2012 Carmes de Rieussec

Being owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (of Lafite fame) has been a boon for Chateau Rieussec. Since taking over the property in 1984, the planted vineyard area has increased from nearly 40 hectares to roughly 90 hectares today. Investment has also been made in the cellars, and the winemaking team are now better placed to work with the multiple small lots stemming from various parcels and picking runs through the vineyard. Across the various plots the plantings are broken down as 90% Semillon, 7% Sauvignon Blanc, and 3% Muscadelle, and the wines are aged in roughly 50% new French oak. The chateau also produce a second wine called Carmes de Rieussec, which is subjected to the same rigour in the vineyard and winery as the first wine, however the emphasis with Carmes is more on beautiful aromatics and citrus flavours. Barrels showing more of these traits are selected to be bottled as Carmes de Rieussec after 18 months of elevage.

2012 challenged all the winemakers in Sauternes, and while the uneven year did not allow for the first wine of Chateau Rieussec to be produced, the best available grapes were used to produce a pleasant, fruity, floral Carmes de Rieussec.

Other Reviews....
This is a pretty, fresh white with light sweetness and brightness. Medium body and good fruit. As the winemaker said at Rieusssec: ‘It’s a good quality wine to show what we can do in a difficult year’. Second wine of Rieussec. First wine not made in 2012.
88 points
James Suckling (Feb 2015)

Plump and open, offering green plum, nectarine and coconut notes, with a round, easy feel through the plantain-tinged finish. Tasted non-blind.
88-91 points
James Molesworth - Wine Spectator (Mar 2013)