Chateau Rieussec Sauternes, Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Chateau Rieussec Sauternes, Premiers Crus with wine tasting notes, and wine with food pairing tips. Learn all the best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards, and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau Rieussec History, Overview

Chateau Rieussec got its start when it was founded by an order of Carmelite monks. Like many Bordeaux wine properties, the estate was confiscated during the French Revolution. This led to an auction around 1790 when it was sold to the Marheilhac family.

At the time, they owned Chateau La Louviere, located in Pessac Leognan. Interestingly. Chateau La Louviere was also confiscated during the French Revolution from an order of Monks.

Following the 1855 Classification, Rieussec passed through numerous owners including the Gasqueton family. The Gasqueton family also owned Chateau Calon Segur in St. Estephe. This was followed by numerous changes in ownership until it was purchased by Alain Vuillier.

In 1984, Alain Vuillier was running out of money and he sold Chateau Rieussec to the owners of Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Domaines Barons de Rothschild. They bought the property in a partnership with Albert Frere.

Albert Frere was quite familiar with Bordeaux as he already owned a portion of Chateau Cheval Blanc in St. Emilion. The following year, in 1985, Charles Chevallier was placed in charge of managing Chateau Rieussec.

Aside from a modernization of the estate since Lafite Rothschild took over, the estate has almost doubled in size. At the time of the purchase, at most, 40 hectares were under vine.

30 years later, Rieussec had almost 90 hectares under vine. However, everything did not go as planned for the new owners. When Lafite Rothschild became the world’s most collectible brand, due to the excessive buying in the Asian markets, Domaines Barons de Rothschild began selling their wines as a bundle, meaning, the Negociants were forced to buy Rieussec, Duhart Milon, and Carruades to be able to buy Lafite Rothschild.

That practice devalued the wine of Rieussec as Negociants began to balk at the bundling practice. Eventually, that marketing plan was discontinued in the 2013 campaign.

Starting with the 2022 vintage, Chateau Rieussec introduced a new bottle for Bordeaux. Made from PCR. “Post Consuming Recycled” glass, the bottle focuses on a new shape, as well as a non-see-through bottle that focuses on its designer elements and logo. Even more interesting, the bottle no longer states Sauternes, or even Bordeaux, just the simple name of “Rieussec”.

Chateau Rieussec Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The large, 85 hectare Chateau Rieussec vineyard is planted to 85% Semillon 13% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel, sand, clay, and limestone soil. The slopes place Rieussec at one of the highest elevations in the appellation, reaching 78 meters at its peak.

Only Chateau d’Yquem has elevations higher than that. The vineyard of Chateau Rieussec On average, the vines are 25 years of age. The vineyard is planted to a vine density of 7,500 vines per hectare.

The Sauternes vineyard of Chateau Rieussec is one of the largest in the Sauternes appellation. The property has great terroir. It sits next to Chateau dYquem on the east and Chateau de Fargues is also their neighbor. The vineyards of Rieussec extend all the way to the borders of both Fargues and Sauternes, giving them vines in both communes.

Perhaps it is that they have a more complex terroir, as they are located in 2 communes, that gives the wine the extra level of depth and concentration.

Like all the top Bordeaux wine producers in Sauternes, the harvests are done in passes. This length of the harvest and amount of passes is determined by the ripeness of the fruit and more importantly, the level of botrytis found on the grapes.

The harvest could last for as long as 6 to 8 weeks. In extremely difficult vintages, Rieussec did not produce any wine, declassifying their entire crop. So far, this has happened 3 times, 1977, 1993 and 2012.

The best vintages of Chateau Rieussec are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001, 1997, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1986, 1983, 1976 and 1975. Well stored older vintages could also be quite good.

To produce the wine of Chateau Rieussec, sorting takes place in the vineyard during the harvest, not at the winery. Vinification takes place in a combination of new, French oak barrels and used barrels. Prior to 1996, the wine was vinified partially in the tank, but that is no longer the case.

Starting with the 1997 vintage, the entire vinification process is conducted in French oak barrels. The used barrels come from Chateau Lafite Rothschild. The wine of Chateau Rieussec is aged in an average of 50% new, French oak barrels for 18 to 24 months, depending on the character of the vintage.

Chateau Rieussec has clearly benefited from being owned by the Rothschilds. Numerous technical improvements in the vineyards and the winemaking facilities have helped vastly improve the wines of Chateau Rieussec. The wines are vinified in small lots which allow for vinification on a level that is even more precise than a parcel by parcel basis. The wines are aged in 50% new, French oak barrels for 30 months.

Chateau Rieussec also produces a dry white name, marketed under the name, R de Rieussec, the wine is usually produced from a blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillon.

There is a second wine, which is available under three names, Carmes de Rieussec, de Cosse, and Clos Labere. Carmes de Rieussec takes its name from the founder of the estate, the Carmelite Monks. second wine has been in production since 1975. Overall, the annual production of Rieussec is close to 12,500 cases of wine per year.

Style and Character of Chateau Rieussec

Rieussec is close to the top of the Sauternes pyramid. With the concentration of flavors, thick textures, sensations of honey-drenched pineapple, orange, apricot, mango, and nectarines with vanilla and caramel notes are easy to find. This is a stunning wine that can age for decades.

One thing consumers should be aware of when it comes to aging Chateau Rieussec, the wine usually develops a darker color than other Sauternes. With 20-30 years, the wine can appear to look more like amber or copper in color. This is normal for Rieussec.

When to Drink Chateau Rieussec, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Rieussec can be enjoyed on the young side with no decanting. In fact, it is delicious and quite a treat young, even on release! However, like all great wines, Chateau Rieussec is much better with age and does not reach full maturity until it’s between 15-35 years of age, or in some years, perhaps even longer in the best vintages! That is when the magic happens!

But that is unrealistic for 99% of the world’s wine drinkers. So, enjoy it on any special occasion that calls for it.

Of course, the wine is sweet, but there is so much, incredible, racy acidity, the wine always feels fresh, and never cloying, which makes it quite fun to enjoy young. With Chateau Rieussec and frankly, all Sauternes, the temperature is more important than decanting.

Serving Chateau Rieussec with Wine and Food Pairings

Chateau Rieussec is best served at 14 degrees Celsius, 57 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. The wine will naturally warm in the glass, while it develops more aromatic complexities and fleshes out.

Chateau Rieussec can be served with seafood dishes, especially shellfish, lobster, crab, and oysters on the half shell. Foie gras is a perfect pairing with its natural sweet, salty and savory characteristics. Chateau Rieussec can also be paired with roasted chicken, veal, and pork dishes that are either spicy or prepared with a touch of sweetness.

Spicy Asian cuisine, raw fish, like sushi or sashimi, and cheese, both hard and soft also make great pairings with Chateau Rieussec.

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