R de Rieussec 2022

The minerality and richness of a great dry white Bordeaux wine

The estate

Owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite since 1984, Château Rieussec has ranked among the First Growths of Sauternes since 1855. The château is renowned for the quality of its sweet wines, with their beautiful texture, at once fresh and powerful, which grow ever more magnificent with age. For the estate, respect for the environment is an essential element of its philosophy. The harvest is done entirely by hand, allowing the finest grapes of the vineyard to be picked almost berry by berry and left to express themselves in wines of great authenticity.

The vineyard

Located at the heart of the Sauternes vineyards, Château Rieussec is rooted in 85 hectares of sandy-clay gravel plots. There, the Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grape varieties ripen slowly until they reach an exceptional level of maturity, giving rise to the noble rot so famous to the appellation.

The wine

Since the 2021 vintage, R de Rieussec has been presented in an innovative bottle.

Evoking the characteristic silhouette of Burgundy bottles, ESSENTIA is a PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) glass bottle made from 96% recycled household glass. The packaging has also evolved, with a compact kraft box enabling the responsible transport of 6 bottles of this cuvée, produced as a dry white Bordeaux wine.

The vintage

A relatively cool and dry start to the year preceded an April marked by morning frosts that affected some of the vineyard's early-ripening, high-quality terroirs. From then until harvest, the weather was dry and sunny, allowing the vines to make up for lost time. The teams' expertise, along with irrigation of the young vines over the summer, helped limit losses. The harvest began early, on August 17 for the dry white wines, and despite some rain, produced grapes of excellent quality.

Vinification and aging

Hand-harvested in small crates, the berries are chilled to limit oxidation, then gently pressed to preserve their aromatic brilliance. After cold settling, part of the Semillon must was vinified in new oak barrels and in once-used barrels. The Sauvignon Blanc must was vinified mainly in stainless steel tanks, as well as in once-used barrels. Vinification took place in barrels, followed by six months of aging on the lees with regular stirring (bâtonnage). Once aging was complete, the wines aged in stainless steel tanks (50%) and in barrels (50%) were blended.

Blend

Sauvignon Blanc (55%)
Semillon (45%).

Characteristics and tasting notes for R de Rieussec 2022

Tasting notes

Nose
The nose reveals its richness through notes of thyme, lemon, and green citrus fruits (kaffir lime, lime), alongside smoky, vanilla, and vegetal fragrances.

Palate
Lively, the attack seduces with its minerality and chalky notes. The palate exudes subtly toasted aromas that linger through to a persistent finish, underscored by a gentle grapefruit bitterness.