Pleasant freshness on the nose revealing notes of apricot and fig, carrying through on a nicely rounded palate with candied aromas and a long finish.
Reviews:
- Wine Advocate: It has a fabulous bouquet that is mineral-rich and tensile. The palate repeats its performance from last year: focused, tense, laden with botrytis-rich fruit with a crystalline and sorbet-fresh finish that seals the deal.
- Wine Spectator: Shows enticing aromas of toffee, cream, dried apricot and caramel. Full-bodied, very sweet and thick, with honey and caramel flavors. Long and rich, oozing with sweet, ripe fruit, this is like liquid candy.
Producer Information
Château Rieussec is a wine producer located in Fargues, in the Sauternes appellation in Bordeaux. It makes sweet wines from a classic Bordeaux blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and was classified as a first growth in the 1855 Classification of Sauternes and Barsac, alongside the finest sweet white wines the region. In the 18th Century, the estate was tended to by Carmelite monks before being confiscated in the French Revolution. After passing hands several times, it has now come under the ownership of Barons de Rothschild (which owns Château Lafite Rothschild), in partnership with Albert Frére of LVMH. Château Rieussec’s 2001 vintage was 1 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 in 2004. The 93 hectares (230 acres) of vineyards are planted mostly with Semillon, alongside plots of Sauvignon Blanc and a small amount of Muscadelle. Estate vineyards border those with Château d’Yquem to the west. The terroir in Sauternes helps the spread of Botrytis cinerea, and Rieussec’s grapes are hand-harvested as they are affected by noble rot. The best bunches are used to make the grand vin, which after fermentation spends 26 months in oak, about half new. Remaining juice is used to make the second wine, Carmes de Rieussec, which is only aged for 18 months. A dry white wine, R de Rieussec, is made from a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc and is partially barrel-fermented
