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Dense and amazing with a thick mouthfeel and so much dried apple, apricot, and lemon character. It's long, sweet and intense. So much going on here. Love it. Love the 1989 vintage for Sauternes.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 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. Last tasted, 1/93.Robert Parker | 94 RP(Château Rieussec (Sauternes)) The 1989 Rieussec is drinking very well indeed at age twenty-seven, but it is already well into its plateau and is not likely to be one of the more long-distance vintages from this era at the estate. The nose is quite honeyed in its blend of apricot, orange, chalky soil tones, butterscotch, toasted coconut, incipient notes of walnuts and plenty of the aforementioned honey. On the palate the wine is deep. full-bodied, complex and already getting quite tertiary in profile, with crisp framing acids and very good length and grip on the fully mature, but still vibrant finish. This is a very good time to be drinking this vintage of Rieussec. (Drink between 2016-2026).John Gilman | 92 JGLively, 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.Vinous Media | 92 VM

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.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2005. 6,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSExotic 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.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 1990 was precocious and flattering, with its tropical fruit-scented nose, big, spicy, rich, high alcohol flavors, and a fine underpinning of acidity giving everything clarity and crispness. The 1990 will be drinkable at an earlier age than the 1989, but it will last just as long. Anticipated maturity: Now-2020. Last tasted 11/94Robert Parker | 90 RP

The 1998 Chateau Yquem was released several months ago. This estate does not allow tasting from cask (where the wine spends 42 months), and it is not released until five years after the vintage. The 1998 Yquem (95 points) is a great success. Made in an elegant style, it is not a blockbuster such as 1990, 1989, and 1988. It is well-delineated, with wonderfully sweet aromas of creme brulee, pineapples, apricots, and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it is not as sweet as the biggest/richest Yquem vintages, but it is gorgeously pure, precise, and strikingly complex. Already approachable, it should evolve for 30-50 years ... without a doubt.Robert Parker | 95 RPPale gold. Knockout aromas of creme brulee, coconut, vanilla bean, honey and orange peel. Lush and seductively silky in the mouth; its creamy, seamless texture makes it seem deceptively accessible today but sound acid structure should keep it going for 20 years or more. Not hugely sweet or tropical but very complex and fine. Firm, hazelnutty finish offers great length, if not quite the grip of the ’89.Vinous Media | 95 VM

So rich and powerful with so much dried apricots and citrus aromas and flavors. Caramel and toffee. Full and very sweet. Amazing.James Suckling | 97 JSNo written review provided. | 96 RPMedium 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.Vinous Media | 92-95 VMBig, 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. 6,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2010 Rieussec is slightly more backwards on the nose. It is very focused with almond, saffron, orange pith and dried honey aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a harmonious entry. Impressive depth with lovely vanillary new oak, it is long and pure towards the finish. A Sauternes with pedigree. Superb. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 96 VMStructured firm, very spicy, while also showing fresh pineapple acidity. Concentrated and packed with botrytis.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA muscular version, with dacquoise and marzipan notes leading the way for creamed orange, white peach, ginger, mirabelle compote and tangerine accents that pump through the piecrust-filled finish. Has the vintage’s raw oomph, as well as range and cut for balance. Best from 2018 through 2035. 6,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Rieussec (Sauternes)) Château Rieussec has turned out one of the most elegant and refined examples of the 2010 vintage and this wine is an unqualified success. The nose is a bit less obviously botrytized than many of its neighbors this year, as the wine offers up scents of tangerine, pineapple, bee pollen, lovely, chalky soil tones and a very suave base of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish and dancing, with fine mid-palate intensity, excellent focus and a really impressive lightness of step on the long, complex and tangy finish. In a vintage prone to heavy-handedness, the ethereal quality of the 2010 Château Rieussec is most impressive. (Drink between 2015-2035).John Gilman | 93 JGThis is so delicious and fruity with loads of intense dried pineapple and apples. Full body, lightly sweet. It shows bright acidity and a wonderful finish. Hints of cream and vanilla. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSPale to medium lemon-gold in color, the 2010 Rieussec is evolving at a good clip, boasting roasted nuts, toffee apples and dried apricots scents with hints of beurre blanc, manuka honey and candle wax. The palate is a powerhouse of sweetness, with soft acidity and loads of savory/nutty layers, finishing on a praline note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

A masterclass in purity and delicacy for this 2020 vintage which manages to convey the beauty and allure of Yquem in a toned down, subtle and beguiling way. Aromas of white blossom and honeysuckle, gently caramelised Mirabelle plums and fresh apricots with flecks of clementine and grapefruit pith abound on the nose - richly scented in their individual aspects but delivered quietly, almost sultry and shy. Immediately mouthfilling and unctuous, streamlined and fresh with a sugary hit hitting first before mouthwatering acidity follows giving sumptuous succulence and vibrancy. Apricot, peach, fleshy mango and sharp pineapple give the exotic fruit zing balanced by a salty, flintiness that adds faint angles to the expression. Juicy, bright, clean and complete with hints of cinnamon spice and just-toasted bread providing the frame and structure reminding you that this is built to last. It’s not as opulent as some vintages, much more understated and relaxed - and coincidentally one of the lowest in residual sugar at 135g/l - but this is a wonderful expression with control and confidence on show. It also has supreme drinkability even now with tension, clarity and energy so don’t be afraid to open and enjoy this in its joyful youth. The 2020 is the smallest production since 2000 with an equivalent of 35,000 bottles made. All stock will be released for sale on 23rd March with only a small number of bottles kept back for the estate’s library collection. 3.79pH. The vintage was challenging in terms of viticulture with tropical spring-like weather delivering early budburst and high mildew pressure, especially given it was the estate’s first year of official organic conversion. June was wet and cool followed by a hot, dry summer. Botrytis arrived in mid-October but there was only a small window of five days and two separate passes to harvest grapes with perfect noble rot.Decanter | 96 DECVery transparent and elegant with white peaches, lilacs, and light caramel. Medium-bodied, sweet and agile with salted caramel and dried orange character. Spicy botrytis at the end. Give this three or four years to come together.James Suckling | 96 JSThis has a broad and unctuous feel, with nectarine, apricot and mango notes creating an opulent feel, while racy bitter almond, orange blossom and elderberry accents add contrast and range. The lush finish is carried by notes of mango and piecrust. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2028 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 95 WS