Château Rieussec, 1er Grand Cru Classe, Sauternes, Bordeaux, 2009

85% Semillon, 11% Sauvignon and 4% Muscadelle.

One of the richest wines of the vintage at 13.75% alcohol. Picked over 10 days at the end of September and the beginning of October, this is an intense, concentrated wine of perfect balance and class. The best Rieussec since the monumental 2001. 

On first tasting:

"Heavy and rich and wonderfully sumptuous. Great richness. Density and breadth. Still very chewy but there is lots here. Very rewarding."

18/20 points, Jancis Robinson, March 2010

Tasted after ten years from its vintage, this comes within a whisker of perfection!

"Pale to medium gold colored, the 2009 Rieussec sings of crème caramel, chopped nuts, baked apples and spiced pears with hints of jasmine, peach blossoms and beeswax. Full-bodied, rich and decadently creamy in the mouth, the multilayered palate is beautifully lifted with fantastic freshness. It has a very long finish offering a lasting impression of great elegance and finesse. Simply stunning."

98/100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, March 2019

In this year, 2009, the illustrious d'Yquem achieved a perfect 100 score, but costs at least five times as much as Rieussec.