It's also an elixir with staying power on the practical level. "A sweet white Bordeaux, once opened, thanks to the higher levels of alcohol and acidity, will easily keep in the fridge for up to ten days… if you can resist it!" says Narby. At the more remarkable end of the preservation scale, US wine critic Robert Parker tasted an 1811 Chateau d'Yquem in 1996 and awarded it a perfect 100 points. The house of Dior even combined with d'Yquem in 2006 to create an anti-ageing cream that utilised sap from its vines.
Nicolas Sanfourche, who oversees 30 hectares of vines at Chateau Loupiac-Gaudiet, of which three hectares are dedicated to red wine and 27 to sweet white Loupiac, says both yes and no to Sauternes being considered a dessert wine. "It's a dessert wine because it replaces the dessert at the end of the meal," he says. "Never mix sweet wine and sugar, and if you really want to pair it with dessert, I prefer fresh fruits."
And on the point about the gender battle: "Soft drinks are sugared, too, but does that mean they are only for women as well?" he poses, noting that he sees more men in his cellar than women. Sanfourche also has two dancefloors in his cellar, where he invites 500 people and six DJs to while the weekend away. "The average age of the people is 25," he adds. As of this month, he's opened a space on the estate for Airbnb for those wanting a taste of the life more ambrosial.
So what are you waiting for? Sweet Bordeaux doesn't only taste sublime or match with all foods – it's an anytime, anywhere li-bation, "People say sweet Bordeaux wine is only for the end of the year, a celebration, but my favourite time to drink it is next to the pool in the summer," says Sanfourche. From here to eternity, go grab the sweeter life and aspire to iridescent immortality – a life Sauternal?
