Wine Advisor
Rieussec 2010
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2010 Rieussec was missing a little intellect when I tasted it from barrel. Now in bottle it has become a contender for the finest Sauternes of the vintage. It is blessed with a pure and lifted bouquet with ripe peach, nectarine and honey, hints of shaved ginger poke their head above the surface with aeration. It is very subtle. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, perfectly judged acidity and convincing harmony. This is a sophisticated Sauternes with superb mineralite and outstanding persistency. I will confess that I pinned this as “Yquem” and was both shocked and pleased when its identity was revealed. Go buy. Drink 2016-2035.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Pale to medium lemon-gold in color, the 2010 Rieussec is evolving at a good clip, boasting roasted nuts, toffee apples and dried apricots scents with hints of beurre blanc, manuka honey and candle wax. The palate is a powerhouse of sweetness, with soft acidity and loads of savory/nutty layers, finishing on a praline note.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Sporting 140gms/L residual sugar, the 2010 Rieussec displays impressive clarity on the nose, with fresh pineapple, grapefruit and a touch of lime flower, and tangible minerality. The palate has that “Tropicana” vibe with guava, almond and pineapple that slightly obfuscates the terroir towards the finish. This is a highly enjoyable, comparatively rich 2010 Sauternes, but without the intellect of some of the finest examples of the vintage.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Bright straw-gold. Spectacular, intense, exotic botrytized nose is redolent of honeyed yellow peach, apricot and saffron. Then very sweet in the mouth, with concentrated flavors of dried peach, ginger and honey lifted by bright acidity. The finish is long and polished, featuring persistent peach, honey and white pepper nuances.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2010 Rieussec is slightly more backwards on the nose. It is very focused with almond, saffron, orange pith and dried honey aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a harmonious entry. Impressive depth with lovely vanillary new oak, it is long and pure towards the finish. A Sauternes with pedigree. Superb. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2010 Rieussec is a blend of 92% Semillon, 5% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Muscadelle picked between 15 September and 4 November over four pickings. There are 160 grams per liter of residual sugar. It has a fragrant bouquet of light honeyed fruit, peony and brioche that does not quite have the daring-do of the 2011. The palate is well balanced with a viscous opening, harmonious with blood orange and quince notes forming toward the composed and elegant finish. This is a delightful Rieussec that I might prefer in its youth than with age. Tasted April 2016.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
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.
About the Producer
Located in the Sauternes region of Bordeaux, France, Chateau Rieussec is renowned for its rich, sweet, noble-rotted white wines. In the 1855 Sauternes and Barsac classification, Château Rieussec was ranked at the top of the Sauternes classification pyramid, along with 10 other prestigious Sauternes chateaux as Premier Grand Cru Classe. In the 18th century, Chateau Rieussec was the property of the Carmelite monks of Langon. At the time of the Revolution, the Château was sold as "national property" to Mr Marheilhac, and in 1855, when the appellation's wines were classified, Château Les Cayes was owned by Mr Mayne. In this year, Château Les Gouttes was classified as a Grand Cru of Sauternes and Barsac for its excellent terroir. Over the next hundred years, the Château changed hands several times, under the management of Charles Crepin, Paul Defolie, the Gasqueton family and Albert Vuillier, who had a passion for Sauternes sweet wines. In 1984, Chateau Rieussec became part of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite estate and thus ushered in a period of significant growth. In order to exploit the full potential of this terroir, the Lafite group took a number of measures, such as the construction of a new cellar and winery, and the modernisation of the grape selection and pressing rooms. In addition, in order to guarantee the quality of the wines, the winery set higher standards for the raw materials used in the production of the wines, and as a result, the production of the main wines was significantly reduced from the 1990s onwards, and in 1993 production was stopped because the quality standards were not met. These measures have led to a major step forward in the quality of the wines and to the production of excellent wines. The vineyards of Chateau Rieussec are located in the hills of Sauternes and Fargues, adjacent to Chateau d'Yquem to the east. One of the largest wineries in Sauternes, Château Les Gouttes has 93 hectares of vineyards alone. The vineyards are planted with the typical Sauternes grape varieties, mainly Semillon, but also 7% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Muscadelle. In terms of vineyard management, Château Lafite Les Grands Crus follows the Sauternes tradition of picking the grapes in batches according to their ripeness and the growth of the noble rot grapes. The manual rotational harvesting operation usually lasts from September to November, over a period of 6 to 8 weeks. The selection process is rigorous in order to produce the finest Sauternes noble rot white wines and the grapes are fermented in different batches of oak barrels depending on the plot. After fermentation, the winemaking team tastes the wines in barrels several times to determine which wines have the potential to become full-fledged wines. The wines are then matured in oak barrels for between 16 and 26 months, with frequent decanting and topping up. Finally, the bottling process takes place in the château. It is worth noting that the oak barrels are sourced from Lafite's own cooperage and that half of the old barrels are renewed each year. Chateau Rieussec (Sauternes, France) is the estate's signature wine. It is considered to be one of the best Sauternes sweet white noble rot wines, with a clever combination of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Miscadelle. The annual production of this wine varies considerably depending on the vintage - in years with unfavourable weather conditions, such as 1977, 1993 and 2012, the estate abandoned this wine; in years when the weather was favourable, the wine was quite good, for example, the more recent vintages 2014 to 2017 were awarded a high score of 95+ by the Robert Parker Team. Robert Parker Team scores of 95+. The Carmes de Rieussec (Sauternes, France) is a secondary wine of the estate, made to the same standards as the main wine. This sweet white Jumbo is full-bodied and rich in aromas, with a rich citrus aroma on the palate and a complex and fresh style. Chateau Rieussec also offers a dry white wine, R de Rieussec, Bordeaux, France, 20% of which is fermented in oak barrels, with a fruity and refreshing bouquet and a small production.
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Package Size
12 x 37.5cl12 x 75cl
