Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

Press or obtain fresh Sauvignon Blanc juice (approx. 6 cups). Cool the juice to 10–12°C (50–54°F). Add pectic enzyme (0.25 tsp) and stir gently to help clarify and increase extraction of desirable aromatics. Let sit for 12 hours before racking off heavy solids.

Prepare base must

Obtain concentrated Sémillon botrytized juice (approx. 2 cups). If using dried or late-harvest grapes, press gently to keep precious must and avoid extracting harsh tannins. Keep this portion chilled and handle gently to preserve honeyed aromatics.

Prepare botrytized Sémillon

Combine the cooled Sauvignon Blanc (6 cups) and Sémillon (2 cups) in a sanitized carboy or mixing vessel. Stir gently to homogenize. Taste the blend to judge sweetness and balance; Sauternes-style wines are sweet with botrytis concentration, aim for a harmonious balance between acidity and residual sugar.

Blend target

Measure total acidity and pH. If necessary, adjust acidity to typical dessert-wine profile (moderate acidity to balance sweetness) using tartaric acid or malic adjustments (not listed above). Add yeast nutrient (0.5 tsp) to support any controlled fermentation. If you plan to stop fermentation early to retain sweetness, prepare the neutral grape brandy for fortification.

Adjust acidity and nutrients

If fermenting further, rehydrate a neutral wine yeast (1 tsp) following package directions and inoculate the blended must at 16–18°C (61–64°F) for a slow, controlled fermentation that preserves aromatics. Monitor sugar (Brix) and temperature; aim for a slow fermentation to preserve varietal character.

Inoculate or allow native fermentation

When the wine reaches the desired residual sugar level (taste frequently; for Sauternes-style sweetness, stop fermentation with significant residual sugar), add neutral grape brandy (0.25 cups) to raise alcohol and halt yeast activity. Mix gently, then allow the wine to settle for 24–48 hours.

Stopping fermentation (fortification) if desired

Once fermentation is complete or halted, add potassium metabisulfite (approx. 0.25 tsp dissolved as SO2 solution) to achieve an appropriate free SO2 level (target depends on pH; commonly 30–50 ppm free SO2 for finished sweet wines). If you used fresh must earlier, consider a Campden tablet (0.5 tsp crushed) at crush; if not, add now to protect the wine.

SO2 addition and stabilization

Cold-stabilize the wine by chilling to near-freezing for cold precipitation (24 hrs) to encourage tartrate crystals to drop out. Optionally fining: add bentonite or egg white (1 tbs or as recommended) to clarify further. Rack the wine off lees into a sanitized carboy after clarification.

Clarify and stabilize

If desired, sterile-filter the wine using two filter pads to remove remaining particulates and microbes. Prepare bottles (8 pcs), ensure they are sanitized and dry. Fill bottles, leaving appropriate headspace, and cork or cap according to your closure choice.

Filter and bottle

Age bottles in a cool, dark place for at least 6–12 months to allow aromatics to integrate; many Sauternes improve with longer bottle age. Serve chilled (8–10°C). Pour small servings (50–100 ml) to enjoy concentrated honeyed, apricot and botrytis notes. The finished blend should approximate a 13.5% ABV sweet dessert wine when fortified or fermented to that level.

Aging and serving

Sauvignon Blanc (base wine)

Sémillon (botrytized component/fortified portion)

Residual sugar (to adjust final sweetness)

Neutral grape brandy (to fortify if needed to stop fermentation)

Wine yeast (neutral, wine strain if re-fermentation is planned)

Yeast nutrient

Potassium metabisulfite (as SO2 solution)

Pectic enzyme

Campden tablet (crushed)

Cold-stabilization chilling time

Fining agent (optional - bentonite or egg white)

Sterile filter pads (if filtering)

Bottles

Sauternes Grand Vin 2022

Make Sauternes Grand Vin 2022 Recipe in just 168h . Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon - 13,5%

Sauternes Grand Vin 2022

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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