1989 Rieussec, Sauternes (375ml)

SKU #970064 92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

After a period of prolonged disjointedness, this wine has pulled itself together. The color is deep straw, and the wine displays an intense perfume of creme brulee custard, baked apple pie, and sweet, ripe pineapples and pears. Full-bodied, rich, alcoholic, and fat, with low acidity and considerable sweetness, this is a luxuriously rich, unctuously-textured, heavyweight Sauternes that should become more civilized with age. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2025. (RP) (1/1998)

92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

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. (ST) (7/1998)

Jancis Robinson

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. 17/20 points (JR) (7/2004)

Wine Spectator

Well proportioned and delicately built, delivering plenty of honey, spice and earth-mineral flavors. (4/1995)

K&L Notes

Always a fine property. Since 1984 when a majority of the interest was sold to the Domaines Barons de Rothschild, the quality has soared making them one of the top three in the appellation. In the nose, rich, ripe pineapple and waxy honey notes with a hint of coconut leap from the glass. On the palate, the wine is unctuous with good acidity and great depth of flavor and length. And 91 points Wine Advocate's Neal Martin: "The 1989 is a lovely Rieussec that seems to show a little better each time we meet. Here it has a slightly more precocious bouquet than previous example with a lifted botrytized element. Scents of marmalade and quince mingle with honey and peach, whilst the palate demonstrates good weight - viscous on the entry and little more conviction towards the finish that had hitherto been missing. I remain cautious about the 1989 Rieussec, but it is one to watch carefully over the next decade. Tasted November 2012." (Wine Journal, 3/2013)