and dry in the afternoon.

Indeed, the morning humidity allows the development of rot on the berries. The microscopic filaments of the fungus pierce their film, forming tiny holes. The warm, sunny afternoon weather then slows down the development of the fungus while causing the water in the grapes to evaporate, concentrating acids, flavors and sugars. Botrytis also gives rise to new aromas that are specific to it.

Comparison of Sauternes and sherry

Both are sweet wines.

However, they are very different in the making and this has a direct impact on the aromas.

Sauternes offer aromas of apricot and citrus peel typical of botrytis as well as notes of toast and vanilla due to fermentation and / or aging in oak.

Sherries have aromas of dried fruits, coffee and licorice

Moreover, Sauternes has higher acidity than sherry. This means Sauternes can accompany a whole meal whereas Sherry should be kept for the end of the meal.

Conclusion : Can I substitute sherry for Sauternes?

It depends on what you’re looking for. If you are on the look for a dessert wine, meaning you are looking for the sweetness in a Sauternes, then a sherry can be a good substitute.

However, if you want to pair the Sauternes with your meal, the high acidity in the Sauternes is very relevant to the pairing. And by replacing it with sherry, you will lose that acidity. So in this case, no you can’t substitute sherry for Sauternes.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments!