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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.4 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 152 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by margaux321 on 4/7/2024 & rated 96 points: Color, clear golden yellow; 1st nose, saffron; 2nd nose; caramelized apple; on the palate, pronounced saffron flavors, caramelized pearls, medium body with subtle sweetness. The star of the evening!! (585 views) | | | Tasted by NiklasT on 4/5/2024 & rated 92 points: Delicious bottle as expected, served with mothers favorite dessert cake which was unfortunately to sweet for this profound and mature wine. Deep flavours of honey, overripe apples, nuts and delicate saffron. Maybe not as long and intense as I would have hoped even when drunk on its own. Excellent and a treat while not epic. (529 views) | | | Tasted by Elliot Vale on 4/2/2024 & rated 91 points: 5 bottles between July 2022 and March 2024 which were very consistent.
Mid golden colour, delicious lifted, honey nose. Great balance. Good acidity. To be picky it should be more concentrated for a higher score. Lacked a bit of body. (638 views) | | | Tasted by BordeauxOne on 3/26/2024 & rated 99 points: This is one of remaining (4) 1986 Chateau Rieussec bottles from a case purchased at The American Heart Association Auction in Baltimore hosted by the esteemed Robert Parker. Wow, what a return on my contribution. At age 38 this Sauternes is near perfection with decades left to go thanks to its' impeccable storage. I just drank a 2009 Château d'Yquem' the other evening and it is a younger brother to this most satisfying, easy to drink, most flavorful gift from above. (684 views) | | | Tasted by glou.sf on 11/25/2023 & rated 94 points: Beautiful and expressive nose of apricot, caramel, lemon, peach, and minerals. It's very rich but balanced by acidity with flavors of grapefruit, more apricot, and minerals on the palate. Long finish. Really pretty wine that's drinking perfectly right now. It's very showy and a touch more acidity may have elevated this even more. (1395 views) | | | Tasted by NickA on 11/14/2023 & rated 91 points: 67PM with Roger + friends (67 Pall Mall): Still a tasty wine, this bottle seemed slightly faded and lacked the expected impact. Gentle honeycomb and lime, good acidity, nicely sweet without being cloying. A highly pleasant end to the meal, then, without excitement. (1269 views) | | | Tasted by jonboy74 on 4/21/2023 & rated 94 points: A stellar showing, far exceeded expectations. Honeycomb, apricot, caramel, fantastic high acidity that really impressed even the neophytes in the group. (1851 views) | | | Tasted by GilmoroDelToro on 2/27/2023 & rated 94 points: New to old Sauternes. A really lovely wine though. Honeycomb, nuts and raisins, saffron and orange blossom, some melon, rich and luxurious. Still decent acidity. Was surprised at the vivacity. Really well balanced and a pleasure to drink. (1850 views) | | | Tasted by popasq on 12/31/2022 & rated 90 points: This bottle was past its peak, hopefully this was just that bottle. (1936 views) | | | Tasted by btock on 9/27/2022 & rated 96 points: I thought this was just superb. Had a verve and lift to it that separates for me great Sauternes from just nicely aged, etc. Balanced, some confectioner's sugar and deftly weighted. Just a pleasure. Richer golden color but danced on the palate. Loved it. (1831 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 9/27/2022 & rated 94 points: Lonny Should Turn 65 More Often (The Kenwood, Mpls, MN): Amber color. PNP, drank a glass over 30 minutes. Maybe the best bottle to date. This was delicious and showing very well. Creamy, orange creamsicle, baked apricots, apple peel, honey, apple blossoms, unctuous, long and showing nice spice on the finish. 93+ to 94pts. (2374 views) | | | Tasted by popasq on 4/16/2022 & rated 94 points: Continue to be fantastic. (2135 views) | | | Tasted by aagrawal on 9/30/2021 & rated 92 points: Surprisingly, 14.3% alcohol. Golden-orange, excellent color for its age and not at all heading into tawny; aromatic, orange blossom, floral, honey; palate is medium-full bodied, retains some sweetness of youth but it has integrated and comes off very elegant, medium-plus acidity which balances but doesn't leap off the page, 14.3% alcohol is well balanced, orange and some citrus rind, some baking spice with cardamom, less saffron; finish is medium length. Rieussec with age is always enjoyable, as it sheds its intense sweetness and dense mouthfeel and becomes an elegant, mature wine. This bottle certainly reflects that evolution and seems at early maturity, though honestly will continue to evolve for another decade. A bit less complex on the nose and palate as top examples of aged Rieussec. 92 (3071 views) | | | Tasted by SARED on 4/22/2021 & rated 93 points: 92-93. Out of 750 taking on some brown amber tones. Lovely complexity of fruit on the palate and not cloying sweetness. Viscous mouthfeel (not oily). Lacks some acidity. If it had some more acidity, this could be a 95+.. but it doesn't have that next level acidity unfortunately. Paired better with a weaker blue cheese than the stronger blue cheese; couldn't match the stronger cheese. (3279 views) | | | Tasted by jvphoto on 2/9/2021 & rated 92 points: 375ml
Copper/amber color. Nose was less compelling mostly sweet prunes, rum soaked raisin, coffee. Palate a lot more intersting that wasn't overly sweet, still had nice acidity and touches of lemon, orange marmalade & honey. (3275 views) | | | Tasted by mariow on 12/25/2020 & rated 95 points: a perfect bottle 0,375; dark amber color; nose of almond, raisins, honey; creamy on the palate, some saffron, creme brûlée, amazing sweetness, not blunt at all but well supported; absolutely the best bottle from this case; must be at its peak now, but no hurry (3400 views) | | | Tasted by wineforth on 12/24/2020 & rated 94 points: 1st of 3 bottles bought recently. Base of neck. Cork was dry needed the Butlers friend. Despite doubts about storage the wine is fine. Nose is initially a big hazelnut botrytis then an hour later caramel. Big sweet complex body, cut through with pineapple acidity. The 80's were excellent for Rieussec and have been drinking this well for 20 years. Expect this to go on well for another 20. Father Xmas may have to make do with the sherry. (3155 views) | | | Tasted by Strohecker on 12/5/2020: Stunning wine. Aromas of tropical fruit gave way to creme brûlée and layered botrytis. Fantastically long finish with balanced acidity. Could have aged longer, but oh so perfect now. (2620 views) | | | Tasted by Be.Lee on 8/22/2020 & rated 89 points: some secondary characteristics showing. surprisingly limited amount of botrytis given its aging. refreshing, still somewhat young sauterne.
would continue to see how this progress. (2336 views) | | | Tasted by Enfant sauvage on 8/10/2020: This was really excellent - complex and layered. That said, I think my palate is a bit more attuned to Barsac and this felt just a little thick and cloying. If I ever go into a diabetic coma, however, this is my preferred way to be revived - please take note. (2297 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 2/2/2020 & rated 93 points: Taking on a golden, coppery hue, the wine is all about its caramel, molasses, honeyed apricot, pineapple, creme brulee, and burnt sugar profile. Rich, sweet and fruity, there is ample freshness that keeps all that luscious textured, honeyed tropical fruit in check. (4242 views) | | | Tasted by Billigan on 5/30/2019 & rated 94 points: This was just dynamite and a big improvement from a bottle had 5 years ago. Much more expressive notes of toffee and marmalade on the very giving nose. Just a light touch of botrytis here to give it some spice, but nothing heavy or cloying or overly honeyed as this was very fresh and compelling on the palate. Incredibly youthful showing, especially from a half-bottle, and another reminder of what an overlooked, underpriced category Sauternes has become. (4164 views) | | | Tasted by ericindc on 1/5/2019 & rated 93 points: The nose placed it firmly as in the early stages of maturity with vibrant spicy and fruity nose with some light butterscotch. Strong fruits, light caramel and butterscotch with brown sugary notes. Medium bodied with stronger acidity. Can drink now, but considerable upside if you wait 10+ years. (3771 views) | | | Tasted by Old Claret on 12/31/2018 & rated 92 points: Very good, but not special. (3550 views) | | | Tasted by shorty01 on 12/31/2018 & rated 93 points: After hibernating in my cellar for almost 30 years, I finally pulled the cork on this beauty. My experience with Sauternes is very limited, but happy to have waited this long. Honey and lemon curd descriptors come to mind, with ample acidity to make for a nice refreshing finish. A perfect finale to a dinner with good friends. (3386 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Château Rieussec Producer website | TheWineDoctor on Rieussec - Read more about Chateau RieussecChâteau RieussecBeing owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (of Lafite fame) has been a boon for Chateau Rieussec. Since taking over the property in 1984, the planted vineyard area has increased from nearly 40 hectares to roughly 90 hectares today. Investment has also been made in the cellars, and the winemaking team are now better placed to work with the multiple small lots stemming from various parcels and picking runs through the vineyard. The vineyard is planted to 90% Semillon, 7% Sauvignon Blanc, and 3% Muscadelle, and the wines are aged in roughly 50% new French oak.
THE CHÂTEAU RIEUSSEC VINEYARD extends from the border of Fargues and Sauternes, adjacent to Château d’Yquem on the east. The vineyard covers 93 hectares of gravel interspersed with lime.
THE EMBLEMATIC GRAPE VARIETY OF THE SAUTERNES, Sémillon dominates (90%), followed by Sauvignon (7%) and Muscadelle (3%). Traditional techniques from Sauternes are used and the harvests are done by selective pickings depending on the ripeness of the grapes and evolution of botrytis cinerea (noble rot). They last for 6 to 8 weeks from September to November.PRODUCTION IS LOW AND LEFT IN THE HANDS ON MOTHER NATURE. The traditional reference is that a single vine should produce a bottle of wine. Here, though, a single vine produces about a glass of wine!
THE VINEYARD IS MANAGED BY the Director of the Domaines Charles Chevallier, with the help of cellar master Serge Lagardère and vineyard manager Jean de Roquefeuil.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanSauternes Le Grand Crus Classés de Sauternes et Barsac 1855 (Crus Classés de Sauternes et Barsac) - Read more about Sauternes, Barsac and its wines
– Read more about the 1855 Sauternes Barsac Classification
Forty kilometres south of Bordeaux, Sauternes is an AOC that includes together 5 communes, including Barsac. For centuries, humans have been patiently learning to master this region's climate, soils and grape varieties. But Mother Nature did a good job laying the foundation. The Sauternes terroir is distinguished by a geological predisposition to gravel and pebbles that cover limestone streaked with veins of clay. In the communes of Fargues and Sauternes, a layer of hardpan (iron-oxide cemented sand) in which vines flourish can be found. The vineyards at the highest elevations and farthest from the river have the best terroirs and produce the majority of the Crus Classés, including the monumental Château Yquem.Sauternes wines are made from Sémillon (80% of vines planted) and Sauvignon (15%) grapes. A bit of Muscadelle occasionally is used to give the wines an untamed touch. Sauternes have an "aged gold" colour that is denser and darker than other dessert wines. When they age, they develop a stunning amber colour. The nose has aromas of flowers and fruit that melt together to create a bouquet of remarkable complexity and balance. The primary aromas include almond, quince, mango, pineapple, stewed peach, dried apricot and passion fruit. There are also floral notes, with touches of linden, acacia, mimosa and honeysuckle. And as is typical with Sémillon, there are also notes of beeswax, almond and hazelnut. In the mouth, Sauternes wines have a powerful style that is viscous but extremely elegant. Its strong sweetness is captivating. Finally, its aromatic finish is something that simply must be experienced.
2013 Vintage Notes:
"the extractive ratios in th[is] year are in the phenomenal range and there's ripeness/botrytis to cover two treks around the globe [...] so appealing is the immediacy of the wines. Many can be enjoyed now for their sheer joy and delicious nature. [Some] should also age" - Jon Rimmerman
2014 Vintage Notes:
"a golden vintage for Sauternes. It may not have the depth or weight of 2010, but it has some of the richness. What has set 2014 apart is the intense lime and lemon flavors that cut into any overblown cloying character and allow both the fruit and the honeyed noble rot to sing." - Wine Enthusiast |
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