Château Rieussec 2010 is a Premier Cru Classé Sauternes from one of the highest-lying estates in the appellation, right next to Yquem. 2010 gave rich, pure sweet wines in Sauternes, and this bottle is now moving into a rewarding middle age.
About This Wine
The 2010 is a Sémillon-dominated blend with small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, aged in oak barrels of which roughly half are replaced each year. The vintage gave Sauternes concentrated, well-botrytised fruit with good acidity. Tasters describe saffron, honey and candied orange in this Rieussec, with enough freshness to keep the sugar in check, and several expect it to keep for decades.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Candied orange peel, honey, saffron and dried apricot, with a touch of crème brûlée.
- Palate: Rich and full, layered with yellow peach, mango and marmalade, cut by lively citrus acidity.
- Finish: Very long, honeyed and spicy, with a clean tangerine lift at the end.
Serving & Food
Chill to about 9 to 10°C and pour into white wine glasses rather than small dessert glasses; there is no need to decant. It drinks well now and will hold for many years yet. Pan-seared foie gras, Roquefort and tarte Tatin are classic matches, and it is lovely with crispy roast goose.
How to Enjoy
The dessert course at a dinner party, or a cellar looking for a Sauternes already at a good stage to open.
Product Details
Producer: Château Rieussec
Classification: Premier Cru Classé (1855)
Appellation: Sauternes, Bordeaux, France
Vintage: 2010
Grape Blend: Sémillon-led, with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle
Volume: 750mL
About the Château
Rieussec sits where the communes of Fargues and Sauternes meet, its vines running up to the boundary of Château d'Yquem. The slope reaches about 78 metres, second only to Yquem in the appellation, and the soils are mostly sandy gravel with some clay. Ranked Premier Cru in 1855, the estate was bought in 1984 by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), who soon built a new winery among the vines, moved to barrel fermentation and tightened sorting. Sémillon covers most of the vineyard, with a little Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Pickers go through the rows several times over the autumn, taking only grapes that noble rot has shrivelled. In poor years the team simply skips the grand vin; none was made in 1977, 1993 or 2012.