After a fairly mild winter, there were two nights of severe frost in the spring, on 26 and 27 April, which inflicted major damage on Bordeaux’s vineyards. Rieussec escaped relatively lightly, with only 15% of the vines being affected.
Conditions then became excellent, with higher than usual temperatures, and balanced, well-spaced rainfall. Flowering began ten days earlier than usual, on 28 May.
After some heavy rain at the end of June, temperatures remained lower than normal throughout the summer, but it never became cold.
By the end of August, the positive effect of this cool, fresh year was apparent in Sauternes. The
rainy spell in mid-September was ideal, falling on the perfectly ripe, healthy grapes, it enabled the botrytis to get off to an excellent start.
The dry, cool weather then returned, and the vines progressed perfectly; the grapes’ flavours became concentrated as they were harvested in rounds of selective picking; the harvests were historically fast, revealing a vintage with exceptional aromatic intensity.
The harvests took place from 26 September to 12 October.

AGEING IN OAK BARRELS:  18 months.

AVERAGE ANNUAL PRODUCTION:  Variable according to the vintage, on average 6,000 cases.