Château Rieussec
Presentation
The vintage
The weather was generally warm with very varied rainfall. The beginning of winter was mild and dry. It was not until the end of January that beneficial colder temperatures arrived, accompanied by rain.
Bud break began in early April as usual, and the vines then grew quickly, as they had ample reserves of water and the weather was mild. The flowering in June was early and uniform, which is always a promising sign. Temperatures frequently exceeded 35°C during the summer months. Water stress was high but rain in August brought the freshness required for the grapes to change colour and then to ripen perfectly.
Conditions were ideal during the harvests, enabling us to obtain optimal ripeness for each terroir.
Location
The Sauternes appellation stretches on the left bank of the Garonne, about 50km South of Bordeaux. The natural humidity arising from the Ciron river provides the ideal conditions for the development of Botrytis Cinerea, also known as noble rot.
Terroir
Château Rieussec sits on the border of Fargues and Sauternes. Château Rieussec is one of the largest properties in Sauternes and Barsac, covering 93 hectares, made up of gravel on sandy-clay soil.
Winemaking
The grapes are pressed as soon as they arrive at the winery. After settling, the musts are transferred to new barrels for fermentation. Grapes from each plot are pressed and fermented separately. At the end of fermentation, the wines are kept on the lees and stirred regularly until mid-December. After a resting period, the wines are racked and blended before being returned to the barrels to age for about 24 months.
Grapes
Serving
8 to 10°C
Tasting
Golden yellow colour with superb brightness, beginning to tend towards amber.
Rich and full-bodied, the nose has already opened up and is very expressive, with aromas of yellow fruit, peaches, cooked pears and candied apricot. The wood is well-integrated. Pleasant notes of vanilla have a harmonizing effect.
After a subtle, delicate attack the wine reveals itself more intensely on the mid-palate. It is fresh and develops excellent aromatic intensity, gradually gaining in power. The finish is very long, revealing remarkable depth and purity, with notes of apricots and prunes.
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