Winemaker Notes
2023 is one of those exceptional vintages. It stands out by a complex nose combining notes of apricot, candied citrus zest, and fresh pineapple. Floral accents of chamomile and acacia complete this delicate bouquet. The promise of the nose is confirmed on the palate with a subtle balance between the creaminess of the texture and the vibrant aromatic freshness. The finish is remarkable, featuring notes of blood orange peel and an intense, prolonged menthol freshness.
Blend: 89% Sémillon, 11% Sauvignon Blanc
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A real success, the 2023 Rieussec wafts from the glass with aromas of pineapple, exotic fruits and spices, complemented by nuances of white truffle and mango. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it is deep and layered, built around a fleshy core of fruit and a precise, almost crystalline mid-palate, enhanced by beautifully judged gastronomic bitterness. Long and ethereal, the blend comprises 90% Sémillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. Rating: 98+
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Decanter
Lovely yellow gold colour, bright and shining in the glass. Aromatic nose, ripe mango and nectarine with some elderflower and cool, crisp apple scents. Ripe and sweet but so well balanced and harmonious. I love the interplay between almost sherbet lemon sweetness and zinginess with quite pronounced bitter aspects too - grapefruit rind, vanilla bean, pastry and some toasted spice on the finish. A very modern interpretation which begs for food. Not super typical but this has effortless drinkability. Ends clean and light but long with a kick of freshness that immediately draws you back in. Botrytis arrived mid September, the harvest started on 15th September. Grapes were picked in five separate passes just from the first onset of botrytis with no rain after. 3.9pH.
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Vinous
The 2023 Rieussec, in its uniquely shaped bottle, has a very precise and focused bouquet—one of the more mineral-driven noses I encountered during my barrel tasting of Sauternes. The palate taut and fresh, very well balanced with a superb bead of acidity. Lemon curd, vanilla and marmalade notes emerge toward the cohesive finish. Quite stylish.
Barrel Sample: 93-95
Apart from the classics, we find many regional gems of different styles.
Late harvest wines are probably the easiest to understand. Grapes are picked so late that the sugars build up and residual sugar remains after the fermentation process. Ice wine, a style founded in Germany and there referred to as eiswein, is an extreme late harvest wine, produced from grapes frozen on the vine, and pressed while still frozen, resulting in a higher concentration of sugar. It is becoming a specialty of Canada as well, where it takes on the English name of ice wine.
Vin Santo, literally “holy wine,” is a Tuscan sweet wine made from drying the local white grapes Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia in the winery and not pressing until somewhere between November and March.
Rutherglen is an historic wine region in northeast Victoria, Australia, famous for its fortified Topaque and Muscat with complex tawny characteristics.
Sweet and unctuous but delightfully charming, the finest Sauternes typically express flavors of exotic dried tropical fruit, candied apricot, dried citrus peel, honey or ginger and a zesty beam of acidity.
Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle are the grapes of Sauternes. But Sémillon's susceptibility to the requisite noble rot makes it the main variety and contributor to what makes Sauternes so unique. As a result, most Sauternes estates are planted to about 80% Sémillon. Sauvignon is prized for its balancing acidity and Muscadelle adds aromatic complexity to the blend with Sémillon.
Botrytis cinerea or “noble rot” is a fungus that grows on grapes only in specific conditions and its onset is crucial to the development of the most stunning of sweet wines.
In the fall, evening mists develop along the Garonne River, and settle into the small Sauternes district, creeping into the vineyards and sitting low until late morning. The next day, the sun has a chance to burn the moisture away, drying the grapes and concentrating their sugars and phenolic qualities. What distinguishes a fine Sauternes from a normal one is the producer’s willingness to wait and tend to the delicate botrytis-infected grapes through the end of the season.