Moderato Sigalas Rabaud Non Alcoholic Sauternes

Château Sigalas Rabaud is a Premier Grand Cru Classé Sauternes estate and the smallest of the 1855 First Growths, with 14 hectares on a south-facing gravelly rise between Château d’Yquem and the Ciron. The vineyard sits on the Sauternes terrace, where clay is covered by silica-rich gravel and sand deposited by the Garonne, while the nearby Ciron creates the morning mists that encourage noble rot. The estate has been in the Sigalas family since Henri de Sigalas acquired Rabaud in 1863, and today Laure de Lambert Compeyrot represents the sixth generation. Sigalas Rabaud has also placed a strong emphasis on environmental management, achieving HVE4 certification in 2024. This cuvée brings that Sauternes heritage into a new alcohol-free format in collaboration with Moderato.

Made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, with fruit selected for noble rot in successive hand harvests, the wine is first vinified according to the château’s standards before being aged for six months in barrel. Moderato then removes the alcohol using vacuum distillation at low temperature, around 30–35°C, a gentler process designed to retain the wine’s aromatic structure and freshness. There is no added sugar, with the finished wine showing candied fruit, dried apricot, honey, citrus, white flowers and a subtle almond character. The palate is smooth and generous, but the acidity keeps the sweetness balanced and the finish fresh and persistent. At 0.0% alcohol, this is a genuine Sauternes-inspired wine rather than a grape juice alternative, and works particularly well with foie gras or pâté, blue and soft-ripened cheeses, roasted poultry, fruit desserts or simply as an alcohol-free aperitif. Serve well chilled at 6–8°C.