The grapes.

Semillon.

The Semillon is a white grape grown all over the world.  The vines fruit in large bunches. There are only two areas where Semillon is the base grape.  The first is Bordeaux and the other is the Hunter Valley in Australia.

The Semillon grape has a thin skin and is easily affected by Botrytis cinerea, which is so important for the production of Sauternes wines.

Wine produced from only Semillon is uncommon, except perhaps for the Hunter Valley in Australia.   It is common to use the Sauvignon grape for added acidity and crispness on the palate.

Sauvignon.

The grape is white and grows in compact bunches.  Bunches are so compact that it is only with difficulty an individual grape can be picked without damaging the other grapes around it.  Sauvignon gives a clean, refreshing wine with a lot of complexity.

The Sauvignon grape is more resistant to Botrytis cinerea, but despite this, it is an important ingredient in many of the Sauternes wines.

Muscadelle.

A white grape, smaller than the Semillon.  It grows in looser bunches and is mixed into the Sauternes to give a spicy edge.  The Muscadelle is hard to grow and is losing in popularity in the district.  This grape is grown under the name Tokay in Australia.