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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 94.2 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 46 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Oli_Vilmo on 12/20/2023 & rated 95 points: Extraordinarily balanced, not heavy, not too much sugar but nose quite difficult. An incredible wine ! (632 views) | | | Tasted by PacoHigon on 11/25/2023: De color caoba. La nariz es un primor, orejones, corteza de naranja, fruta en almibar, miel ligera, flor blanca golosa, pasas sultanas, vainilla, galletitas de mantequilla, maderas finas, especias dulces, pimienta blanca.... En boca la entrada es buena, con cierta untuosidad, una acidez increible, seductores amargos, largo y con notable longitud. (586 views) | | | Tasted by RichEB1 on 9/29/2023 & rated 96 points: This was outstanding! Oldest d'Yquem that I have tried and the magic of aging these wines is on full display. The perfume literally leapt out of the glass when we first poured a small taste. So much so that the gal next to me literally said 'wow, what is that!?'. On the palate this is sublime with peaches lightly dusted with brown sugar and a long, elegant finish. The acidity is evident and it gives the wine a very ethereal feeling in the mouth despite it being a fairly full wine. Wonderfully balanced, fully mature, and absolutely delicious. Hands-down the best Sauternes that I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. (864 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 9/28/2023 & rated 93 points: Four decades of Penfolds Grange (Chicago, IL): Fully mature, with balanced sweetness at this point. Definitely lots of caramelization going on here, with some marmalade, orange, and spice notes, as well as a bit of brown sugar. The finish is bitter, and balances very nicely with the sweetness here. As far as texture goes, this is definitely lighter, even though you can tell it was still made in a style that valued richness and oiliness (the 1967 this is not). Fully mature and very much enjoyable now. (1518 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 7/4/2023 & rated 95 points: Spicy apricots, orange rind, candied mandarins, coconut, vanilla bean, quince, marmalade, spice, and caramel scents crowded into the nose. The palate was loaded with burnt and roasted yellow and orange fruits, freshness, crisp, sweet, roasted pineapples, mango, honey, toffee, butterscotch and candied oranges. Long, vivacious, sweet, but not overly so, this is a beautiful, mature d'Yquem. Drink from 2023-2033. (2918 views) | | | Tasted by sdr on 1/7/2023 & rated 94 points: Latour, Latour, Latour (WineWatch, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): This vintage, or at least this bottle, showed a tremendous concentration of orange fruit with a hint of pineapple. Perhaps slightly less concentrated and sweet than monsters such as the ‘59 but all the more enjoyable for that. Not as many layers as some yet extremely enjoyable if you like orange juice. (1563 views) | | | Tasted by viniferatu on 9/12/2022: Note is from from day two. Gorgeous lifted fruit: apricot, quince preserves, orange marmalade.... lots of honey and spice, a little dates and pressed flowers. Not as powerful as other Yquem I've had, but I love the fresh and lively side this is showing. Sugars are moderate, this is certainly sweet, but it is starting to do the thing that old sweet wines do where they taste less sweet but gain fascinating texture. Super long finish is full of beautiful pithy, spicy and honeyed tones. (1539 views) | | | Tasted by Boone's Farm on 7/24/2022 & rated 94 points: I didn’t do this wine. Should have been decanted. I pulled the cork and poured. Very dark color. Lite flavors of apricot, cinnamon, almonds, and honey. Took over an hour to blossom. Excellent wine. A word to the wise — decant an hour before you serve! (1390 views) | | | Tasted by hprphf on 4/28/2022 & rated 96 points: I rarely really enjoy sweet wine but am blown away by this d'Yquem. Sublime acidity carrying itself round and round the palate. It is chewy but clean, and there is something noble there. Not sure how to describe it but truly in its own league of Sauternes. 96 (1847 views) | | | Tasted by Boone's Farm on 6/20/2021 & rated 96 points: An completely beautiful wine. This may be the highest point score I have ever given a wine. Think dense and complex without being cloying. Honeysuckle, orange zest, pear, apple, and melon flavors. Totally balanced and spherical. Nothing out of place. What a great wine (1999 views) | | | Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 3/15/2021: This was in terrific condition. Complex aromatics of honey, butterscotch, apricots and grapefruit. It is full, sweet and luscious in the mouth. Not a blockbuster, but beautifully balanced and proportioned. Some fruit rind bitterness counters the sweetness perfectly on the long finish. (2054 views) | | | Tasted by abh on 7/16/2018: French Wine at Lunch, and with the World Cup final: Gosh. This bottle had not apparently been through many moves and all sorts of storage (one owner for at least 40 years), but was really going very strong indeed. So concentrated that the empty glass still had that amazing honeyed smell. Some caramelization, lots of bitter orange/marmalade, incredible balance between the acidity and sugar. Again, the kind of great wine that is a bit paradoxical - how can it be all those things at once? (4188 views) | | | Tasted by jee27 on 11/4/2017 & rated 97 points: Ayant eu la chance de boire un Yquem 1988 et quelques beaux Rieussec je ne savais pas trop à quoi m'attendre de ce vieux vin. À ma grande surprise les agrumes étaient encore bien présents parmi les riches arômes sucrés de caramel, miel, café, crème brûlée. L'équilibre est parfait et la texture est sublime. Il dépasse mes attentes. 97 pts (3339 views) | | | Tasted by William Kelley on 2/11/2017 & rated 97 points: 1962 is a great year at Yquem, and while this is not the most powerful or textural vintage here, its perfect balance and magical sense of elegance and harmony make it one of the very best Yquems I've ever encountered. A magical bouquet of kaleidoscopic complexity bursts from the glass with notes of manderin, honeycomb, caramelized pinapple and citrus rind and crème brulée. On the palate the wine is full-bodied but by no means a monster, with fresh acids, stunning purity and precision, effortless grace and a long, lingering and fragrant finish. Simply fabulous and at the peak of its powers. While this is a celebrated year it deserves an even greater reputation. (7295 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 12/17/2015 & rated 96 points: With a beautiful, copper, orange and caramel hue, the apricot, honey, creme brulee, marmalade, caramel and butterscotch aromatics grabbed you. Silky, with perhaps a bit more freshness than sweetness in the mouth, the finish is packed with candied orange, pineapple, creme caramel and candied citrus rind. The wine remained at the same level of quality for hours in the glass. (7447 views) | | | Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 11/17/2015 & rated 88 points: Krug, Salon, DP, Jacquesson, Yquem ++ (Somewhere in the Flats in Cleveland.): Another wine that is hard to score. I do not believe this was a perfect bottle. A discussion ensued about that with no clear answer. This is dark brown in color. Somewhere in color between a tootsie-roll and coffee. It did improve with air. On first pouring, I remarked that it drank like old Madeira. That is to say, oranges and chocolate. With air, it gained some strength. The nose has coffee, dark chocolate, a bit of honey, and some macerated oranges. On the palate, there is enough acidity to carry the wine. No sweetness left. Some citrus and dark chocolate espresso. Enjoyable beyond the label if long past it best days. That said, a very cool experience. (6549 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 10/8/2015 & rated 92 points: Light caramel, dried fruits. A fullness on the front of the palate that drops off and dries up only to emerge again in a brown sugar finish. Less expressive than the bottle of a couple of months ago. Paired with gorgonzola cheesecake. Drink now. 92-93 (4925 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 8/22/2015 & rated 94 points: A Night of Old Bordeaux at Latour Restaurant, Crystal Springs Resort, Hamburg, NJ - very dark color. Fragrant nose of honeycomb, apricots and figs. Quite rich and decadent on the palate with mature flavors of brown sugar, molasses and creamy caramel. Elegant but with a thick texture and lots of sweetness but still balanced by good acidity. Quite complex on the finish with great notes of nutmeg and other spices. Along the lines of the '83. (4660 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 8/19/2015 & rated 94 points: Wild honey, lavender, bitter apricot, dried papaya. Creme brulee and firm remaining acids. A dessert in and of itself. Consumed with peach panna cotta. (3067 views) | | | Tasted by dcwino on 4/22/2015 & rated 95 points: Cheval Blanc and D'Yquem dinner with Pierre Lurton and Bernard Burtschy (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Beautiful light to medium amber. Very harmonious nose of honey, caramel, dry apricot, apricot jam, orange marmalade and spicy spices. Still displaying exceptional concentration, dense yet air, ripe slightly dry yellow fruit driven palate impression, good acidity and lovely seamless finish. All the elements have come together to show the perfect harmony. Really enjoyable. I wish I can observe how it develops with air for a few days. (3643 views) | | | Tasted by fclarity on 2/28/2015 & rated 95 points: From an excellent looking bottle, this wine had a honey/amber center and yellow rims. The medium+ intensity nose showed vanilla bean, honey, citrus, and some tobacco.
In the mouth, this wine was rich but relatively refined for a Sauternes. It had crisp acidity and fantastic balance. It is not at the very pinnacle of the Y'quem pantheon, it is excellent in its own, refined way.
While it will last at this level for many years, there is no reason to wait. (2375 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 2/27/2015 & rated 96 points: Molasses, with copper accents in color, with a nose of butterscotch, caramel, apricot, orange, creme brulee and roasted nuts, you know you're in for a treat. The wine is silky, young, spicy, sweet, luscious and delicious. The finish really leaves an impression that you do not want to lose. The wine makes you keep your nose in the glass long after the last sip has been tasted.
Yes, Chateau Yquem is expensive, especially when compared to every other Sauternes. Perhaps in its youth, it's hard to know why. But pop a cork on any other 50 year old bottle of sweet, white Bordeaux next to an Yquem and the lights will go off. You'll get it! (2783 views) | | | Tasted by ginfizz on 12/23/2014 & rated 94 points: Deep dark orange color, clear with sediment in the bottle. Nose of caramel and warm citrus. Similar flavors follow in a fully sweet but balanced version with a very long finish. Lithe yet thick and sweet, this is a big styled Yquem along the lines of the 89. Delicious but a bit one dimensional. (2389 views) | | | Tasted by RayOB on 12/5/2014 & rated 95 points: Drank in Davy's
Incredible how even the 1/2 bottles can hold up with so much age. Losing some sweetness but the nose was still very alive. (2566 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 10/23/2014 & rated 93 points: Birthday Dinner with Good Wine (NEXT Restaurant - Chicago IL): Very dark color with a good fill (top shoulder-ish). Good concentration of dried stone fruit flavors and aromas. Moderate amount of botrytis. Very enjoyable. Worked well with tonight's foie course. (3525 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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