Chateau de Malle, 2nd Growth Sauternes 2001

For the last three centuries, the earls of de Bournazel have owned Ch�teau de Malle, vineyards of the world renowned Grand Cru Class� as well as classified monument located at the heart of the prestigious terroirs of Graves and Sauternes. Keeping the ancestral tradition of wine making in a stunning estate of 50 hectares, the de Bournazel family bears a limited production of exceptional wines: Ch�teau de Malle Grand Cru class� Sauternes and M de Malle Graves Semillon Blanc. Ch�teau de Malle produces indeed an awarded graves white wine as well as a highly-regarded Grand Cru Classe of Sauternes, the sweetest wine of the Southwest part of France. ?Making Sauternes is a waiting game that very few estates masters as Ch�teau de Malle does. For the Grand Cru Class� Sauternes, the grapes of sauvignon blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle can only be harvested when they are ripened to perfection to reach the highest level of sugar concentration. The molding process relies on two combined factors: the development of a microscopic fungus, called Botrytis cinerea or �noble rot� and specific levels of humidity. This delicate combination found in the Sauternes region engenders a rare wine with multilayered flavors and complex aromas that can�t be reduced to its sweetness.