Château Rieussec 1er Cru Classé, Sauternes, 2008

In a year of modest expectations, Rieussec's 2008 is a quietly satisfying achievement. Patient, selective harvesting extracted berries of genuine botrytis complexity, and the wine shows all the house's characteristic richness and attention to detail. Honeyed citrus and stone fruit on the nose, the oak well-judged and integrated; a palate that is sweetly concentrated but clean, the acidity providing the backbone for a finish of real length and complexity. Not a wine of the scale of 2009, but one of genuine quality and honest pleasure, proof that Rieussec's commitment to excellence extends across the full range of vintages.