Château Rieussec 1er Cru Classé, Sauternes, 2013

Château Rieussec holds a commanding position at the eastern edge of the Sauternes appellation, its south-facing slopes among the most favoured for the development of noble rot. The 2013 was a vintage that rewarded the estate's meticulous selective harvesting, with careful passes through the vineyard over many weeks extracting only the finest botrytised berries. The result is a wine of considerable charm: honeyed and concentrated on the nose, with dried apricot, crème brûlée, and a gentle current of toasted oak supporting the richness. On the palate, the sweetness is balanced by vivid, nervy acidity that keeps the wine from any sense of excess, the fruit pure and complex, the finish lingering with notes of preserved lemon and spiced stone fruit. A very fine 2013, showing what patience in the vineyard can achieve even in less celebrated years.