R De Rieussec

Delicate golden color with soft green glints. On the nose, notes of thyme, lemon and green citrus fruit such as combava and lime with smoky and vanilla undertones and a fresh vegetal edge. The attack is lively and fresh, with a very mineral, chalky aspect. The palate is clean and lively, slightly toasted, with a saline finish prolonged by a gentle grapefruit bitterness.

Château Rieussec sits on the border of Fargues and Sauternes and contains 85 hectares of gravel sitting on sandy-clay soils. The vintage began well with several occasions of fear of frost. During this period, the colder and drier than usual weather slowed down the vines’ growth. After a relatively cold, rainy start, June suddenly changed, bringing an early summer heat wave. Fortunately, it was short-lived and the vines seemed better equipped than in previous years to cope with the heat. Some miraculous rain arrived in late July, at just the right moment to trigger véraison (color change). The rain in September was very helpful for the botrytis. But the harvests turned out to be more complex, with rigorous sorting required to keep the nicely botrytized ones. Early October was opportune to pick perfectly balanced grapes for the Grand Vin.

All batches were pressed individually in small pneumatic presses. After a few hours of cold settling, the must was transferred into new oak barrels from the Tonnellerie des Domaines in Pauillac for fermentation. After fermentation, the wine was aged in barrels for 24 months.

Delicate golden color with soft green glints. On the nose, notes of thyme, lemon and green citrus fruit such as combava and lime with smoky and vanilla undertones and a fresh vegetal edge. The attack is lively and fresh, with a very mineral, chalky aspect. The palate is clean and lively, slightly toasted, with a saline finish prolonged by a gentle grapefruit bitterness.