Robert Parker: Wine Advocate # 188. Apr 2010. Reviewer : Neal Martin. The minerality and stoniness really comes through on the nose of this Rieussec, more than the 2007. The palate is very well balanced with superb acidity, real tension, steely with great precision with notes of apricot, white peach and honey on the beautifully defined finish. Probably the best Rieussec since the astounding 2001.
Jancis Robinson: Published : 09-Apr-2010. Heavy and rich and wonderfully sumptuous. Great richness. Density and breadth. Still very chewy but there is lots here. Very rewarding. When to drink : 2018 to 2036.
Wine Spectator: Updated: April 15, 2010. Lemon peel and pear tart on the nose. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with good acidity, lemon meringue flavors and a spicy finish. —J.S.
Stephen Tanzer: May 10. By Ian D'Agata. (A blend of 84.5% semillon, 11.5% sauvignon blanc and 4% muscadelle; 160 g/l residual sugar; 13.8% alcohol) Bright yellow-gold. An initial whiff of alcohol is quickly followed by subtle aromas of flowers, fresh citrus, ginger and vanilla. Racy and delineated, with excellent intensity to the pristine flavors of fresh pineapple, tangerine, lemon and spices. Comes across as quite sleek and precise thanks to laser-like acidity, which frames and lifts the wine's superb tight core of fruit. Not at all an unctuous style, this compellingly vibrant wine finishes very long and very smooth, with a hint of vanillin oak. This outstanding vintage of Rieussec should be forgotten in the cellar for at least 6 or 8 years and then enjoyed for at least another 30 years after that. The grapes were harvested from September 17 through October 15 in four tries.
Decanter: Michel Bettane, Decanter.com, 18 pts - "Massive, with great transformed level of alcohol, useful when the sugar content is so high too, a monument of a wine, but a wait of 10 years at least will be necessary to do justice to its majestic power."
Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com, 18-19+/20 pts - "Residual sugar 160 g/l. Dense and rather withdrawn on the nose, with tight and honeyed fruit. Massive depth on the palate here, textured and intense. Decent acidity, great grip though, and a seam of nobly bitter botrytis substance. A very rich style with great potential. Impressive. "
Tim Atkin, www.timatkin.com, 93 pts - "Punters who want to secure a rare case of Château Lafite are often required to purchase one or more cases of Rieussec, too. This won’t be a hardship in 2009, because the wine is very stylish, with flavours of pears and cinnamon, good acidity and plenty of sweetness (160 grams per litre). Not quite a superstar Sauternes, but certainly an impressive wine. 10+ years."
Vinification: The installation of pneumatic presses helps careful handling of the fruit. The vinification is in barrel, with a small-batch approach so that each aliquot can be individually managed and subsequently assessed. There is a strict selection, with only the best wines going into the grand vin, Chateau Rieussec, which then sees up to 26 months in oak barrels, of which approximately half are renewed each year.
