Château Rieussec has been a leading wine in Sauternes for several generations. Ranked as a Premier Grand Cru in 1855, it is made with a subtle blend of Sémillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle. Winemaker notes 2023: One of those exceptional vintages. It stands out by a complex nose combining notes of apricot, candied citrus zest, and fresh pineapple. Floral accents of chamomile and acacia complete this delicate bouquet. The promise of the nose is confirmed on the palate with a subtle balance between the creaminess of the texture and the vibrant aromatic freshness. The finish is remarkable, featuring notes of blood orange peel and an intense, prolonged menthol freshness. 1997 Wine Advocate 91: This wine contains an extremely high percentage of Semillon (usually about 90%), which was to its benefit in 1997. The wine is light medium gold-colored, with a blockbuster nose of Grand Marnier liqueur intertwined with flower blossoms, smoky new oak, and coconut. Well-integrated wood has resulted in a seamless, full-bodied, unctuously-textured wine with considerable sweetness. This is a stunningly proportioned, beautifully pure wine. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2025. Vinous 92+: Captivating, tangy aromas of vineyard peach, pear, white flowers and curry powder. Supple and very concentrated; thick but lively thanks to perfectly integrated acidity. Fruit notes nicely complemented by spice tones. Conveys a tactile impression of extract. Long and strong on the back end. 2006 Wine Advocate 92: The 2006 Rieussec is a blend of 94% Semillon, 3% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Muscadelle picked between 5 September and 10 October. The bouquet is a little smudged at first with marmalade and quince aromas, bit it soon clarifies in the glass to deliver the first signs of secondary aromas of beeswax and lanolin. The palate is medium-bodied with a viscous opening, a little more angular than the 2007 with barley sugar, quince and a touch of spice, though just like the 2007, I feel it does not quite deliver the persistence on the finish that you might expect. Nevertheless, this remains a fine Rieussec to enjoy over the next 20-odd years. Tasted April 2016. Wine Enthusiast 95: Wonderful, evocative orange marmalade and ginger flavors play around this rich wine. Its botrytis dryness doesn't detract from the intense sweetness, ripe apricots, spice and deliciously refreshing acidity. The richness is in the texture, but the ripeness is in the open, generous fruit. 2007 Wine Advocate 92: The 2007 Rieussec is a blend of 87% Semillon, 4.5% Muscadelle and 8.5% Sauvignon Blanc picked between 13 September and 31 October. It has an almost Barsac-like bouquet with barley sugar joining the ginger and honeyed notes, quite powerful although I feel this is just going through a sullen patch at the moment. The palate is very pure and balanced with a wonderful seam of acidity that slices through the viscous botrytis fruit, quite spicy on the finish, although it does not possess the persistence of the 2005 or 2009, just cutting away swiftly. Tasted April 2016. Vinous 91+: Bright, pale yellow-gold. Aromas of very ripe peach, honey and vanilla are a bit youthfully disjointed. Sweet, supple and fat, currently showing more spice than fruit. Finishes broad and spicy, with a suggestion of minerality. 2015 Wine Advocate 96+: A blend of 86% Sémillon and 14% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2015 Rieussec reveals a bright, pale straw-gold color and is a little closed at this youthful stage, yet it offers wonderful purity and depth, featuring notes of lemon marmalade, orange blossoms, beeswax and acacia honey with hints of preserved kumquats and peach compote. Very elegant and fine in the medium to full-bodied mouth, it features a racy backbone cutting through the earthy and citrus layers, finishing long and spicy. James Suckling 99: OMG. This is amazing. This is the new 2001. Incredible purity of botrytis and ripeness. Full-on. So driven and precise. Full-bodied, very sweet and electrified. Pineapple jam and mangoes — endless tropical fruits. This ends very clean and is almost tannic on the finish. A truly great Sauternes. Energy. Drink or hold. Decanter 93: Delicate aromas and flavours of hibiscus and peony, plus orchard fruit and honey. Elegant, fresh, juicy and vibrant. One of the more refined Sauternes of the vintage. Wine Enthusiast 96: Spice, honey and botrytis are the dominant characters of this full wine. The acidity comes later, with hints of citrus and lemon curd. It is still young and developing, but has excellent potential. Drink from 2022. 2016 Wine Advocate 96+: Pale lemon colored, the 2016 Rieussec comes sashaying out of the glass with a beautiful floral and citrus perfume of orange blossom, pink grapefruit, yuzu, lime leaves, lemongrass and fallen leaves with hints of nutmeg and candied ginger. Having shed a lot of the puppy fat from when I last tasted this from barrel, the palate reveals loads of elegant, tightly wound layers and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. James Suckling 98-99: Lots of botrytis here in addition to dried mushrooms and dried fruit such as pineapple and peaches. Medium to full body. Medium sweet. Very long and intense. A triumph. Vinous 93: The 2016 Rieussec has an elegant bouquet of pure honeysuckle, orange pith, peach and light minerally aromas. The palate is well balanced with fine precision and pleasant fatness, featuring white peach and almond-infused, honeyed fruit. A touch of vanilla emerges toward the finish. This was a barrel sample due to be bottled in January 2019, though it was virtually the finished wine. Drink 2022-2050. 2020 Vinous 94: The 2020 Rieussec has a slightly more petrolly bouquet than its peers, well-defined and focused—not complex, but there is admirable purity. The palate is very elegant on the entry, with superb levels of botrytis and a silver bead of acidity that upholds focus and tension. This Sauternes fans out wonderfully on the finish. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2021 Wine Advocate 93: Revealing a fruity, energetic bouquet, the 2021 Rieussec, a blend of 91% Sémillon and 9% Sauvignon Blanc, is a great performance in Sauternes. Medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, it’s perfectly balanced with a fleshy core of fruit and a mineral, saline finish. James Suckling 93-94: Medium-bodied with spice and caramel. Dried mushroom and cloves. Orange peel and burnt orange. Medium-sweet. Vinous 94-96: The 2021 Rieussec is bright, floral and super-refined. White flowers, lemon confit, pear, passionfruit and mint are all nicely lifted, with beams of bright acids that lend support. As has been the case in recent years, Rieussec is done in a style that is all about maintaining freshness and verve. There's plenty of both here. The 2021 was harvested over 3-4 picks. Yields are down 30%, which is a very favorable result for the year in Sauternes. The 125 grams of residual sugar are not at all evident. 2023 Vinous 93-95: The 2023 Rieussec, in its uniquely shaped bottle, has a very precise and focused bouquet-one of the more mineral-driven noses I encountered during my barrel tasting of Sauternes. The palate taut and fresh, very well balanced with a superb bead of acidity. Lemon curd, vanilla and marmalade notes emerge toward the cohesive finish. Quite stylish. Decanter 97: Lovely yellow gold colour, bright and shining in the glass. Aromatic nose, ripe mango and nectarine with some elderflower and cool, crisp apple scents. Ripe and sweet but so well balanced and harmonious. I love the interplay between almost sherbet lemon sweetness and zinginess with quite pronounced bitter aspects too - grapefruit rind, vanilla bean, pastry and some toasted spice on the finish. A very modern interpretation which begs for food. Not super typical but this has effortless drinkability. Ends clean and light but long with a kick of freshness that immediately draws you back in. Botrytis arrived mid September, the harvest started on 15th September. Grapes were picked in five separate passes just from the first onset of botrytis with no rain after. 3.9pH.
