Château Rieussec

In the 18th century, Rieussec belonged to the monks of the Carmes de Langon. Confiscated during the French Revolution, the estate was sold in 1790 as national property to Mr. Marheilhac, who at the time also owned Château La Louvière in Léognan. At the 1855 classification, under the ownership of Mr. Mayne, the quality of Rieussec's terroir earned it recognition as a Premier Cru Classé of Sauternes and Barsac. Rieussec then passed through several owners, including Charles Crepin around 1870, Paul Defolie in 1892, M. Bannil in 1907, the Gasqueton family (also owners of Château Calon-Ségur in Saint-Estèphe), F. F. Berry during the war, M. Balaresque in 1957, and Albert Vuillier in 1971. Rieussec became part of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite family in 1984.

• Belonged to the monks of the Carmes de Langon in the 18th century; confiscated during the French Revolution and sold in 1790 to Mr. Marheilhac, who at the time also owned Château La Louvière in Léognan
• Classified Premier Cru Classé of Sauternes and Barsac in 1855 under the ownership of Mr. Mayne
• Passed through several owners between 1855 and 1984, including the Gasqueton family, also owners of Château Calon-Ségur in Saint-Estèphe, and Albert Vuillier from 1971
• Became part of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite in 1984

At the time of the 1984 acquisition, the estate comprised 110 hectares, of which 68 were under vine. Under Rothschild ownership, more rigorous sorting of the grapes and fermentation in barrels were introduced, along with a new cellar built in 1989, producing a finer selection of the blend for each Rieussec vintage. Further modernization followed in 2000, with renovated aging cellars, a new fermentation cellar, and upgraded reception and pressing facilities. From the 1997 vintage, vinification has been conducted entirely in French oak barrels, replacing the partial tank fermentation used before 1996. In particularly difficult vintages the entire crop has been declassified and no Grand Vin released: this has happened three times, in 1977, 1993, and 2012. Rieussec joined the B Corp community in December 2023.

• At acquisition in 1984, the estate comprised 110 hectares, of which 68 were under vine; the vineyard is now 85 hectares
• New cellar built in 1989; further modernization in 2000 added renovated aging cellars, a new fermentation cellar, and upgraded reception and pressing facilities
• From the 1997 vintage onward, vinification has been conducted entirely in French oak barrels, replacing the partial tank fermentation used before 1996
• No Grand Vin has been produced in 1977, 1993, or 2012, when the estate's entire crop was declassified

Château Rieussec is considered second only to Château d'Yquem in Sauternes for power and concentration. On the estate's own account, its botrytis develops to grant the wines their distinctive richness, with each berry picked at what the estate calls the ideal moment. Concentration of flavor and thick texture bring sensations of honey-drenched pineapple, orange, apricot, mango, and nectarine, with vanilla and caramel notes. Olivier Trégoat, the estate's Technical Director, describes the Grand Vin as a wine that 'reveals itself and surprises at each stage of its development' and, once opened and kept cool, can be enjoyed for several weeks without altering, marrying 'a thousand flavours from midday to midnight.' With 20 to 30 years of age the wine typically develops a darker, more amber or copper color than other Sauternes, considered normal for Rieussec, and it does not reach full maturity until between 15 and 35 years of age.

• Considered second only to Château d'Yquem in Sauternes for power and concentration
• Character centers on honey-drenched pineapple, orange, apricot, mango, and nectarine, with vanilla and caramel notes
• Develops a darker, more amber or copper color than other Sauternes with 20 to 30 years of age, described as normal for the wine
• Does not reach full maturity until between 15 and 35 years of age

Harvesting at Rieussec runs from September to November over six to eight weeks, in multiple successive passes timed to the ripeness of the grapes and the development of Botrytis cinerea. Grapes are sorted in the vineyard, and each identified plot is isolated and pressed individually in small pneumatic presses before fermentation. The estate produces three wines under its own name: Château Rieussec, the Grand Vin, which the estate describes as a vin de garde built for ageing; Carmes de Rieussec, the second wine, selected to the same criteria as the Grand Vin and named for the Carmes de Langon monks; and R de Rieussec, a dry white Bordeaux blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon, 20% of which is barrel-fermented. Rieussec's second wine has also been marketed under the names de Cosse and Clos Labère. Average annual production across the estate is close to 12,500 cases.

• Harvest runs six to eight weeks from September to November, in multiple successive passes tied to grape ripeness and botrytis development; grapes are sorted in the vineyard and pressed by individual plot
• Three wines carry the estate's name: Château Rieussec (Grand Vin), Carmes de Rieussec (second wine), and R de Rieussec (dry white Bordeaux blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon, 20% barrel-fermented)
• The second wine has also been sold under the names de Cosse and Clos Labère
• Average annual production across the estate is close to 12,500 cases

Rieussec is one of the largest properties in the Sauternes appellation, with 85 hectares at the junction of the Fargues and Sauternes communes, adjacent to Château d'Yquem. Its soils are 80% sandy gravel and 20% clay. The vineyard reaches an elevation of 78 meters, the second highest point in the appellation after Château d'Yquem, and is planted at a density of 7,500 vines per hectare with an average vine age of 25 years. Sémillon is the dominant grape variety, with 17% Sauvignon Blanc and 3% Muscadelle. Uniquely for the region, 100% of the Rieussec vineyard is grassed over.

• 85 hectares at the junction of Fargues and Sauternes, adjacent to Château d'Yquem; soils are 80% sandy gravel and 20% clay
• Vineyard reaches 78 meters in elevation, the second highest point in the Sauternes appellation after Château d'Yquem
• Planted at a density of 7,500 vines per hectare, with an average vine age of 25 years
• 100% of the vineyard is grassed over, an exception in the Sauternes region

Rieussec is considered second only to Château d'Yquem in Sauternes for power and concentration. A triad of standout vintages in 1988, 1989, and 1990 rewarded the estate's first serious quality selection under Rothschild ownership, followed by an outstanding run of wines from 1995 to 2005. The 2001 vintage achieved the estate's highest-profile recognition when Wine Spectator named it Wine of the Year, the number one wine in its Top 100, in the magazine's December 31, 2004 issue, scoring 100 points at $80 a bottle. Starting with the 2022 vintage, the estate introduced a redesigned bottle made with a recycled-glass content of more than 90%, moving away from transparent glass; the new bottle no longer states the Sauternes or Bordeaux appellation on its label, carrying only the Rieussec name. Rieussec joined the B Corp community in December 2023.

• A triad of standout vintages in 1988, 1989, and 1990 rewarded the estate's first serious quality selection, followed by an outstanding run of wines from 1995 to 2005
• The 2001 vintage was named Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year (number one in the Top 100) in the magazine's December 31, 2004 issue, scoring 100 points at $80 a bottle
• From the 2022 vintage, a redesigned bottle uses more than 90% recycled glass and no longer states the Sauternes or Bordeaux appellation on the label, only the Rieussec name
• Rieussec joined the B Corp community in December 2023

Primary sources (producer's own site, part of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild network): https://www.lafite.com/domaines/rieussec/, https://www.lafite.com/domaines/rieussec/read/, https://www.lafite.com/domaines/rieussec/observe/, https://www.lafite.com/domaines/rieussec/taste/, https://www.lafite.com/domaines/rieussec/discover/, https://www.lafite.com/domaines/rieussec/contact/. Secondary sources: The Wine Cellar Insider (1855 Sauternes and Barsac classification list, and Château Rieussec producer profile), Decanter (Sauternes: Château Rieussec tasting, last updated 2015), Wine Spectator (Wine of the Year, December 31, 2004 issue), Bordeaux Tradition (Château Rieussec négociant page). Last verified 2026-09-08. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.