Sauternes Premier Cru 1855 For several generations, Château Rieussec has been a leading name in Sauternes wines. As early as 1868, Charles Cocks remarked that “Beyond any of the others, Rieussec produces wines that are very similar to Yquem wines”. The modern history of Rieussec, and the beginning of a remarkable rennaissance, starts with the purchase of the estate by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) in 1984. A new winery was completed in 1989 and yields restricted to maximise quality. There are 92ha of vineyard, planted with 90% Semillon, 7% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Muscadelle. Fermentation takes place in barrels from DBR's own cooperage. Aging is 18 to 26 months depending on the year, including 55% in new barrels.
The 2007 Rieussec is a blend of 87% Semillon, 4.5% Muscadelle and 8.5% Sauvignon Blanc picked between 13 September and 31 October. It has an almost Barsac-like bouquet with barley sugar joining t...(read more)
Neal Martin, www.robertparker.com