Chateau Rieussec Carmes de Rieussec is a sumptuous Sauternes wine, brimming with elegance and opulence. Handcrafted in Bordeaux, France, it boasts exquisite nuances of apricot, honey, and ginger spice detected on the nose, mingling charmingly with a luscious palate of ripe stone fruit and subtle hints of citrus. Beautifully balanced with a fine acidity that superbly counterbalances the sweetness, it concludes with luxuriously long, captivating finish. This exceptional wine is not just rich in taste, but rich in tradition, making it the epitome of excellent French dessert wine. Exceptional when paired with robust cheeses or delectable desserts.

Tasting Notes

The colour is a beautiful bright, pale yellow, with glints of green indicating the wine’s youth. The nose is already intense and reveals notes of tropical fruit such as mango and pineapple. There are still some well-integrated oaky notes from the barrel ageing. The attack is subtle and elegant with a beautiful liveliness that very much characterizes the vintage. Superb volume on the mid-palate. The wine remains balanced and consistent through to the finish, which reveals a very mild sweetness with lightly roasted notes evoking caramel.

About the Winery

Covered by 185 planted hectares, the verdant vineyards of Chateau Rieussec winery are beautifully nestled in the distinct region of Bordeaux, France. The winery, which was named after the local stream Ruisseau, is an emblematic figure in Sauternes winemaking dating back to the late 1700s.

The estate of Chateau Rieussec was purchased in 1985 by Domaines Barons de Rothschild, the prodigious group behind the world-renown Lafite Rothschild. Since this significant acquisition, the winery has seen a resurgence, maintaining a deft balancing act between tradition and innovation; hence merging the authentic legacy with judicious modernisation.

Famed for their luscious and prestigious sweet wines, Chateau Rieussec imparts each bottle with extraordinary depth, complexity and vivacity, marked by flavour profiles of honeyed quince, succulent apricot, and a dash of floral notes. The rich essence and distinctive freshness of the wines derive from the variegated blend of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes ensconced in their fertile vineyards.

With a strategic location, the winery benefits from the unique misty microclimate that is sharply created by the confluence of the Ciron and Garonne rivers. The resulting botrytis cinerea, or so-called "noble rot", is the splendid miracle behind Chateau Rieussec's characteristic concentrated and opulent wine style.

Naturally, a visit to Chateau Rieussec is never simply about the wines. First and foremost, it's a delightful immersion into a prized heritage, a chance to wander around the great expanses of impeccably-kept vineyards, and an invitation to experience the spectacle of centuries-old winemaking traditions within the gorgeous chateau that's preserved the integrity of its historic architecture while introducing a touch of contemporary elegance.

Chateau Rieussec, an unquestionable wine connoisseur’s paradise, stands proudly as a beacon of Bordeaux's vineyard confluence. It is a swirling fusion of old-world majesty entwined with contemporary innovation; one cannot escape its erstwhile charm and the enchantment of its liquid treasures.

http://www.lafite.com/en/the-chateaus/chateau-rieussec

Find out more