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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.6 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 43 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by englishman's claret on 2/15/2023: This was brought to an Yquem vertical by another guest and occupies a unique position among my Yquem notes because it's just about the only vintage I don't like much at this address, showing an unusual vegetal note. (2719 views) | | | Tasted by sh6k on 12/25/2022 & rated 90 points: Good, like Yquem always is, but maybe the least impressive Yquem I’ve had — a little flat and lacking energy. No oxidation or mushroom or other age characteristics just a little lacking in zip. That said, still a great wine (1560 views) | | | Tasted by bram_epicurien on 12/25/2021 & rated 92 points: Christmas diner in the haute Savoie with the Lalliardo s. Medium gold Color. Marzipan, honey, white pepper, cream, a thick honey like milk on the nose. Med- acidity, Med body, Med alcohol, Med flavor intensity, Med finish. A very thick honey like drink, still with a nice acidity and balance, excellent dessert wine and drinking well now. (2888 views) | | | Tasted by djhammond on 6/17/2019 & rated 93 points: It is difficult to be dispassionate when assessing any vintage from the estate, and I suspect that I would possibly score this slightly lower with another branded dessert wine. However, in spite of the year, its class shines through. Burnt caramel, honey, and glazed fruit dominate the nose and palate. It has good balance and depth with a decent finish. Ready to drink now, this has the structure to stay at this level for for many years to come. (5378 views) | | | Tasted by yves charbonnier on 2/3/2019 & rated 95 points: Superbe nez de fruits confits. Bouche très longue et confiturée. Manque un peu d'intensité. (5265 views) | | | Tasted by premiercru1973 on 1/6/2018 & rated 92 points: From half-bottle. Mature and aromatically dominated by notes of dried and burnt fruit (figues and oranges) and caramellised exotic fruit. Nice balance with a surprisingly good acidity but quite a warm alcohol finish. Nice bottle below Yquem standard. (5891 views) | | | Tasted by RoyceTdot on 4/29/2017 & rated 85 points: A nice Sauternes but does not rise the the quality of a d'Yquem (6993 views) | | | Tasted by ElAzul on 4/29/2017 & rated 92 points: Rose-gold in color and nose of honey and pineapple and medium bodied viscosity. Some apricot developed as it breathed and the finish is several seconds long. Wonderful with a gourmet butter cream rich chocolate on chocolate cake from the local Cake Genius. Would go very well with a creme brulee . Last bottle of this vintage in 750 ml format so will look forward to the rest of it tomorrow night though this wine would have been good a decade from now. (7021 views) | | | Tasted by fcxj on 5/7/2016 & rated 92 points: Delicious, but comes too late for folks to enjoy. (5895 views) | | | Tasted by Mathijs81 on 7/7/2015 & rated 91 points: My first bottle of Yquem ... the cherry popped and partially pleased.
Agreed, nothing to compare against, but at this price maybe expecting too much.
This wine is very fine and well constructed, certainly found this in my glass.
Apricot, peach, nicely balanced sugar and some hint of acidity.
By far the best Sauternes ever tasted - but at 170 Euro / bottle too rich for me.
Drink now or keep much longer cellared ... should only get sweeter. (7037 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 9/16/2014 & rated 90 points: Mature, slightly amber yellow color. Roasted nuts, honeyed sweetness, crème brûlée, aromatic florals, some vanilla creme oak and a touch of mature characteristics of leather in the nose. Intense flavors of lemon marmalade and lemon curd with notes of sweet oak spice, burnt sugar, beeswaxy botrytis, some leather and a hint of peach ice tea. Sappy, layered palate with balanced acidity and freshness. However, the wine is lacking some body, precision and oomph of the best Sauternes. Generous, incredibly lengthy finish with lingering flavors of honeyed botrytis, roasted nuts, leather, butterscotch, gunpowder smoke, some vanilla, a bit of lemon curd and a hint of tart, lemony freshness.
A complex, layered and delicious dessert wine, but the weak vintage is definitely showing: even though this is a hedonistic treat, it is far removed from the best Sauternes wines - it was practically obliterated by Suduiraut 2006 and many equally aged Sauternes felt far superior to this one. Even though this is far from being mature and this will probably gain a lot more complexity with age, I'm convinced this will never be a remarkable wine because of the poor vintage. You will find a lot better and older Sauternes for a fraction of this wine's price just by looking at any 1er or 2e Cru Sauternes from a better vintage. (4829 views) | | | Tasted by RaphaelMalago on 7/26/2014 & rated 89 points: C: limp, med, dourado, lagrimas.
N: limp, medio+, damasco, avelã, pessego, cha verde, jasmin. Em evolução.
P: doce, acidez media, corpo medio, final longo, intensidade de sabor media, damasco, melaço e bom peso de boca. 10. Excelente estilo sem muita botrytis pode ate ser sefido facilmente como um apertiff. (6781 views) | | | Tasted by SonnyChiba on 6/20/2014 & rated 94 points: Excellent. Silky, rich, full of flavor. Tons of caramel, butterscotch, good sweetness levels long finish. (7029 views) | | | Tasted by Sharmajd on 5/4/2014 & rated 92 points: Clean, not very complex, but linear and precise finish with pear notes. Drinking beautifully well. (5721 views) | | | Tasted by dcwino on 3/27/2014 & rated 93 points: 2013 editon of En Primeur - Kelly and Kevin’s excellent adventure; 3/26/2014-4/1/2014 (Mostly in Bordeaux and a night in Paris): En magnum. medium amber. Medium nose displaying tarte tatin, dry apricot, dry yellow peach, burn sugar, crème brulee, noticeable botrytis, tarte tatin and ice tea. Good concentration, burnt sugar driven palate impression and medium finish. This doesn’t have the precision and airiness of the great vintage D’Yquems but still quite enjoyable. (12745 views) | | | Tasted by jnewman77 on 10/29/2013: My first (and likely only) Yquem. Rich golden color with lovely notes of honey, clear notes of botrytis, some floral notes, and ripe pear. The palate is super rich and concentrated and coats your mouth, but there is a reasonable acidity that keeps it fresh. The finish lasts for more than a minute. Impressive sauternes. (3687 views) | | | Tasted by joekroe on 10/29/2013: One of the world's premier wines, it never could have lived up to my expectations. It was a deep golden color, with strong honey flavors that lingered for a long time. Clearly the best Sauternes I have ever had... (5053 views) | | | Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 9/23/2013 & rated 91 points: Wine, Browns and my 55th Birthday (My Home): From a 375. Not a great vintage for d'Yquem but still an outstanding wine. The nose has apricots, canned peaches and honey. Complex and layered with a very long finish. I would have liked a bit more fruit and depth, but this was fun and of course, always nice to see the crowd reaction. (4846 views) | | | Tasted by vinum bonum on 8/27/2013: TB, "no formal notes" comme ils disent, mais une super bouteille (3648 views) | | | Tasted by Gobi on 4/16/2013 & rated 93 points: A golden colored wine with sweet aromas of crème brulee, honey, pears, apricots, mango, papaya, pineapples, orange rind, vanilla, almond skin, and molasses. Not viscous but rather oily, smooth textured, with orange marmalade flavors, pineapples, mango, refreshing acidity, with hints of roasted nuts, creamy vanilla, dark molasses, spices, and a long mineral finish. A mid to full bodied wine that exudes elegance and charm, its clean, refreshing, and delicious. (3022 views) | | | Tasted by Wineshington on 3/14/2013 & rated 96 points: Amazing wine. Parker did not rate it highly, but the quality is truly there. (3782 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 1/6/2013 & rated 90 points: From half-bottle. Burnished gold. Very Sauternes nose, with the typical flavour profile: orange peel and burnt caramel, along with a very botrytis-inflected Christmas-spice note. A little disjoint and harsh on the palate; this feels a little angular with the alcohol jutting out awkwardly. Relatively thin in texture, compared with some greater years. Still, the textbook Yquem balance is there, with a nice acid backbone without being too sweet. On the other hand, the palate isn't too complex, and even though the correct flavours are all there, this seems a little one-directional. (4123 views) | | | Tasted by Ludi on 7/18/2011 & rated 93 points: Copper gold. Nose reminds of apricot, iodine, honey, kerosene, quince, ginger candy, saffron. In the mouth, though it lacks the residual sugar of a great vintage, it is so elegant and complex you just can't stop going back to the glass. (6679 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 5/11/2011 & rated 90 points: From a half-bottle. Light golden colour; compared with other vintages, the colour seems a little watery (or that's just a psychological bias knowing what the vintage is). Somewhat muted nose, with notes of honey, baked pears, and golden raisins. There's nary a hint of botrytis on the nose. On the palate, the texture is quite thin, and while this definitely tastes like Yquem, it also lacks power and concentration. Notes of barley and pears on the palate, with a finish that is loaded with bitter citrus peel. It's well made and good wine, but just not quite up to scratch. Somewhat of a standout (and not in a good way) in an illustrious family. After a night in the fridge under vacuum, this has rounded out significantly, and the bitter notes have integrated into a Yquem that is much more like, well, Yquem. Smoothed over, this is much more lush, with much more balance. Lots of honeyed notes on the palate, and again, a much less bitter finish. Decant before serving. (7258 views) | | | Tasted by Porchino on 5/7/2011 & rated 92 points: excellent with cheese in paris (6876 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Château d'Yquem Producer website - Read more about Chateau d’Yquem
Château d’Yquem had been in the hands of Lur Saluces family from 1785 to 1997. After several years of legal controversies, caused by disagreements within Lur Saluces family, mode giant LVMH (Louis Vutton, Moët Hennesy and Château Cheval Blanc) gained majority of shares in d’Yquem in 1997, when Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces sold his shares to LVMH. He did however continue as manager of d’Yquem, according to agreement with the new owner. This changed radically in May 2004, when he retired and was replaced him with Pierre Lurton, already manager at Cheval Blanc. The latest vintages of d'Yquem conform very convincing, that Pierre Lurton has greatly succeeded to maintain d'Yquem's fantastic quality.
This property is beautifully placed at hilltop in Sauternes commune, with its 103 ha big vineyard (clay and gravel on the surface and lime stones in the subsoil), planted with 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The average age of vines is 27 years and the yield does not exceed 10 hl/ha. The wine matures for 3.5 years in new barrels. Neither chaptalisation nor other techniques, which increase sugar content in grape must, are allowed. D’Yquem is one of the very few properties in the district, to use both semi-botrytised and fully botrytised grapes for the wine, in order to have enough acidity to balance sweetness.
D’Yquem is made without any compromises and consideration whatsoever about production costs - pickers are on constant alert for 1.5-2 months, and do many picking rounds in the vineyard. Often, the amount of these rounds is double or triple, compared to how many rounds other classified properties perform in the district. Here, we have the king of Sauternes & Barsac, world’s most expensive and most demanded dessert wine, which has an enormous keeping potential (50 years+). At its best, this wine possesses a purely exceptional botrytis, enormous concentration and such a nuance-richness, which makes you speechless.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanSauternes Le Grand Crus Classés de Sauternes et Barsac 1855 (Crus Classés de Sauternes et Barsac) - Read more about Sauternes, Barsac and its wines
– Read more about the 1855 Sauternes Barsac Classification
Forty kilometres south of Bordeaux, Sauternes is an AOC that includes together 5 communes, including Barsac. For centuries, humans have been patiently learning to master this region's climate, soils and grape varieties. But Mother Nature did a good job laying the foundation. The Sauternes terroir is distinguished by a geological predisposition to gravel and pebbles that cover limestone streaked with veins of clay. In the communes of Fargues and Sauternes, a layer of hardpan (iron-oxide cemented sand) in which vines flourish can be found. The vineyards at the highest elevations and farthest from the river have the best terroirs and produce the majority of the Crus Classés, including the monumental Château Yquem.Sauternes wines are made from Sémillon (80% of vines planted) and Sauvignon (15%) grapes. A bit of Muscadelle occasionally is used to give the wines an untamed touch. Sauternes have an "aged gold" colour that is denser and darker than other dessert wines. When they age, they develop a stunning amber colour. The nose has aromas of flowers and fruit that melt together to create a bouquet of remarkable complexity and balance. The primary aromas include almond, quince, mango, pineapple, stewed peach, dried apricot and passion fruit. There are also floral notes, with touches of linden, acacia, mimosa and honeysuckle. And as is typical with Sémillon, there are also notes of beeswax, almond and hazelnut. In the mouth, Sauternes wines have a powerful style that is viscous but extremely elegant. Its strong sweetness is captivating. Finally, its aromatic finish is something that simply must be experienced.
2013 Vintage Notes:
"the extractive ratios in th[is] year are in the phenomenal range and there's ripeness/botrytis to cover two treks around the globe [...] so appealing is the immediacy of the wines. Many can be enjoyed now for their sheer joy and delicious nature. [Some] should also age" - Jon Rimmerman
2014 Vintage Notes:
"a golden vintage for Sauternes. It may not have the depth or weight of 2010, but it has some of the richness. What has set 2014 apart is the intense lime and lemon flavors that cut into any overblown cloying character and allow both the fruit and the honeyed noble rot to sing." - Wine Enthusiast |
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