Critics Ratings

1989:
‘First bottle: Hint of copper in the gold. Note of wet wool on the nose. Too much sulfur? Second bottle: Big and bold and still a little sulfidey. Round and blows its own trumpet extremely loudly though it certainly doesn’t belong to the squeaky clean school of winemaking. Burnt notes on the finish and quite burly – and not especially sweet. Good acidity. A very valid style – and distinctive.’ – Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20 (Jul 2004)

‘The 1989 Rieussec is a fat, rich, broad-shouldered wine, with great depth and richness, and a formidably high alcohol content. I did not detect as much botrytis as I would have hoped. Nevertheless, it is a blockbuster, massive wine in the style of the richest 1983s. Its evolution should be fascinating to follow. Anticipated maturity: 1998-2015.’ – Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 94/100 (Jan 1993)

‘Lively, complex, fresh aromas of tropical fruit, honey and spicy oak. Sweet and viscous in the middle palate; kept fresh by apple and pear notes and harmonious acidity. Very concentrated and deep. Very long on the aftertaste; has the sheer material to buffer its alcohol. Rieussec switched to later bottling with this vintage: 30 rather than 24 months after the harvest.’ – Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, 92/100 (Jul 1998)

1990:
‘Blockbuster. Wow. Wonderful. Dark yellow with a gold hue. Full-bodied and very sweet, with thick and powerful fruit. The spice, orange peel, honey and dried apricot character goes on and on. Long, long finish. Best after 2005.’ – Wine Spectator, 97/100 (Aug 200)

‘Exotic aromas of truffle, game, dried fruits and tobacco; strong impression of botrytis. Powerful on entry, then very sweet (74 grams/liter r.s.) and very concentrated, with an amazingly glyceral texture. Powerful and very deep. Still some sulfur to be absorbed. One of the richest wines of this group, really thick with extract. Finishes firm, youthful and very, very long. This vintage was picked in a single trie extending from late October into November.’ – Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, 94/100 (Jul 1998)

2003:
‘Big, rich and juicy. Voluptuous, with aromas of caramel, apple and light tropical fruit. Full-bodied, round and very sweet, with loads of ripe fruit and a long butterscotch and piecrust aftertaste. Viscous texture. Hard not to drink it now. A wonderful sticky. Best after 2010.’ – Wine Spectator, 95/100 (Dec 2006)

‘Medium yellow-gold. Reticent but pure aromas of fruit salad, spices and vanilla, lifted by floral and mineral nuances. Wonderfully honeyed, fat fruit flavors are complemented by cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. The sexy oak treatment gives lift to the wine. A bit youthfully aggressive but very long on the back end, showing vanillin oak and a bit of warmth. But this one offers superb potential.’ – Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, 93+/100 (Jul 2005)

‘Some honey tinge. Very intense slight brulée character on the nose. Very, very sweet – one slightly seeks a bit more acid. Still quite simple – barley sugar at the moment. I’d like a little more acid and complexity - but this will surely outlive the reds!’ – Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20 (Mar 2008)

Provenance

Private Client