Château Rieussec 2021

Château Rieussec 2021: An Exceptional Sauternes from a Heroic Vintage

Despite the climatic challenges of the 2021 vintage, marked by historic frost reaching -9°C, this Sauternes reveals the full expertise of Château Rieussec's winemakers. Favorable autumn conditions, with fog and rain conducive to Botrytis Cinerea development, enabled the creation of a wine of remarkable freshness.

Sourced from an exceptional 85-hectare terroir of sandy-clay gravels at the junction of Fargues and Sauternes, this wine benefits from the unique influence of the Ciron River, creating ideal conditions for noble rot.

Nose: Powerful aromas of dried apricots, currants, and roasted pineapple, enhanced by toasted and smoky notes. The bouquet evolves toward roasted almonds and apricot crumble.

Color: Brilliant gold with amber highlights.

Palate: Beautiful balanced freshness revealing exotic fruit flavors (papaya, mango) enriched with candied apricots.

Hand-harvested into small crates, then pressed and, after settling, barreled (new barrels for Sémillon, once-used for Sauvignon) for fermentation, with plot-by-plot pressing and vinification. The wines are kept on their lees until mid-December with regular bâtonnage, then racked, blended, and returned to barrels for approximately 18 months of ageing.