R de Rieussec 2021

New label as of this vintage and also a turning point for the wine which has had dedicated vineyard plots since 2014 and for the past three years different management in the cellar with investment in cooling systems and zero oxygen transfer during the press. Alluring notes of fresh pears, grape aromas and some apricot elements - soft yet nuanced. Very softly floral too with peach blossom. Juicy and lively on the palate with body, depth and roundness. Mouthwatering and zingy full of citrus lemon and lime as well as stone fruit flavours, some bitter orange and grapefruit touches and a delicious chalky salinity that comes in layers on the tongue and really lingers showing the markers of the terroir. Lively but all very well controlled with balanced and lifted acidity. Recommended drinking time in 3-4 years but it has a decade of potential.

Reimagined in a more vibrant style, in a Burgundy/Loire bottle, the 2021 R de Rieussec exhibits scents of citrus oil, gooseberry and botanicals, followed by a medium-bodied, bright and vibrant palate, with tangy acids and a nicely defined finish. It's an attractive middleweight that avoids the pungently varietal, heavily sulfitic caricatural style so prevalent in contemporary Bordeaux, while managing to reinvent what was historically a rather richer, more fruit-driven wine. Drink Date: 2022 - 2030