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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.7 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 29 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Satoshi Nakamoto on 4/18/2024 & rated 93 points: Served in a 375ml for 5 people, which was perfect. Thanks again, Raymond!
Burnt sugar, marshmallow, butterscotch, peach marmalade, and creme brulee. Lengthy finish. For me, aged Sauternes could use more acid and energy, but the rich mouthfeel always makes it a pleasurable experience nonetheless. (48 views) | | | Tasted by RayOB on 12/31/2022 & rated 95 points: Drank at 67
Still young with much more sweetness than I expected. (1287 views) | | | Tasted by Michael Hung on 10/28/2022 & rated 93 points: Pristine fill and bottle for its age. PnP, drank over a hour. Immediately, pronounced notes of orange marmalade, bitter orange peel and pith, burnt caramel and creme brulee, rubber/tar. A little heavy and rich, doesn't have the superb balance of the best vintages, but showcasing a plethora of tertiary development. I had guessed alcohol to be 13.5% despite the overwhelming amount of heat resonating from the palate. The heat and bitter characteristics blew off after a hour in the glass, definitely allowing the Yquem to become much more enjoyable, floral, and allowing some hidden fruit to come out. Served alongside with a flourless chocolate cake (worked really well), foie gras with apples (worked amazing), and a grand marnier souffle (slightly disjointed pairing).
Overall, an epic experience trying such an old Yquem. I can't see this getting any better with additional age, due to its imperfect balance. But this is also Yquem, so it will continue to keep for decades nonetheless. I would recommend opening a small pour in the glass alongside a decant for an optimal drinking experience. (1319 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 10/17/2021 & rated 93 points: 30x 1955 & 1961 (mostly Bdx): Tasted single blind. Taste-off between the 1955 and 1961 vintages. Close race between the two with the 1955 (94+ pts) slightly ahead of the 1961 (93 pts). Both showed the typical complexity and aromas but were missing the perfect definition and balance the best vintages have for a higher rating. Maybe more air would have improved both wines.
TN: A tad less expressive than the 1955 with the same aromas of creme brulee, lots of saffron, apricots, quince, citrus, spices along some mushroom notes which are more interesting than a good fit. Fun to drink with a good balance of sweetness and freshness. Overall quite good but without the absolut precision and clean lines it would need for a 95+ point rating.
Decanting: Not decanted, but I guess at least 30+ minutes in the decanter would have been helpful. (3017 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 9/20/2021 & rated 92 points: Grand 1961 vs 1955 vintage tasting (Fribourg): Big 1961 vs 1955 tastings including 10 direct match-ups and 11 individual wines from 1961. The tasting was conducted in flights of 4, single-blind and with no previous decant with all bottles opened 1h prior to start. The line-up was dominated by Bordeaux reds, but also included 5 Sauternes, 1 Champagne, 3 Burgundy reds and 1 Ribera del Duero. The following observations are worth mentioning: i) 1961 generally came across as a better vintage today than 1955, ii) the performance correlated with the 1855 classification, iii) The most outstanding wines were outside of the Bordeaux reds with Veuve Clicquot Rosé '61, Vega Sicilia Unico '61 (both 97) and La Tour Blanche '61 (96) worth mentioning, iv) Top-performing Bordeaux was Margaux (95) in 1961 and Mouton in 1955. List of wines included in the tasting story.
Tasting note:
Distinctly smoky aroma profile in contrast to the more classic '55 next to it, also candid fruit, spice and sweet honey notes. Soft and well-balanced palate with a smoky aftertaste. A solid Yquem, but without the ability to leave a lasting impression, I found, and I did prefer the '55 somewhat. (2769 views) | | | Tasted by fclarity on 5/23/2021 & rated 97 points: Tasted blind, this wine had a deep tan center with yellow/clear rims. The high intensity nose of sauteed oranges, honey, apples, and white stone was impressive.
In the mouth, this wine was very rich with substantial acidity and incredible length.
I know this is not supposed to be a great vintage or even that great of a bottle (say relative to the '59). However, I found it to be very impressive and this particular bottle could have held up against all but the very best vintages of the century. This is likely because this bottle was at the perfect peek of maturity. (2531 views) | | | Tasted by La Flama Blanca on 9/28/2020 & rated 92 points: Dark caramel sunset in color with its orange hue, the 61 d’Yquem is a charming aged Sauternes on the back nine of its journey. The notes show more of the mature orange fruit, toffee and burnt sugar characteristics of an aging Sauternes fading into its twilight years. The finish is a bit clipped with orange zest bitterness, but nevertheless always a treat to indulge with a mature d’Yquem. (1943 views) | | | Tasted by mintywine30 on 3/26/2019 & rated 93 points: Taste great with its sweet like honey. (2994 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 10/6/2018 & rated 92 points: In a vintage known to be much better for red wine, than white, there was plenty to like about this beauty. Still fresh, and focused on the orange and honeyed citrus side of the fruit range, the fruit seemed like it was poached in butter, with honey and roasted nuts slathered on top, to add more character. (3640 views) | | | Tasted by Achromat on 7/12/2018 & rated 93 points: Tasting notes from 2000. Huge orange zest notes and caramel with orange marmalade. Copper-gold color, rich and sweet. Wasn't expecting it to match the reds of this vintage. Could be over the hill by now. (2816 views) | | | Tasted by Viking 61 on 6/9/2018 & rated 92 points: Deep burnt caramel color that you look at the bottle and wonder how this liquid tar could have any complexity at all. The cork was very soft and had to be extracted in pieces and the wine strained in to a decanter. The group was concerned that perhaps the wine had nothing left to give except disappointment.
At first pour, just after removal from the bottle, there was a slight funk that hoovered about but quickly dissipated as the aged wine drew in it's first breathes of fresh air in 57 years.
A wonderful confident rich burnt caramel nose began to rise up that gave hope there may be some life left to the wine.
The mouth feel was smooth and enveloping like a long hug from a loved one.
Rich and deep burnt caramel dominated at first that as the wine embraced the air was slowly joined by modest beautifully balanced dry tropical fruit notes. The wines complexity was expressed by how well it went it was able to greet differently each fresh fruit of blueberries, honeydew melon, and a crisp apple.
The finish slowly faded, and you wanted it to last forever like the first time holding hands with someone you gazed at amorously from afar. It was a great bottle that everyone was glad to have met, had a chance enjoy some time together, but was sad to see it go. (2817 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 11/18/2016 & rated 87 points: Somewhat flat with a short and faintly bitter finish. Not objectionable by any means but certainly not capable of filling its normal role in an evening. (3943 views) | | | Tasted by Corgi on 8/22/2015 & rated 92 points: Sugar resolved. Balanced and fully enjoyable. (4943 views) | | | Tasted by RayOB on 6/3/2015 & rated 95 points: Drank in Bordeaux
Still very young with a rich complex nose of toffee, burnt sugar, mellon, vanilla and spice. Wonderfull mouth coating palate with a long length. (4798 views) | | | Tasted by Baron Slick on 4/3/2013 & rated 90 points: Gorgeous burnt copper appearance. Floral, caramelly notes of dried apricots and oranges, candied pecans, creme brulee, citrus, honey, orange rind, toasted coconut, and a whiff of fish sauce. The '61 was never a heavyweight to begin with and surely it isn't what it once was, but this example was full, glyceriny, adequately balanced, with pleasant sweetness and a surprisingly long finish. (7069 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 3/22/2013 & rated 83 points: With a beautiful color, slightly discernible scents of flowers, spice, pineapple and crème brulee popped up. Too much acidity and not enough fruit after 50 years made this a wine to open if you have it, but pass on buying it if you don't. Stick to 1961 Red Bordeaux. (7268 views) | | | Tasted by JonnyG on 2/19/2013 & rated 90 points: A Special Night at Taillevent (Taillevent Restaurant, Paris): An inspired birth year wine for two of the guests. Dark caramel in color, with dominant notes of pineapple, honey and citrus. A bit burnt if I am being honest, and clearly fading. Not much spine, but delivered enough the legendary Yquem sweetness and an impressively long finish for an off vintage. (6349 views) | | | Tasted by mdefreitas on 12/30/2011 & rated 94 points: Turning 50; a few 1961s (Scott & Kates; Redwood City, CA): Expectations were low for this bottle. Not a "great" vintage for Sauternes and there was some slight signs of past seepage from the capsule; however, this certainly over delivered. The color was the golden caramel hue one would expect at this age, yet the flavors were surprisingly fresh, vibrant and youthful. Marmalade, orange, honey and citrus. A bit of an orange/coconut note on the finish. Perhaps this did not posses a "great" acidic spine, but it was certainly more than adequate. Not thick and rich but still holding onto some nice sweetness. I really loved it. (6028 views) | | | Tasted by Viking 61 on 4/1/2011 & rated 92 points: Very dark burnt caramel color with tropical fruits, brown sugar, and honey. Delicious with lots of time left. Have one more for 75th birthday party. (5367 views) | | | Tasted by plitton on 11/25/2010 & rated 91 points: Lots of honey and raisins. Dark colored for d'Yquem. Overall heavy on the honey and raisins and not well integrated. Clearly better in prior decades. (3711 views) | | | Tasted by wchang on 6/19/2010 & rated 93 points: A taste of pineapple and tons of honey with a hint of caramel, good finish (3517 views) | | | Tasted by jus10 on 7/21/2008 & rated 94 points: for me this wine was great. creme brulle with caramel mixed in nicely with the citrus fruits of this aged beauty. the provenance was perfection as I got this bottle from bipins desai's cellar. (3926 views) | | | Tasted by jivey on 3/3/2007 & rated 89 points: No Notes. (3704 views) | | | Tasted by kstoddard on 1/3/2007 & rated 91 points: Phoenix eRP Offline - Burgundy (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Golden brown in color. Brown sugar nose with great freshness for such an old wine. Tastes of orange, lemon and lime. Nice botrytis character. Smooth. Impressive and still very much alive. Thanks to Dave, my second experience with this wonderful wine. (5376 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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