The ‘22 Carmes de Rieussec.

The 2022 Carmes de Rieussec is the Sauternes second wine at Rieussec, drinking in its early window with tropical fruit and unctuous botrytis lift.

Tasting note

Pale straw-yellow with hints of green-gold; the swirl leaves a thick glycerin sheet on the glass. The nose opens generously on candied apricot, honey, fresh peach, white blossoms, sweet acacia and a layer of orange-blossom that sits high in the aromatic frame. On the palate the wine is full but lifted, with a body weight around 7 and acidity rated a 6 that keeps the unctuousness from going flat. Candied citrus zest, fine honey and dried-apricot pulp run through a wide mid-palate. The finish narrows on a balsamic-spice note and a saline-mineral close that is the Sémillon signature, with a faint phenolic grip from skin time on the noble-rot grapes. The young vintage character is still legible (the wine reads juicy rather than layered) but the long finish telegraphs the cellaring upside.

The 2022 vintage

The 2022 Sauternes vintage was unusual for sweet-wine production: a dry, warm growing season meant no botrytis disease pressure, but it also meant noble-rot did not arrive until after mid-October, forcing producers to compress the tries successives picks into a short window. Wine Spectator graded the vintage Outstanding at quality 4 and 94 points, describing the wines as 'tropical and unctuous in feel, with good energy and definition' but lacking the complexity of classic Sauternes vintages like 2017 or 2009. The pace of this year set up a wine more about exotic candied fruit and forward florality than the layered, glycerol-dense, beeswax-textured profile produced when botrytis arrives in September and spreads slowly. For drinkers, this is a vintage to drink earlier in its window than a true classic year.

About Château Rieussec

Rieussec is a Sauternes Premier Cru Classé (1855 classification) owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite. The estate sits in Fargues on 95 hectares of clay-limestone over gravel, working multiple tries successives through noble-rot Sémillon plus a Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle component. Carmes de Rieussec is the estate second-label dessert wine, built from parcels and lots that do not make the grand-vin cut; the aging regime is shorter than Rieussec proper (typically 12-14 months in oak versus the grand vin 18-24), and the wines are designed to drink earlier and at a lower price tier without losing the house signature unctuous botrytis profile. For another Bordeaux dessert reference, see the Coutet Opalie 2022 in dry-white form.

From the cellar: pair with

Seared duck foie gras with quince paste

The wine full body around 7 and noble-rot honey notes match the foie richness without competing; acidity at 6 cuts the fat, and the candied apricot lines up with quince paste autumnal sweetness.

Roquefort with crushed walnuts and toasted brioche

Sauternes-Roquefort is the textbook pairing because the wine high residual sugar tames the cheese salt and pungency, while the saline mineral finish keeps the brioche from cloying.

Tarte Tatin with crème fraîche

Caramelized apple and butter pastry meet the wine candied citrus and acacia honey directly; the medium-7 body weight matches the tart density and the acidity refreshes between bites.

Service & cellaring

Serving Temp: 48-52F (9-11C)
Decanting: Open 30 minutes before serving in 2026; pour into a small white-wine glass to concentrate the aromatics.
Cellar Storage: 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.

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Frequently Asked

When should I drink the 2022 Carmes de Rieussec?

The canonical CAI full drinking arc is 2025-2050. Within that arc, the peak window is 2028-2040. The full arc is the broader period the wine may drink well; the peak window is when it is most likely to show its best balance. Storage, fill level, cork condition, and preference can shift the decision. Taste before adding more air or holding the rest.

Does it need decanting?

No decant in the bottle is enough. Sauternes is rarely decanted because the aromatics develop quickly in glass, and the high sugar content protects the wine from oxidation. Pour into a small dessert-wine glass to focus the acacia, honey and candied-fruit aromas, and serve at 48 to 52F.

What food works best?

Classic Sauternes pairings center on three axes: foie gras and rich charcuterie (the sweet-savory contrast), strong blue cheeses like Roquefort (sweet-salt balance), and butter-and-fruit desserts (parallel sweetness with the wine saline lift). The 2022 tropical profile also handles spicy Asian dishes well.

How does Carmes de Rieussec compare to the grand vin Rieussec?

Carmes is the second wine, aged 12 to 14 months in oak versus the grand vin 18 to 24, with a shorter cellar trajectory (decline 2050 versus 2055-plus) and a lower price tier. It captures the same Rieussec house style of unctuous botrytis profile, but drinks earlier and reads less layered through the mid-palate.