Rieussec - Sauternes 2020

Vinous

94-94

par Neal Martin le 28/02/2025

The 2020 Rieussec has a slightly more petrolly bouquet than its peers, well-defined and focused—not complex, but there is admirable purity. The palate is very elegant on the entry, with superb levels of botrytis and a silver bead of acidity that upholds focus and tension. This Sauternes fans out wonderfully on the finish. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Vinous

92-94

par Antonio Galloni le 01/06/2021

The 2020 Rieussec emerges from a very challenging year marked by an early harvest and just one small window in September with the requisite amount of botrytis in the field. Lemon confit, marzipan, tangerine oil and white flowers are all beautifully woven together in a mid-weight, gracious Rieussec that is all class. Residual sugar is 120 grams per liter, but is not especially evident. Production will be around 10,000 bottles, in other words, a fraction of what is typical here.

My Bettane + Desseauve

93-94

par Bettane & Desseauve le 07/05/2021