Barsac is a commune in the south of the Bordeaux region in France. It is also a very important sweet white wine appellation, and is the most distinctive of the five communes which make up the Sauternes appellation. The other four (Fargues, Bommes, Preignac and the Sauternes commune itself) are permitted to use only the title AOC Sauternes, whereas Barsac may use the Sauternes name, or its own AOC Barsac appellation. The laws for the two appellations are identical in every respect other than the specific geographical origins of the grapes. Vines must be trellised and pruned with specific techniques, and planted to a minimum density of 6,500 plants per hectare (2.631 per acre), although there are some complex exceptions to this rule. The wines must reach a minimum alcohol level of 12%, and be derived from grapes harvested with natural sugar levels of 221 grams per liter, leading to a naturally high content of residual sugar in the finished product.
Located on the southern (left) bank of the Garonne river, Barsac is also very close to the Ciron river, a tributary of the Garonne. The proximity of these two rivers, when coupled with certain other factors, is precisely what makes Barsac able to produce its high-quality sweet white wines.
The presence of the two rivers creates night-time and morning mists in the area, as the air cools down after hot summer days. This airborne moisture encourages the development of botrytis cinerea- the 'noble rot' so essential to the creation of the area's sweet wines. It concentrates the sugars and natural flavors in the Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes used for Barsac's unique wines (Muscadelle and Sauvignon Gris are the only other varieties permitted in the strict appellation laws). The development of botrytis is not guaranteed, however, and it has been known not to develop at all in some vintages. The grapes left on the vines without botrytis are susceptible to early frosts, or heavy rain, and represent a significant and risky investment.
Across the Ciron, and to the south, is the even more famous appellation and village of Sauternes, whose hillier topography increases the effects of the mists, and lead to richer wines than are found in Barsac, whose flatter sand and limestone-based soils create finer, more delicate flavors in the grapes.
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