Château Rieussec – Precision and elegance in Sauternes

Owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) since 1984, Château Rieussec is located in the heart of the Sauternes vineyards. “Sauternes is such a wonderful wine that we wanted to have our own one and also the land is so exceptional” Baron Eric de Rothschild stated.

Jane Anson writes in her book Inside Bordeaux “Rieussec is easily one of the most balanced, succulent and fresh of all Sauternes”. It is certainly loved by the winemaking team at Chateau Lafite, both Charles Chevallier and Eric Kohler spent years working at Château Rieussec before moving on to oversee the Domaines de Rothschild (Lafite) estates.

In the 18th century, Château Rieussec belonged to the Carmelite monks of Langon and in the 1855 classification; the quality of Rieussec’s terroir was ranked as a first growth Sauternes and Barsac. The vineyard extends to the border of Fargues and Sauternes, the vines cover 93 ha of gravelly soil layered with alluvial deposits. The vines consist predominantly of the classic Sauternes grape, Sémillon (90%), supplemented by Sauvignon (7%) and Muscadelle (3%). Traditional Sauternes techniques are used and the grapes are harvested in several selective pickings as the grapes ripen and botrytis cinerea (“noble rot”) develops. The harvests are spread over six to eight weeks, from September to November. A tasting no Sauternes lover would want to miss.

Join Jean-Guillaume Prats, President and CEO of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) as he guides us through the history and nuances of these iconic wines.