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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.8 pts. and median of 96 pts. in 6 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by carley on 10/26/2020 & rated 98 points: Dark mahogany in color, the palate is of intense dried orange and apricot peel, reminiscent of the 1937/1921 d'Yquem profile, with honey, toffee, and unsweetened cocoa. Probably not as botrytised or sweet as it once was (one of our group said it reminded him of a hypothetical blend of Yqrec and d'Yquem) but balanced, long, fresh, complex and excellent. What a treat! (1467 views) | | | Tasted by dcwino on 10/6/2018 & rated 96 points: Annual Chicago winos visit - Champagne, DRC, Yquem, SQN and etc. (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Served blind. The color indicates something really old. Intense nose that reminds me pedro ximenez 1927 a bit but not as nutty and caramelly. Expressive mostly tertiary nose displaying dry fig, raisin, a hint madeira and balsamico which is not unusual, caramel coated pecan and dark caramel. Excellent concentration, finely layered intense dry fruit, intense yet airy and weightless, mouth puckering acidity and a long intense dry fig and dark caramel driven finish. The strong acidity enables freshness and balance. Although I would have preferred a bit more apricot/youthful fruit, the freshness in palate is quite remarkable and enjoyable. A couple participants think it is perfect. Perhaps it should be served alone to be pondered and savored. (2712 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 10/6/2018: DC/Chicago Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Rosewood Hotel Dining Room - Washington DC): Certainly the most interesting wine of the night, even if not close to my favorite. Dark as molasses with very good concentration. A little bit of dried apricot with a Sercial Madeira-styled nose and some dried fig and balsamic flavors in a mostly savory package. Some people found this simply enthralling, but I found it much more interesting than "wow." (2898 views) | | | Tasted by Wine_lvr on 6/26/2013 & rated 94 points: Legendary Château D'Yquem Tasting * 1893 - 1983 * (Old Swiss House, Lucerne, Switzerland): There is something magical about drinking such old wines. One can just imagine what it took some 120 years ago to produce such a wine with the simple tools the vinters had at hand.
Also it always raises the question of how the world has looked at in 1893 and where such a bottle has been traveling in the last century. Such bottles are a very special witness of time. Imagine this bottle has survived two World Wars, the Great Depression, and many more memorable events in the 20th centruy, and then over 110 years later it is one of the "Stars of the show" in this memorable d'Yquems tasting.
Here to the actual notes. Color was a clear dark amber (Coke). Nose of Malt and California raisins. There was still some sweetness left, hints of malt. Not a monumental D'Yquem but just very elegant and very much at 120 years of age. Drink with no hurry. (7684 views) | | | Tasted by Ispendtoomuchmoneyonwine on 12/31/2004 & rated 83 points: Black color no sweetness left. Very smooth and elegant not a lot of flavor but it was exciting to drink such a old d'Yquem. Enjoyed at the now defunct 5th Floor restaurant San Francisco (2931 views) | | | Tasted by Joe Belmaati on 4/17/2004 & rated 98 points: From a perfect bottle. Amber coloured. When held up against light, the wine had the most beautiful glow and there was no murkiness at all. The bouquet revealed notes of abricot and acetone. The acetone note blew off after about 10 minutes. I had this wine in the glass for a good one hour, and it showed no signs of fatigue. In the mouth the wine was sweet and packed with botrytis, yet incredibly fresh and lively with notes of abricot peel, honey and nuts. Refined, luxurious, elegant, detailed, and delicate with stunning complexity, dimension and a finish that has to be was great width to the wine, plenty of life left - probably for another ten years of keeping. This reminded me of a hypothetical blend of a Montrachet and the finest Canadian maple syrup. Not that I would ever want to try the combination. But if I could just have a few cases of THIS wine!!!! Is the score too consertive?? Probably. (7980 views) |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, Cellar Favorite: 1869, 1879 & 1893 d’Yquem (March 2019) (3/1/2019)
(D'yquem D’yquem White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (4/6/2002)
(Ch d'Yquem (recorked 1996) Sauternes White) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| 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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