Château Rieussec 2019

Lovely noble rot aromas but quite modern in profile with freshness and energy. On the palate there is expressive and open flavours of honeyed lemon, orange rind and pineapple well wrapped in a viscous, rich, sumptuous and seductive layer of sweetness. Great acidity backbone, not mouthwatering as such but just enough that it lifts the overall feeling so much then the structure comes in supporting the frame making you think this is a serious and super charming wine. Great texture also the flavours glide across the palate. Excellent intensity but also freshness. A great aperitif style to enjoy before a meal - serve cold and let the wine reveal more complexity and nuance as it warms and opens. A new, fun bottle was introduced for this vintage. Dark glass was used 'obliging you to pour it as you can't see the colour' says Saskia de Rothschild with a reusable cork stopper so it can be kept in the fridge and consumed in several sittings.

This is so delicious, with a medium body and medium sweetness. Dried mango and pineapple, as well as some vanilla. Bright and fresh. Lighter than some years. Yummy. Tarte Tatin. Love the new bottle. Drink and enjoy.

89% Sémillon, 9% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle. Barrel sample. Bright gold. Pear and citrus aromas. Sweet, full and concentrated. Big and dense with plenty in reserve, but perhaps a bit too much? Faint bitter botrytised finish. (JL)

The 2019 Rieussec is absolutely gorgeous. Gracious and supremely elegant in feel, the 2019 is immediately impressive. An exotic melange of lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, passionfruit and tangerine oil opens effortlessly. The 2019 is compelling from start to finish. Harvest took place from October 8 to 15, in three passes. The 2019 is the first vintage that will be offered in a stylish new bottle. It is no secret Sauternes has struggled of late. I must say I really liked the new and very modern presentation, which shows a more playful side of Sauternes that might just work in creating a bit more excitement around these wines.

My first taste of Rieussec in the new, controversial bottle. I liked the wine more than the bottle. The nose explodes with honeysuckle, spice, honeyed tropical fruits, white peaches, candied tangerines, and pineapples. Stylistically, the wine is perched in the middle of opulent, sweet, and fresh, with a long, layered, luscious, sweet, fruit, spice, and honeyed finish. Drink from 2024-2055.

Pale yellow-green, silver reflections. Fresh hints of passion fruit, lime, white peach, a touch of lychee, inviting bouquet. Juicy, fine fruit sweetness, pleasant acidity, a touch of caramel, yellow tropical fruit and mango on the finish, delicate pineapple, elegant, fine salty minerality on the aftertaste, a multifaceted food companion.

Expertly constructed, with luxuriously intense pineapple, mango and apricot pit flavours matched step for step by bitter orange peel, lime juice and tingling grated ginger. Sauternes doesn't always manage to deliver such a mouth-watering mix of satin texture set against pinpoint acidity, but the late harvest 2019 - botrytis arrived when the nights were cool - made for some exceptionally successful wines in the appellation, even if yields were tiny. This is a delicious Rieussec, full of personality, and its 120g/l residual sugar leaves its trace in texture rather than in weight. First year of organic certification.

A blend of 89% Semillon, 9% Sauvignon Blanc, and 2% Muscadelle, the 2019 Rieussec is pale lemon-straw in color. It leaps with a floral perfume of lime blossoms and jasmine, leading to a core of lemon tart, persimmons, and acacia honey. The palate delivers lovely purity, with soft acidity and a fragrant finish.

A delicate, subtle yet lively nose of ginger and vanilla panna cotta, with aromas of candied lemon. On the palate, an incredibly thick texture, with notes of rhubarb crème brûlée. A heady, sensual wine.

Pale golden-yellow color. Superb bouquet intensity combining subtlety and expressiveness. Nuances of nougat, toasted almonds, and caramel, complemented by notes of linden blossom. On the palate, the wine is silky, suave, and perfectly balanced. A beautiful balance between sweetness and freshness. No attempt was made to push the wine beyond what it could offer. There is richness but also pep; it is certainly a choice geared toward the future.

The nose is fresh, delicate, and offers complexity, depth, and lovely freshness. It reveals notes of fresh peach, syrupy apple and, more subtly, apricot, combined with touches of quince, crystallized mandarin, fine hints of lychee, and a subtle hint of acacia and verbena. The palate is fruity, gourmand, delicate, and offers lovely definition, balanced richness, a slight syrupy character counterbalanced by beautiful freshness, tension, and finesse. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of candied lemon, candied peach and, more slightly, dried apricot, combined with touches of lemony pineapple, crystallized quince, fine hints of lemon blossom and verbena, as well as discreet hints of acacia. The finish delivers notes of dried apricot, honey, and discreet hints of small dried fruits.

Golden colour. An intense, refined nose, fruity and subtle. The palate heralds Rieussec’s great return among the finest wines, offering an airy sweetness. A tasty, smooth finish with a delicate creaminess. Good length. Ready to serve.