| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Sauternes and Barsac |
| Colour | Sweet White |
| Type | Still |
Rieussec is one of the most famous names of Sauternes and is under the same ownership and management as Chateau Lafite. The vineyard is mainly planted with Semillon and a smaller proportion of Sauvignon Blanc.
So much botrytis on the nose with spice, dried mushrooms and nutmeg. Dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied and medium sweet with density and, at the same time, lightness. I like that it is full of botrytis on the palate at the beginning and then turns fruity and very pretty at the end with citrus and fruit. Balanced, creamy and rich. Try after 2024, but already gorgeous.
The 2016 Rieussec has plenty of botrytis on the nose, along with scents of honey, white peach, saffron, lanolin and walnut that gain intensity with aeration. The very well balanced palate presents a viscous opening and a fine bead of acidity. Generous and poised, with hints of marzipan and Turkish Delight decorating the finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2023 - 2045
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.
Harvested right through until 10th November, this is a fairly rich, luscious Rieussec with an amazing texture and flavours of fleshy apricots and nectarines, toffee and crème caramel. 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle.
Drinking Window 2022-2050
Ginger nose. Solid, a little yeoman-like. Almost as though they have given up trying for sophistication with this wine. Very sweet with the acidity slightly uncomfortably low. 13.9%
Drink 2024-2040
A step up over the Carmes de Rieussec, the beautiful 2016 Château Rieussec has remarkable purity and freshness while still packing beautiful depth of fruit. Honeyed peach, apricot, flower oil, and even a hint of wet stone all emerge from this full-bodied, thick, opulent effort. I love it. It has a rounded, sexy style ideal for drinking any time over the coming 15-20 years. The 2016 is a final blend of 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle. Drink 2019-2039.
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.
The 2016 Rieussec is a blend of 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle picked form 26 September until 4 November. It has a much more straightforward bouquet compared to the 2015 with light honeysuckle and white flower aromas. There is good acidity in the mouth thanks the passerillé berries, nicely balanced with a touch of orange zest towards the linear finish that will hopefully gain more weight during its élevage. It is likely to be an earlier-drinking Rieussec than the 2015.
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.
A barrel sample blended of 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle, the 2016 Rieussec is pale to medium lemon colored with a touch of gold. The nose features intense honeycomb, mandarin peel, candied ginger and lemongrass scents with wafts of allspice and musk perfume. The palate is very rich, full and opulent with tons of spicy layers and a lively line to lift the densely packed fruit to a long finish.
Rieussec is one of the most famous names of Sauternes and is under the same ownership and management as Chateau Lafite. The vineyard is mainly planted with Semillon and a smaller proportion of Sauvignon Blanc. Quality is high but the pricing policy has been confusing in recent years. Not tasted En Primeur.
