Metamorphosis - Rieussec Relaunched
What's common between oysters and uni?
Both can be eaten raw - some say both are best eaten raw. Both are acquired taste, not easy to swallow for the uninitiated. Starting today, one can also say both can be paired with Rieussec, the Sauternes relaunched.
Sauternes, the honey-colored sweet wine from Bordeaux, once was known as the swig of kings. When Domaines Baron de Rothschild (DBR), the owner of Château Lafite Rothschild,set out to acquire a property in Sauternes, Château Rieussec (1er Grand Cru Sauternes) was its top choice. Traditionally served with dessert after the main course, Sauternes has become the victim of its own success. The sweetness, often associated with sugar (translation: excess calories), has become a smaller part of the modern diet.
However, we have watched innovative chefs the world over experimenting with Sauternes for years. These chefs, often world travelers, created the concept of fusion cuisine, by blending contrasting culinary traditions into a single dish, combining an unusual mix of food from different regions. It is here the sweetness unique to Sauternes has been found to be a perfect pairing with naturally salty, briny and ocean taste of raw oyster and uni (sea urchin, often served in the form of sashimi as the prized highlight of a Kaiseki meal). More recently, we are seeing Sauternes served with spicy dishes pioneered by the Asian chefs.
Under the tutelage of Saskia de Rothschild, who has been the head of DBR since 2018, Château Rieussec just had a makeover. Recognizing the changing taste of Sauternes drinkers, she championed the new look and new image for the family's Sauternes property.
Sporting a new recycled glass bottle, with a reusable cork hanging on the bottle neck (to preserve an opened bottle up to a month in the fridge), the reimagined Rieussec can be seen served at a fusion meal, enjoyed among friends, before morphing into a reusable glass vase for the environmentally conscious consumers.
Time to get some for your next gathering of family and friends.
Tasting Notes
"Pale lemon-gold in color, the 2019 Rieussec flaunts a delicately scented nose of fresh grapefruit, lemon curd, lime leaves and clover honey with wafts of jasmine, white truffles and nutmeg. The palate slowly builds, revealing layers of apple and citrus fruits with loads of savory accents, framed by refreshing acidity and a seductively oily texture, finishing on a lingering honey-nut note." - Lis Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (9/30/2020), Ratings: 94-96, Drink: 2025-2055
