Château Rieussec
The vintage
After a fairly mild winter, there were two nights of severe frost in the spring, on 26 and 27 April, which caused major damage to Bordeaux's vineyards. Château Rieussec escaped relatively lightly, with only 15% of the vines being affected. Conditions then became superb, with higher than average temperatures and balanced, well-spaced rainfall. Flowering began ten days earlier than usual, on 28 May.
After some heavy rain at the end of June, temperatures remained lower than normal throughout the summer, without it ever becoming cold.
By the end of August, the positive effect of this cool, fresh year was apparent. The rainy spell in mid-September was ideal, falling on perfectly ripe, healthy grapes, and enabling the botrytis to get off to an excellent start. The dry, cool weather then returned; everything progressed very smoothly in the vineyard, resulting in historically fast harvests, and revealing a vintage with exceptional aromatic intensity.
The harvests took place from 26 September to 12 October.
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 Bortrytis Cinerea, also known as noble rot.
Terroir
Château Rieussec sits on the border of Fargues and Sauternes, bordered by Château d'Yquem to the West. Rieussec is one of the largest properties in Sauternes and Barsac, covering 93 hectares of gravel sitting on sandy-clay soils.
Winemaking
All batches are pressed individually in small pneumatic presses. After a few hours of cold settling, the must is transferred into new oak barrels from the Tonnellerie des Domaines in Pauillac for fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation is interrupted when the desired balance between alcohol and sugar had been reached. After fermentation, the wine is aged in barrels for 24 months.
Grapes
Tasting
Beautiful pale gold colour.
The initial nose offers remarkable depth. Aeration reveals the complexity of truly great years. All the characteristics are present: freshness, precision, and purity.
On the palate, the wine presents an impressive combination of power and finesse. The finish is tremendously long and harmonious. As is often the case in exceptional vintages, the sweetness is masked by the wine’s balance.
A magnificent Rieussec that is already sublime and will still be so in ten and many more years’ time.
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