Château Rieussec
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
Sauternes, Graves, Bordeaux, France
Really expressive and dynamic. great light and bright fruit. Lemon, honey and electric acidity
Really expressive and dynamic. great light and bright fruit. Lemon, honey and electric acidity
May 19th, 2025
Vintage 1999 | Top notch, luscious Sauternes | paired with Foie Gras | at restaurant Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger
Vintage 1999 | Top notch, luscious Sauternes | paired with Foie Gras | at restaurant Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger
Apr 16th, 2025
*Color isn’t quite as dark as the picture shows*
Followed over a few days. Consistent profile.
From 375ml
Advanced caramel color with a tinge of orange. Thankfully, aromatics are as expected with orange marmalade, caramel and toffee. Viscous and weighty profile with low acidity. Faint notes of honey roasted nuts on the palate, but it’s mostly an orange marmalade, caramel and apricot dominated profile. Finish shows good length for what is considered an off-vintage, with the apricot and some bourbon vanilla. Good on its own. Drink now.
*Color isn’t quite as dark as the picture shows*
Followed over a few days. Consistent profile.
From 375ml
Advanced caramel color with a tinge of orange. Thankfully, aromatics are as expected with orange marmalade, caramel and toffee. Viscous and weighty profile with low acidity. Faint notes of honey roasted nuts on the palate, but it’s mostly an orange marmalade, caramel and apricot dominated profile. Finish shows good length for what is considered an off-vintage, with the apricot and some bourbon vanilla. Good on its own. Drink now.
Still fairly primary. The fruit on the nose is remarkable. The purest apricot, and a little lightly burnt brown sugar, lots of flowers. Intense in the mouth. Not that sweet, and pretty good acids. Great length. This will go a long time. Delicious now, and certainly much better down the road.
Still fairly primary. The fruit on the nose is remarkable. The purest apricot, and a little lightly burnt brown sugar, lots of flowers. Intense in the mouth. Not that sweet, and pretty good acids. Great length. This will go a long time. Delicious now, and certainly much better down the road.
Nov 29th, 2024Lovely burnt sugar and light fruit. A little dilute.
Lovely burnt sugar and light fruit. A little dilute.
Jul 1st, 2024
Terrific example of a high quality Sauternes with lemon zest, peach, apricot and pineapple plus dried apricot, honey, beeswax, saffron, ginger, vanilla and butterscotch. Excellent acidity to balance the restrained sweetness of the wine. Still young with plenty of room to develop.
Terrific example of a high quality Sauternes with lemon zest, peach, apricot and pineapple plus dried apricot, honey, beeswax, saffron, ginger, vanilla and butterscotch. Excellent acidity to balance the restrained sweetness of the wine. Still young with plenty of room to develop.
Jun 23rd, 2024This is still young but drinking superbly. Plenty of acidity to offset the sweetness, very long finish. Aromas and flavors of pineapple, orange blossom, honey, peach, apricot, dried apricot, ripe pear, candied lemon, ginger, saffron, vanilla - so much going on in the glass! Exceptional wine with excellent balance of sweetness, flavor intensity and acidity. Has many years ahead of it but hard to resist now.
This is still young but drinking superbly. Plenty of acidity to offset the sweetness, very long finish. Aromas and flavors of pineapple, orange blossom, honey, peach, apricot, dried apricot, ripe pear, candied lemon, ginger, saffron, vanilla - so much going on in the glass! Exceptional wine with excellent balance of sweetness, flavor intensity and acidity. Has many years ahead of it but hard to resist now.
Jun 21st, 2024
The 2010 Rieussec is similar to the previous bottle a couple of years ago. It has since opened with saffron-tinged honeyed fruit, dried honey and almond shavings. This example is more vanillary and oaky than previous ones, and that actually distracts from the terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied; again, the new oak feels more prominent than previous bottles, prompting me to lower my score. It's utterly seductive but articulates more of the winemaking than I would like. Tasted at the Lia's Wings/book dinner at Medlar restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
The 2010 Rieussec is similar to the previous bottle a couple of years ago. It has since opened with saffron-tinged honeyed fruit, dried honey and almond shavings. This example is more vanillary and oaky than previous ones, and that actually distracts from the terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied; again, the new oak feels more prominent than previous bottles, prompting me to lower my score. It's utterly seductive but articulates more of the winemaking than I would like. Tasted at the Lia's Wings/book dinner at Medlar restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
Honey, lemon oil, spice (cinnamon, star anise), bright acidity. Lovely balance. Great
Honey, lemon oil, spice (cinnamon, star anise), bright acidity. Lovely balance. Great
Dec 27th, 2023One of the bottles I provided for a co-hosting with Mark at the City Club wine group.
Always a treat to enjoy well-made 2001 vintage Sauternes. This was my first experience with Rieussec’s 2001. Deeply golden/amber in the glass. Aromatics fill the room with apricot preserves, honeyed lemons, orange marmalade, little bit of caramel. Bordering on bombastic on the palate, it stops just short of cloying. Commanding and opulent. Honeyed stone fruits, truffle honeycomb, roasted cashews. Excellent acidity. Obviously young, I’d love to revisit in 10-15yrs.
One of the bottles I provided for a co-hosting with Mark at the City Club wine group.
Always a treat to enjoy well-made 2001 vintage Sauternes. This was my first experience with Rieussec’s 2001. Deeply golden/amber in the glass. Aromatics fill the room with apricot preserves, honeyed lemons, orange marmalade, little bit of caramel. Bordering on bombastic on the palate, it stops just short of cloying. Commanding and opulent. Honeyed stone fruits, truffle honeycomb, roasted cashews. Excellent acidity. Obviously young, I’d love to revisit in 10-15yrs.