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Château d'Yquem tasting
Stockholm
Tasted May 4, 2013 by Vintomas with 616 views
Introduction
One small warming-up flight with dry wines including "Y", and one sweet flight with five vintages of Yquem + two reference wines. Wines were served blind, but since I arranged the tasting it wasn't blind to me.
Flight 1 - Dry wines including "Y" (3 notes)
As this tasting coincided with a Selosse tasting elsewhere, I included a Selosse Initial in this tasting as a refreshing starter.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Jacques Selosse Initial
91 points
Appearance: bright yellow, medium mousse
Nose: ripe yellow apples, some peach, mineral, a hint of flowers, some oak and spice notes, somewhat white Burgundy-like.
Palate: green and yellow apple, high acidity, mineral, very fresh, with a long and fresh aftertaste.
Summary: some development in the nose and very fresh on the palate, a bit on the lean side for an Initial. Fully enajoyable now, but could stand more cellaring, 91 p.
From a bottle disgorged October 2010.
Nose: ripe yellow apples, some peach, mineral, a hint of flowers, some oak and spice notes, somewhat white Burgundy-like.
Palate: green and yellow apple, high acidity, mineral, very fresh, with a long and fresh aftertaste.
Summary: some development in the nose and very fresh on the palate, a bit on the lean side for an Initial. Fully enajoyable now, but could stand more cellaring, 91 p.
From a bottle disgorged October 2010.
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White
2009 La Croix de Carbonnieux Blanc
87 points
Appearance: light yellow
Nose: citrus, nettle, grass, yellow and green apple, some mineral, some spice and wool, discrete oak barrel notes. Rather typical Sauvignon Blanc nose.
Palate: citrus, high acidity, mineral, some grapefruit bitterness, aftertaste with grapefruit.
Summary: rather light but fresh, 87 p
Nose: citrus, nettle, grass, yellow and green apple, some mineral, some spice and wool, discrete oak barrel notes. Rather typical Sauvignon Blanc nose.
Palate: citrus, high acidity, mineral, some grapefruit bitterness, aftertaste with grapefruit.
Summary: rather light but fresh, 87 p
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White
2008 Y de Yquem
91 points
Appearance: medium yellow
Nose: ripe yellow fruit, yellow apple, yellow plum, some honey, oak, hints of mineral, some spice notes, slightly "oily" nose.
Palate: full bodied, ripe yellow fruit, slightly oily and viscous, high acidity, a hint of grapefruit bitterness, strong minerality, some spice, good weight. Long, spicy and fresh aftertaste.
Summary: quite foody, but still with good minerality and freshness. 91 p
Nose: ripe yellow fruit, yellow apple, yellow plum, some honey, oak, hints of mineral, some spice notes, slightly "oily" nose.
Palate: full bodied, ripe yellow fruit, slightly oily and viscous, high acidity, a hint of grapefruit bitterness, strong minerality, some spice, good weight. Long, spicy and fresh aftertaste.
Summary: quite foody, but still with good minerality and freshness. 91 p
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Flight 2 - Sweet flight with Château d'Yquem and reference wines (7 notes)
White - Sweet/Dessert
2009 Château Ménota Graves Supérieures
84 points
Appearance: bright yellow
Nose: discrete with yellow fruit, apple, pear, some botrytis?
Palate: sweet, botrytis, pear, slightly sharp and disjointed impression, alcoholic aftertaste, not as concentrated fruit.
Summary: in one sense a lot of "fake Sauternes" for its low price, but not as impressive in this vintages, because the balance is lacking. 84 p
Nose: discrete with yellow fruit, apple, pear, some botrytis?
Palate: sweet, botrytis, pear, slightly sharp and disjointed impression, alcoholic aftertaste, not as concentrated fruit.
Summary: in one sense a lot of "fake Sauternes" for its low price, but not as impressive in this vintages, because the balance is lacking. 84 p
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White - Sweet/Dessert
2007 Château de Fargues
94 points
Appearance: golden yellow
Nose: botrytis, spicy honey, dried apricots, spice notes. Powerful, rather young, rather elegant and botrytis-dominated.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, dried apricots, concentrated aromas, very spicy, good acidity.
Summary: massive and spicy style. Rather young, but approachable, 94(+) p
Served blind, many thought this was an Yquem, and I don't blame them, since it was so very good.
Nose: botrytis, spicy honey, dried apricots, spice notes. Powerful, rather young, rather elegant and botrytis-dominated.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, dried apricots, concentrated aromas, very spicy, good acidity.
Summary: massive and spicy style. Rather young, but approachable, 94(+) p
Served blind, many thought this was an Yquem, and I don't blame them, since it was so very good.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
2007 Château d'Yquem
98 points
Appearance: golden yellow
Nose: botrytis, zest, honey, flowery and powerful. Grand and elegant, but young.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, dried apricots, honey, citrus, menthol notes, high acidity, very long and fresh aftertaste.
Summary: extremely elegant. Young but approachable, 98+ p
Compared to the 2007 de Fargues, this shows more citrus and elegance, and less spice. Its style is more fresh.
Nose: botrytis, zest, honey, flowery and powerful. Grand and elegant, but young.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, dried apricots, honey, citrus, menthol notes, high acidity, very long and fresh aftertaste.
Summary: extremely elegant. Young but approachable, 98+ p
Compared to the 2007 de Fargues, this shows more citrus and elegance, and less spice. Its style is more fresh.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
1996 Château d'Yquem
97 points
Appearance: deep golden yellow
Nose: dried apricots, botrytis, noticeably spicy, honey, saffron, some solvent notes (definitely not disturbing). Some development, good balance.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, loads of honey, dried apricots, spice, good acidity, good concentration, long and fresh aftertaste.
Summary: rather mature, a perfect combination of some youthfulness and mature notes, without excessive oxidation. Can take more but has probably peaked, 97 p
Nose: dried apricots, botrytis, noticeably spicy, honey, saffron, some solvent notes (definitely not disturbing). Some development, good balance.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, loads of honey, dried apricots, spice, good acidity, good concentration, long and fresh aftertaste.
Summary: rather mature, a perfect combination of some youthfulness and mature notes, without excessive oxidation. Can take more but has probably peaked, 97 p
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White - Sweet/Dessert
1989 Château d'Yquem
97 points
Appearance: dark golden yellow, some amber
Nose: botrytis, dried apricots, candied fruit, some solvent notes (not disturbing, but more than in the 1996 Yquem), spice, some saffron. More "muted" nose than the 1996.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, dried apricots, zest, botrytis, high acidity, honey, spice, very concentrated. Quite good aftertaste of medium length.
Summary: the palate is quite fantastic, the nose not quite at the same level. Fully developed, 97 p
The cork of this bottle was slightly difficult since it was somewhat dried-out and brittle, which indicates that the bottle had been stored under too dry conditons. Possibly, the colour was a bit darker than it could be. The wine was in good condition despite the cork, but I don't rule out that the 1989 Yquem could be even a little better from a perfectly stored bottle.
Nose: botrytis, dried apricots, candied fruit, some solvent notes (not disturbing, but more than in the 1996 Yquem), spice, some saffron. More "muted" nose than the 1996.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, dried apricots, zest, botrytis, high acidity, honey, spice, very concentrated. Quite good aftertaste of medium length.
Summary: the palate is quite fantastic, the nose not quite at the same level. Fully developed, 97 p
The cork of this bottle was slightly difficult since it was somewhat dried-out and brittle, which indicates that the bottle had been stored under too dry conditons. Possibly, the colour was a bit darker than it could be. The wine was in good condition despite the cork, but I don't rule out that the 1989 Yquem could be even a little better from a perfectly stored bottle.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
1986 Château d'Yquem
95 points
Appearance: dark golden yellow
Nose: spicy honey, dried apricots, botrytis, saffron, some solvent or glue notes, some cellar and oxidation notes (of a type that can be fund in completely different old wines, such as really old Riesling) that decreased with time.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, spice, dried apricots, botrytis, good acidity, very concentrated, aftertaste with menthol.
Summary: some funky elements in the nose, otherwise spicy and massive style. 95 p?
This bottle had a murky cork, which could explain the funky elements in the nose. The fill level was top shoulder (ts), which usually should not mean too much of a problem for a 27 year old wine.
Nose: spicy honey, dried apricots, botrytis, saffron, some solvent or glue notes, some cellar and oxidation notes (of a type that can be fund in completely different old wines, such as really old Riesling) that decreased with time.
Palate: very sweet, viscous, spice, dried apricots, botrytis, good acidity, very concentrated, aftertaste with menthol.
Summary: some funky elements in the nose, otherwise spicy and massive style. 95 p?
This bottle had a murky cork, which could explain the funky elements in the nose. The fill level was top shoulder (ts), which usually should not mean too much of a problem for a 27 year old wine.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
1976 Château d'Yquem
94 points
Appearance: amber with golden edge.
Nose: caramel, dried apricots, other candied and dried fruit, botrytis, spice, overripe banana, fudge, nuts. (Initially some funky notes, some cellar and oxidation notes of a type that can be fund in completely different old wines such as really old Riesling, but they reduced with time in the glass.)
Palate: caramel, fudge, dried apricot, botrytis, good acidity, nutty notes.
Summary: slightly funkt notes in the nose, but massive and spicy. 94 p
Comment on the condition: the fill level was top shoulder, but it had a colour darker than common for a 1976. When I picked it out the day before the tasting I found a few small drops of dark goo on the capsule and on the styrofoam it was packed in. The transport a couple of weeks earlier had apparently made the cork start leaking a little, and it seems reasonable to assume that it had not been completely air-tight earlier, explaining the dark colour. The cork was murky. An exiting bottle and a great experience also in this condition, but the 1976 top vintage of Yquem can definitely be better and less oxidised.
Nose: caramel, dried apricots, other candied and dried fruit, botrytis, spice, overripe banana, fudge, nuts. (Initially some funky notes, some cellar and oxidation notes of a type that can be fund in completely different old wines such as really old Riesling, but they reduced with time in the glass.)
Palate: caramel, fudge, dried apricot, botrytis, good acidity, nutty notes.
Summary: slightly funkt notes in the nose, but massive and spicy. 94 p
Comment on the condition: the fill level was top shoulder, but it had a colour darker than common for a 1976. When I picked it out the day before the tasting I found a few small drops of dark goo on the capsule and on the styrofoam it was packed in. The transport a couple of weeks earlier had apparently made the cork start leaking a little, and it seems reasonable to assume that it had not been completely air-tight earlier, explaining the dark colour. The cork was murky. An exiting bottle and a great experience also in this condition, but the 1976 top vintage of Yquem can definitely be better and less oxidised.
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