2001 | Château Rieussec | Sauternes

Beautiful, glowing orange-amber colour. Dusty, energetic nose with great combo of freshness and sweetness. A light toastiness and a hint of barley sugar but nothing remotely cloying and great persistence on a whistle-clean finish.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: A monumental effort, the 2001 Rieussec boasts a light to medium gold color in addition to a fabulous perfume of honeysuckle, smoky oak, caramelized tropical fruits, creme brulee, and Grand Marnier. The wine is massive and full-bodied yet neither over the top nor heavy because of good acidity. With intense botrytis as well as a 70-75-second finish, this amazing Sauternes will be its apogee between 2010-2035.

• James Suckling: This is a crazy wine! It’s sweet, but not sugary. Mushrooms, furniture wax, spices then dried oranges, lemons, pineapples, and just a hint of vanilla. Full-bodied, with great density and power, yet balanced and refined. So amazing, but give this five to six years still. Pull the cork in 2016.

Producer Information

Château Rieussec is a wine producer located in Fargues, in the Sauternes appellation in Bordeaux. It makes sweet wines from a classic Bordeaux blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and was classified as a first growth in the 1855 Classification of Sauternes and Barsac, alongside the finest sweet white wines the region. In the 18th Century, the estate was tended to by Carmelite monks before being confiscated in the French Revolution. After passing hands several times, it has now come under the ownership of Barons de Rothschild (which owns Château Lafite Rothschild), in partnership with Albert Frére of LVMH. Château Rieussec's 2001 vintage was #1 in Wine Spectator's Top 100 in 2004. The 93 hectares (230 acres) of vineyards are planted mostly with Semillon, alongside plots of Sauvignon Blanc and a small amount of Muscadelle. Estate vineyards border those with Château d'Yquem to the west. The terroir in Sauternes helps the spread of Botrytis cinerea, and Rieussec's grapes are hand-harvested as they are affected by noble rot. The best bunches are used to make the grand vin, which after fermentation spends 26 months in oak, about half new. Remaining juice is used to make the second wine, Carmes de Rieussec, which is only aged for 18 months. A dry white wine, R de Rieussec, is made from a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc and is partially barrel-fermented.

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