Château d’Yquem
With an undisputed reputation, Château d’Yquem is the world’s most famous sweet wine. Since 1855 it has stood alone as the only First Growth estate in Sauternes. Renowned for its complexity, d'Yquem is a hedonistic marriage of sweetness and acidity. Its kaleidoscopic array of flavours makes drinking this, at any stage of its evolution, one of life’s greatest pleasures.
1998 Ch d'Yquem 1er Cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£1,400.00 In Bond £1,699.24 Inc VAT (£283.20 Per Bottle)-
Robert Parker, October 2003, Score: 95
The 1998 Chateau Yquem was released several months ago. This estate does not allow tasting from cask (where the wine spends 42 months), and it is not released until five years after the vintage. The 1998 Yquem (95 points) is a great success. Made in an elegant style, it is not a blockbuster such as 1990, 1989, and 1988. It is well-delineated, with wonderfully sweet aromas of creme brulee, pineapples, apricots, and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it is not as sweet as the biggest/richest Yquem vintages, but it is gorgeously pure, precise, and strikingly complex. Already approachable, it should evolve for 30-50 years ... without a doubt. Drink: 2003-2053.
2020 Ch d'Yquem 1er cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£525.00 In Bond £636.41 Inc VAT (£636.41 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, March 2023
A gently ripe nose, full of decadent sun kissed lemon curd, apricot blossom, orange zest and pure quince jelly, it's richly luscious and oh-so inviting. On the palate, it's soft and honeyed at the start, with a full and hugely rich mouthfeel. The flavours follow the nose with more orange blossom notes and lifted aromatics. It's all balanced with high levels of acidity, and an almost mouth coating grip. It finishes with a gentle toasted honeycomb and cinnamon spice notes. Warm and long on the finish, this is an intense and delicious Yquem.
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Neal Martin, Junw 2023, Score: 97
The 2020 Yquem, a blend of 75% Semillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, cropped at a measly 10hl/ha, has a very sensual bouquet. It’s pretty mercurial as it unfolds in the glass, with scents of freshly sliced white peaches, almonds and pineapple. The oak is beautifully integrated, and allowing it further time, there are additional scents of Vervain tea, pressed white flowers and saffron. The palate makes an immediate impact with a mineral-rich, surprisingly saline entry that lends it edginess right from the off. The poise in this Yquem rivets you to the spot. Compared to recent vintages, this keeps everything buttoned down and tightly controlled until the finish, whereupon it fans out with nascent swagger. Stem ginger, caramelized pear and orange rind notes are delivered with excellent delineation. This animated and opulent Yquem is destined to age gracefully over the coming decades. Drink 2040-2100.
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LPB, March 2023, Score: 97+
The 2020 Château d'Yquem a blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. It has 135 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.79. Pale lemon-gold colored, citrus and baking spice notes emerge slowly from the glass, rising to offer well-defined scents of candied ginger, orange blossoms, allspice, and almond tart, leading to a flamboyant core of peach cobbler, ripe, juicy pineapple, jasmine tea, and apple butter with a waft of saffron. The palate is full-bodied and characteristically rich, yet possesses impressive tension and therefore stunning harmony. Layers of exotic spices and fragrant white flower accents fill the palate, leading to a long finish with lingering chalk and mineral nuances. It’s a showy Yquem that is gregarious in youth but is reserving that extra something for those with the patience to wait twenty years or more.
2020 Ch d'Yquem 1er cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£740.00 In Bond £897.61 Inc VAT (£149.60 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, March 2023
A gently ripe nose, full of decadent sun kissed lemon curd, apricot blossom, orange zest and pure quince jelly, it's richly luscious and oh-so inviting. On the palate, it's soft and honeyed at the start, with a full and hugely rich mouthfeel. The flavours follow the nose with more orange blossom notes and lifted aromatics. It's all balanced with high levels of acidity, and an almost mouth coating grip. It finishes with a gentle toasted honeycomb and cinnamon spice notes. Warm and long on the finish, this is an intense and delicious Yquem.
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Neal Martin, Junw 2023, Score: 97
The 2020 Yquem, a blend of 75% Semillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, cropped at a measly 10hl/ha, has a very sensual bouquet. It’s pretty mercurial as it unfolds in the glass, with scents of freshly sliced white peaches, almonds and pineapple. The oak is beautifully integrated, and allowing it further time, there are additional scents of Vervain tea, pressed white flowers and saffron. The palate makes an immediate impact with a mineral-rich, surprisingly saline entry that lends it edginess right from the off. The poise in this Yquem rivets you to the spot. Compared to recent vintages, this keeps everything buttoned down and tightly controlled until the finish, whereupon it fans out with nascent swagger. Stem ginger, caramelized pear and orange rind notes are delivered with excellent delineation. This animated and opulent Yquem is destined to age gracefully over the coming decades. Drink 2040-2100.
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LPB, March 2023, Score: 97+
The 2020 Château d'Yquem a blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. It has 135 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.79. Pale lemon-gold colored, citrus and baking spice notes emerge slowly from the glass, rising to offer well-defined scents of candied ginger, orange blossoms, allspice, and almond tart, leading to a flamboyant core of peach cobbler, ripe, juicy pineapple, jasmine tea, and apple butter with a waft of saffron. The palate is full-bodied and characteristically rich, yet possesses impressive tension and therefore stunning harmony. Layers of exotic spices and fragrant white flower accents fill the palate, leading to a long finish with lingering chalk and mineral nuances. It’s a showy Yquem that is gregarious in youth but is reserving that extra something for those with the patience to wait twenty years or more.
2008 Ch d'Yquem 1er Cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£1,909.24 Inc VAT (£318.20 Per Bottle) £1,575.00 In Bond-
Neal Martin, February 2012, Score: 96
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Neal Martin, May 2011, Score: 96
The 2008 Yquem, now in bottle, has a nuanced bouquet, with scents of clear honey, lime flower, vanilla and orange blossom that is beautifully defined. The palate is very harmonious on the entry, with a fine thread of acidity, tense and full of energy like the 2010 tasted alongside, with notes of white peach, citrus lemon, clear honey and a hint of quince. Long and persistent on the finish, this is a very fine Yquem that might be over-looked between the 2007 and 2009, but is a superb Sauternes in its own right. Drink 2014-2050.
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Neal Martin, April 2009, Score: 95-97
Coming in with 139 degrees residual sugar and a pH of 4.75, this is an Yquem that is unequivocally top of the pile in 2008. A light straw color with green tints in the glass. The bouquet is just wonderful, very perfumed with aromas of apricot, acacia honey and white flowers. A degree less clarity than the 2007, but perhaps more nuanced, more honeyed. The palate is a little more viscous than the 2007, lacquers the mouth with honey, apricot and orange zest. Very harmonious, the finish vibrant and edgy, real tension and energy in this Yquem. Very focused on the finish – not the “peacocks” tail of flavors that one finds on truly great vintages. But there is a surreal level of elegance and poise – an understated Yquem that should age effortlessly and returning to the glass it graces you with hints of almond and a dash of spice. In 2008, the king is king. P.S. RMP rated this blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon (94-96)
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Robert Parker
Coming in with 139 degrees residual sugar and a pH of 4.75, this is an Yquem that is unequivocally top of the pile in 2008. A light straw color with green tints in the glass. The bouquet is just wonderful, very perfumed with aromas of apricot, acacia honey and white flowers. A degree less clarity than the 2007, but perhaps more nuanced, more honeyed. The palate is a little more viscous than the 2007, lacquers the mouth with honey, apricot and orange zest. Very harmonious, the finish vibrant and edgy, real tension and energy in this Yquem. Very focused on the finish – not the “peacocks” tail of flavors that one finds on truly great vintages. But there is a surreal level of elegance and poise – an understated Yquem that should age effortlessly and returning to the glass it graces you with hints of almond and a dash of spice. In 2008, the king is king.
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Robert Parker
Coming in with 139 degrees residual sugar and a pH of 4.75, this is an Yquem that is unequivocally top of the pile in 2008. A light straw color with green tints in the glass. The bouquet is just wonderful, very perfumed with aromas of apricot, acacia honey and white flowers. A degree less clarity than the 2007, but perhaps more nuanced, more honeyed. The palate is a little more viscous than the 2007, lacquers the mouth with honey, apricot and orange zest. Very harmonious, the finish vibrant and edgy, real tension and energy in this Yquem. Very focused on the finish – not the “peacocks” tail of flavors that one finds on truly great vintages. But there is a surreal level of elegance and poise – an understated Yquem that should age effortlessly and returning to the glass it graces you with hints of almond and a dash of spice. In 2008, the king is king.
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Wine Advocate, April 2009, Score: 95-97
Coming in with 139 degrees residual sugar and a pH of 4.75, this is an Yquem that is unequivocally top of the pile in 2008. A light straw color with green tints in the glass. The bouquet is just wonderful, very perfumed with aromas of apricot, acacia honey and white flowers. A degree less clarity than the 2007, but perhaps more nuanced, more honeyed. The palate is a little more viscous than the 2007, lacquers the mouth with honey, apricot and orange zest. Very harmonious, the finish vibrant and edgy, real tension and energy in this Yquem. Very focused on the finish - not the "peacocks" tail of flavors that one finds on truly great vintages. But there is a surreal level of elegance and poise - an understated Yquem that should age effortlessly and returning to the glass it graces you with hints of almond and a dash of spice. In 2008, the king is king. P.S. RMP rated this blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon (94-96)
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Jancis Robinson, April 2009, Score: 18
Quiet on the nose. More spiced pear and apricot than orange. Lovely concentration. Spiced power, depth and quite warm on the finish. Fresh in a powerful rather than a delicate way. Dense and long. Rich and well integrated oak though there's lots of spice all the way through. A less delicate style than many in this vintage. (JH)
1997 Ch d'Yquem 1er Cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£2,029.24 Inc VAT (£169.10 Per Bottle) £1,675.00 In Bond £1,550.00 In Bond £1,879.24 Inc VAT (£156.60 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, January 2007
The grapes in 1997 were picked 6-7 times which, to Pierre Lurton, has added a synergy to the wine. As a result, its complexity comes from the grapes as well as its terroir. Medium gold in colour, the 1997 sparkled in the glass exuding aromatics of orange peel, dried peach and apple, and freshly cut straw. Not as unctuous as the 2003 nor as profound as the 2001, the 1997 is nonetheless a fantastic Yquem that has excellent freshness and length. It finishes notably light but remarkably penetrating. Lovely.
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Robert Parker, April 2003, Score: 96
A sensational Yquem, 1997 may be this estate's finest effort since 1990 (although I would not discount the 1996 turning out to be nearly as good). The 1997's light gold color is accompanied a gorgeous perfume of caramel, honeysuckle, peach, apricot, and smoky wood. Full-bodied and unctuously-textured, with good underlying acidity as well as loads of sweetness and glycerin, it looks to be a great vintage for this renowned Sauternes estate. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2055.
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Jancis Robinson, June 2008, Score: 18
Pungent, rich and very fine. Exciting. Great stuff. Long and rich.
2014 Ch d'Yquem 1er cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£442.80 Inc VAT (£147.60 Per Bottle) £365.00 In Bond-
Goedhuis, April 2015, Score: 95-97
Bright golden yellow colour, this has a wonderful array of tropical fruits; mango, peaches and acacia honey. A wine which jumps out of the glass at you. It is so opulent and giving, balancing natural sweetness with a delicious drive of freshness.
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Neal Martin, April 2015, Score: 96-98
The Château Yquem 2014 was picked over 9 weeks this year, with one-quarter of the grapes picked prior to 15 September. It delivers 134 grams per liter residual sugar and 7.3 grams per liter tartaric acid, with a pH 3.60. It has a captivating bouquet (I know...I know...what else were you expecting) But it entrances with its pure, wild honey notes mixed with almond and white chocolate scents, bestowed with beguiling delineation and focus. The palate is very poised with the acidity nigh on perfect. Occasionally an Yquem only reveals its components parts at this early juncture, necessitates conjecture. However the 2014 has a sense of harmony and completeness already, as if the élevage is merely there to usher it on to its finished state. There is undeniably great depth here, perhaps less conspicuous than other vintages because of that silver thread of acidity: notes of lemon sherbet, orange zest, shaved ginger and again, a few "flakes' of white chocolate. It is extremely long with tenderness rather than power on the finish. It's not quite up there in the rarefied heights of say, the 2001 or 2009, but it is what we call in the trade, "the business."
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James Suckling, March 2015, Score: 97-98
A crazy combination of botrytis, dried fruits and freshness. It's not the sweetness Yquem but it has an extraordinary depth of fruit and freshness. It goes on for minutes. Spicy and intense. A stunning young wine. A brightness and fabulous depth of fruit.
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Decanter, April 2015, Score: 97
Utterly great Yquem. A laser beam of acidity (3.6 pH) and lemony botrytis lifts and extends extremely pure aromas and sweet flavours (134 g/L of residual sugar) of tangerine, vanilla, pineapple and minerals. Less rich than the 2001 and '09, but purer and fresher. I wonder if 25% Sauvignon Blanc isn't just 5% too much? Drink: 2022-2075
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Matthew Jukes, May 2015, Score: 19+
(75 Semillon, 25 Sauvignon Blanc) | 13.4% alc. | 134 g/L residual sugar. This wine parades an incredibly fresh nose of pineapple, lemon blossom and white flowers. The depth and richness builds immediately on the palate and is a shock after the quiet nose. It leaps into action and delivers a massively concentrated wave of sour lemon and lush, creamy fruit. The acidity is very refreshing and lively and the staggering sweetness is stopped in its tracks. Like the 2007 and 1997 this is a superbly invigorating and cleansing Yquem on account of the cooler summer and the tighter frame means that it will age well in spite of looking so ravishing already.
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Jancis Robinson, April 2015, Score: 19
Everything was very early, although they are always a week earlier at Yquem. Harvest started on 8 October with grapes slightly dried as well as botrytised. These grapes gave great freshness. They picked up until 28 October thanks to at least three botrytis infections. 15% passerillé grapes. TA 4.9 g/l (= 7.5 g/l expressed as tartaric) – a record. RS 135 g/l. Bright gold with a green note. Intense freshness on the nose. Fabulous nose of richness and freshness. The residual sugar is not high but the balance is great. Lime and pears and great richness and almost like a fruit juice, it’s so refreshing yet dense and sweet. 13.35% Drink 2020-2050
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Wine Spectator, March 2015, Score: 96-99
This is beguiling, with acacia, jasmine and honeysuckle notes leading the way, followed by refined peach, tangerine and yellow apple fruit flavors. Very long, with a lemon chiffon note lingering delicately. Tasted non-blind.
