R de Rieussec 2024

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of R de Rieussec 2024 Château Rieussec

Tasting

Nose
The bouquet reveals a bright and complex character, dominated by notes of citrus and white-fleshed fruit, enhanced by a delicate floral dimension.

Palate
The attack is round and pure, supported by a delicate oakiness that preserves the wine's natural freshness. This liveliness lends beautiful tension to the whole, while the finish stands out with a soft bitterness accompanied by an almost saline minerality.

Service and storage
The R de Rieussec 2024 can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve until around 2030.

Other characteristics
This wine has an alcohol content of 12.5% vol., a pH of 3.14 and total acidity of 4.46 g/l.

An exceptional dry white Bordeaux from the prestigious terroir of Sauternes

The estate
Founded in the 18th century by the Carmelite monks of Langon, Château Rieussec was ranked a Premier Cru Classé of Sauternes in 1855. Owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) since 1984, this 85-hectare Bordeaux estate enjoys an exceptional terroir bordering Yquem, producing world-renowned wines that rival the greatest Bordeaux crus.

The vineyard
The R de Rieussec comes from an 85-hectare vineyard located at the junction of Fargues and Sauternes, on sandy-clay gravel soils enriched with some limestone terroirs. This exceptional terroir, located at the heart of the Bordeaux AOC appellation on the left bank of the Garonne, allows for the production of remarkably fine dry white Bordeaux wines.

The vintage
The year 2024 began with a very rainy winter, with over 600 mm of rainfall and mild temperatures. A slight frost episode in April did not significantly impact the vineyard, but strong mildew pressure affected the Sauvignon between April and May. Flowering saw some instances of coulure and millerandage. The hot, dry summer favored slow ripening of the grapes. Harvest began in August but was complicated by rain in September, marking a first in Rieussec's history with a simultaneous start to the harvest for both the sweet wines and the dry whites.

Winemaking and aging
Hand-harvesting is carried out in small crates with rigorous plot-by-plot selection. The Sauvignon is harvested early to preserve its aromatic freshness, while the Sémillon reaches a more advanced maturity to provide structure and richness. After gentle pressing and cold settling, the Sémillon ferments mainly in new and once-used barrels, while the Sauvignon is favored in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, with part aged in once-used barrels. The R de Rieussec 2024 is aged for six months on the lees with regular bâtonnage for the barrel-aged portion. The final blend harmoniously combines 50% of wines aged in stainless steel vats and 50% in barrels.

Grape varieties
Sauvignon Blanc (65%), Sémillon (35%)