The late-harvest wines: Sélection de Grains Nobles

SGN is a further refinement of Vendange Tardive, where the grapes have reached even higher sugar levels. Wines labelled as Sélection de Grains Nobles, however, nearly always contain a proportion of grapes affected by botrytis, or noble rot, picked by hand, generally involving several passages through the vineyard. The same four varieties are permitted, with minimum sugar levels of 256 g/l (110 °Oechsle) for Riesling and Muscat, and 279 g/l (120 °Oechsle) for Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris. The same legislation as for Vendange Tardive governs production (see above). Sélection de Grains Nobles wine is always sweet, although there is a variation in richness and quality, depending on the grape and the grower.