2016 Les Carmes de Rieussec
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Tasting notes
Pale lemon in color, the 2016 Carmes de Rieussec features notes of candied orange peel and honey-drizzled peaches with touches of beeswax and lemon curd. The palate is rich with a lovely line of freshness cutting though the stone fruit layers, finishing on a spicy note.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Not yet bottled, the 2016 Carmes de Rieussec offers a medium to full-bodied, ripe, sweetly fruited, moderately honeyed style. This was a good, not great year for Sauternes due to the difficulty in the development of botrytis, but this has good purity, impressive balance, and is certainly delicious. Drink it over the coming 7-8 years.
The 2016 Carmes de Rieussec has a charming bouquet of lifted, honeyed fruit, frangipane and orange blossom aromas. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity, offering candied orange peel mixed with peach and apricot and a generous but nicely focused finish. This is delicious now but should give several years of drinking pleasure.
Sweet honey, lemon rind and cooked pineapple. Medium sweet, medium-bodied and an easy finish with toffee and caramel undertones to the cooked fruit. Second wine of Rieussec. Drink in 2021.
About the producer
Ch. Rieussec is a top, Premier Cru Classé Sauternes estate that is part of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild stable, along with First Growth Ch. Lafite Rothschild.