Family Article
Château Rieussec
Last edited on 9/11/2023 by LindsayM
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Being 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.
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.