Maison Nicolas Dessert
Sweet Bordeaux, poured by a merchant who has sold it for years.
The story behind Maison Nicolas
Sauternes is a sweet white from a small corner of Bordeaux, and it is made by a method rather than a mood. Botrytis cinerea, the noble rot, settles on ripe Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes in humid autumn mornings and concentrates sugar, acid and honeyed flavor. The result is thick, golden and long lived, and a bottle goes further than most people expect.
Maison Nicolas is a negociant label, meaning the wine is selected and bottled under the house name rather than grown at a single estate. That is a normal and honorable arrangement in Bordeaux, and it puts a Sauternes within reach of a weeknight rather than only a birthday. We have carried the Maison Nicolas Sauternes for years because it is honest sweet Bordeaux at a fair price, and the smaller bottle is the one we hand to customers who want a taste without a commitment.
Explore the Maison Nicolas range
Two sizes of the same sweet Bordeaux, plus a dry Merlot from the same house for the table.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maison Nicolas Sauternes 375mL | Sweet white, Sauternes | 375mL | Half bottle, honeyed and apricot, good for two |
| Maison Nicolas Sauternes 750mL | Sweet white, Sauternes | 750mL | Full bottle, richer pour, built to age |
| Maison Nicolas Merlot Reserve 750mL | Dry red, Merlot | 750mL | Plummy and soft, the dry counterpoint |
Which Maison Nicolas is right for you?
The half bottle of Maison Nicolas Sauternes is $16.99 and the full bottle is $27.99, which is the kind of spread that makes the small one easy to try and the large one easy to bring to dinner. The Merlot Reserve is $9.99. Sweet Bordeaux at these numbers is not a splurge, it is a habit. Buy two halves and you have dessert covered twice.
One bottle covers a table of eight small pours after cake.
Half bottle, low risk, enough to learn what noble rot tastes like.
Dry, soft red for the main course before the sweet wine appears.