Geoffrey Binder, JJ Buckley, April 2012

84% semillon, 12% sauvignon blanc, 4% muscadelle. Barrel fermented, then aged in 24% new oak. Vines are planted on mixed gravel and limestone soils. Vibrant yellow-green color. The nose has complex aromas of mango, vanilla bean, and toasted coconut along with brighter notes of Meyer lemon. This has broad, rich texture with layer upon layer of well-delineated and refined fruit, nice ginger spice on the finish, and vibrant acidity. This will have a long and generous life ahead of it. Drink over the next 20+ years.

96 -97 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 2012

This is a fabulous Sauternes with dried peaches, pineapples and mango. Apricots and hints of spices. Even jam. Full-bodied, medium sweet with intense and powerful palate. This wine has 147 grams of residual sugar. So balanced and long. We will see what is better -- Rieussec or Yquem?

91 -93 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2012

The 2011 Rieussec has a lifted, at the moment quite oaky, bouquet with scents of honey, almond and pineapple. Hopefully it will develop more definition by the time of bottling. The palate is medium-bodied with tropical fruit and mandarin on the entry and a satisfying viscous core of honeyed fruit. It seems a little disjointed towards the finish, although I am sure it will become more cohesive by the time of bottling. For me, it just seems a little predictable. Drink 2015-2028+.

91 -94 points,

Stephen Tanzer's IWC, August 2012

Dark yellow-gold. Spicy botrytis complicates aromas of fresh peach, passion fruit, rose water and marzipan, with an enticing floral quality providing lift. Suave and fine-grained, showing a more delicate than usual texture for this cuvee, with intense flavors of passion fruit, peach and saffron. A subtle, restrained example of Rieussec with nicely integrated acidity and very good finishing grip. Harvested between September 1 and November 2 in three to seven selective pickings per parcel.

95 -97 points,

Wine Enthusiast, May 2012

This wine shows sheer opulence; it's beautifully rich and ripe, powered by complex flavors of orange zest and superripe mango. It's fresh, showing this vintage's character. - R.V.

93 -96 points,

Wine Spectator, April 2012

A very ripe, juicy, spicy style, with bold apricot, tangerine, toasted almond and papaya notes. Shows lots of power, with the length to match. A winner in the making.-J.M.

About Winery

"Château Rieussec is one of the richest and most exotic of all Sauternes, producing particularly good wines in the late 1980s and the mid 1990s. Rieussec has been owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild since 1985 and is located at one of the highest points of Sauternes in the village of Fargues where its vineyards border those of Château d`Yquem.Rieussec's 75 hectares of vineyards are planted with 89% Sémillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Muscadelle. Yields are low and the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks and oak casks before being matured in oak barriques (70% new) for 18-24 months. Rieussec produces a classic full-bodied Sauternes that is deep golden-yellow in colour and packed with lusciously sweet, honeyed fruits. Classsfied as a 1er Cru Classé, its best vintages rival those from d`Yquem."

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