Night of sweet wines with Lianzijia (Newmarket, Auckland): from 750ml bottle. dark with brown hue. marmalade, apricot jam, honeysuckle and caramel, with a little nut and crème brûlée, dense texture, sufficient acidity to support a large-scale and balanced structure, good on density and length.
It's a bit oxidised, having some port-like flavours, which is not favoured, however, in a rare chance to taste a 27-year-old d'Yquem, how can I expect freshness, I accept it as a flavour of age.
Alc 13.9%, TA 4.8 g/L, RS 120 g/L
Ap 5/5, Ar 12/15, Palate 18/20, Overall 5+5/10 Total 95/100
Four Decades of Left Bank Bordeaux with Friends (New York): After tasting a 1968 Château Latour, 1970 Château Palmer, 1986 Château Lynch-Bages and 1995 Château Haut-Brion on the night, it was an unbelievable feeling when our WOTN was the last bottle we opened: a demi of 1997 Château d'Yquem. There's never an occasion where mature d'Yquem doesn't steal the limelight, but that first whiff of tropical fruits (pineapple and mango) off the nose, coupled with oak and honeysuckle just lure you into such an elegant example of Sauternes. The palate had an upfront that had a very pronounced mango note that was balanced out with quince before the mid-palate introduced a light pineapple note that was elevated with baking spices. The finish added some weight and (relative) youthfulness with notes of herbs, licorice and vanilla, rounding out the wine extremely well. Late 1990s Château d'Yquem is in a great spot right now.
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The power of a story grows with every retelling (Restaurant Story, London): From half bottle. This divided us a bit as Nicol really liked it while Andreas was a bit put off but it even at times questioning its health. A bit of a marmite wine in a way and for sure being an Yquem will always trigger this. We will leave the for another day though.
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From half this was drinking well. Some honey and dried apricot notes and a touch of vanilla spice. Moderate sweetness through the mid and a fresh and energetic finish that powers on and on.
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(CDV) Ce soir là, après de jolies quilles (palais fatigués ?), il se présentait, riche et concentré, offrant un équilibre de garde (pas de lourdeur) Puissant, assez opulent, d’une aromatique élégante et complexe, il était fort heureusement tempéré par l’accord sur le pamplemousse confit. L’amertume du dessert venait calmer la sucrosité et les 14° du vin… 93+
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From half bottle, this was singing. A delightful core of sweet luscious orchard fruits. Plenty of honey and the usual Yquem coconut ice. Wonderful balancing acidity. Quite complete.
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Offerte par Demis à la pêche. Un nez d’abricot rôti, sucre d’orge, un peu de cannelle, écorces d’orange. La concentration et la longueur sont phénoménales, avec une complexité aromatique, bien sûr, exceptionnelle, sur des notes de pêche et de pain d’épices. Finale expansive, large, fabuleuse. Un vin d’anthologie. 98 pts
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from 375 ml. Medium orange. Toasted wheat, overripe peach, cantaloupe nose, some volatile acidity. Sweet, concentrated, tingly acid, tropical fruit, the aftertaste goes on and on. fabulous way to end the evening.
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Cellartracker in the flesh with Stefan, Akiko, Mats & Tomas (Paul Boucasse, Tokyo): "Served blind from half bottle Toffee apple, cream, caramel, candied peel, orange marmalade, a little muscovado sugar. Medium plus intensity acidity, very toffee apple backed by citrus, marmalade and a touch of apricot…a little textured burr and sweet spice complete the picture. I guessed d'Yquem 89"
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Brilliant. Drank with friends following a long travel day.
Clean honey gold with orange.
Dazzling nose of vibrant apricots, marmalade marzipan and hints of baked apple pie. If a date, this was a 33 year old Harvard MBA grad: Brilliant + exhilarating company.
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Light golden color — the “Sauternes” crayon from the box. Vibrant acidity in perfect balance with the syrupy thickness. All the fruits and perfume. Great drinking right now.
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Biased due to sentimental place this vintage of d'yquem holds for me, but the mouth feel is unparalleled. The perfect balance between a younger (crisper, lighter) and an older (syrupy) sauternes. Taste is perfect amount of sweet and the range of aromas is hard to even summarize (but doesn't overwhelm)
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Not too clear on why this is considered a great Sauternes Vintage, volume maybe? Slightly unbalanced to my taste, lacks some acidity to make it great. Super good nevertheless, it is Yquem, but not up there with the bests.
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Greatest Hits of the 1980s and 1990s Bordeaux (Hawksmoor Guildhall): A coppery colour, neither light nor dark, like lit burnished brass. Glowing and limpid. There is pineapple, lime, caramel, cinnamon and a lot more besides. A wine to get lost in, or to reminisce with. Some sniffs reminded me of a Chelsea Sidecar which is made of gin, lemon and triple-sec. Very complex and multidimensional, it is astonishing that grapes can be made to do this. On the palate it is fresh as a daisy (after only a quarter of a century - the youngest wine of the night!), very little unctuousness at all vs my expectation of a syrupy quality. Needless to say it is delicious, apricots, orange marmalade, lime, quince - you name it, it is probably there - and the smallest sips go on forever. With apple crumble, and then on its own at the end of the meal. Wonderful way to finish and I rather floated (well, rolled...) home. An excellent way to dispose of one of my few remaining full bottles of sweet wine - I am all about the 375s these days. Voted WOTN by most of us. NB I bought this many years ago in the wine section of Waitrose, which nowadays seems absurd.
Greatest Hits of the 1980s & 1990s Bordeaux (Hawksmoor Guildhall, London, UK): A real treat to end the evening. The nose is beguiling and I could sniff it all evening. To start there is a lime oil quality then there is some charred pineapple. I once had this in a Brazilian rodízio in Bristol and am transported back to that moment. There is something in the cherry spectrum, morello liquour perhaps. Palate is just terrific. Goes on for nearly a minute. There is more of the tropical fruit here some papaya and little quince . With some time a little creamy spearmint and a charming torn tarragon leaf savouriness. I haven’t mentioned the acidity, but it was perfect. The prefect foil to the fruit medley. Such a treat. Outstanding.
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Gorgeous orange color, sweet but not cloying, this is a delightful wine. Served from magnum, it's possible that 750's might not be as vibrant at this stage.
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The Grill Dinner: [Yquem flight at The Grill] Caramel, toffee, darkened sugar (not as bitter as burnt), rum raisin, dates, candied pineapple. Balanced and complex, perhaps slightly cloying, but is the best Yquem of the flight as it has the perfect amount of complexity right now.
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Decanted from a half bottle and served to finish a menu (at Chateau de Courcelles). Drinking very well. Lingering aftertast including numerous shades of caramel and honey.
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It was nice but not what I had been anticipating for an Yquem. Great balance but not as complex as expected. Definitely not wowed by this wine which in my opinion you should be given the pedigree.
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Delightful wine. Plenty of caramel, honey, and orange marmalade. Bits of lychee and a hint of cinnamon. Medium bodied with a nice, but not long, finish.
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Amber colour. Nose and palate reveal masses of honey, caramel, toffee, ripe tropical fruits. Terrific acidity keeps this in balance. Unctuous, mouth filling, and incredibly long. Great complexity. No hurry to drink this, but will be hard to resist!
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Another great showing since the last time in 2021. Very well balanced wine with a nice finish. Liquid candy. Paired perfectly with crème brûlée. This is in its prime. Didn’t take long to open up in the glass. Hard to say when this wine will rollover but it won’t matter much since none of us will be around.
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(CDV) 5 ans après, je le préfère largement. Il s'est affiné, se montrant digeste et frais, concentré certes, mais avec cette sensation d'acidité en finale, il ne fatiguait jamais! Un très bel équilibre donc, un Yquem raffiné, étiré, racé, doté de la belle longuer des grands vins... Il ira peut-être plus loin que 2032
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It’s been 5 years since my last bottle and the color has darkened significantly. 2 hour decant which is completely necessary. I paired this with apple pie. What a perfect combo. This wine has great balance and a long finish. I’m guessing this is in its prime but I suppose it depends how you like these. No rush to drink these. Revisit 2025
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Orange marmalade and caramel on the nose. On the palate, marmalade, apricot, and pineapple, with notes of honey and yellow apple on the long finish, with good acidity.
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Stunning example. Orange marmalade, honey, caramel, apricots, pineapple. So many flavors and layers. Not petrol, but a similar oil type aroma on the nose that just added to the complexity. Why even bother with dessert itself when there is this wine?
Dinner with the wine group (Zazie's, San Francisco): From 375mL. Deep golden, hint of orange, slightly darker than the '96 Yquem along side it; intensely aromatic while popping the cork and in the glass, baking spice, almost a mint-flavored smoke, core of underlying orange marmalade, smoked honey, complex and interesting aromas; palate is full bodied, richly textured sweetness, medium-plus acidity (slightly less than the '96 but still in balance), medium-plus alcohol (14%) which comes across as a touch less than the '96, pure orange fruit throughout (which I describe as a crystalline fruit in previous notes); long finish, clean, flavorful with orange fruit, slight twinge of bitter orange peel, slight sweetness. Plenty of room for development over 2 decades. 94+ 4 hours air: delicious but a half-step behind the ‘96 with a bit less acidity and a more rounded mouthfeel. Lost that slight smoky character from when I first opened it. Enjoyable now and I'm glad I opened it, but it will develop another gear with more cellar time, though probably never hit the heights of vintages like '88-'90. Day 2: Color still slightly darker than the '96, golden-orange; nose still complex and largely similar to yesterday, not showing any oxidation or fading; palate tasted first (ie: not in comparison to the '96) shows excellent balanced acidity, balanced sweetness, delicious mature fruit flavors, but still with plenty of youth; finish is long. 95+ today, and still of the opinion that this will improve for decades. Another retaste: every time I come back to this, it's a little different. Not just spice and fruit, but sometimes a hint of mint, or a hint of smoke, or a bit of musk or funk, or a hint of burnt caramel. It shifts faster than the '96, which is a bit more steady in its presentation.
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Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of medium gold colour, with greenish rims and legs. Nose: Clean, with pronounced intensity of citrus fruit of lemon and orange marmalade, stone fruit of apricot, tropical fruit of pineapple, maturity notes of honey, dried fruit of raisin, floral notes of blossom, oxidation notes of caramel, sweet spice of cloves. The wine is developing. Palate: Sweet with high acidity, the wine has medium (+) alcohol, full body and exhibiting pronounced intensity of flavours of citrus fruit of lemon and orange marmalade, stone fruit of apricot, tropical fruit of pineapple, oxidation notes of caramel. The wine has a long finish. Conclusion: Very good quality Sauternes with an intense nose of great complexity, exhibiting wonderful aromas with elegance. On the palate the wine has amazing balance, with the sweetness and acidity in perfect harmony. The flavours are very concentrated with also an exceptional length. It is ready to drink now and can maintain for another 8-10 years.
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This particular example wasn't quite as articulate as a bottle a few years ago, while it could easily have come down to storage variation or decanting time. With about an hour and a half of air, I found this to be much more powerful, showing off a primarily apricot profile, accented by verbena and tropical nuances. Despite the fact that this showed young, the profound depth on the nose and palate (with beautiful balance and length) was obvious.
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Korta noter från minnet Klassisk yquem med en kraft i doft och smak som bara Yquem bränt smör, saffran och hyacint. Lång eftersmak med balanserad syra. I en fin fas nu även om den håller i evigheter.
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lovely gold color, gorgeously floral nose, ethereal mousse, caramel, on the palate Yquem at its most elegant and finessed, marmalade tones, pineapple, a core of dark mousse to anchor the softly undulating waves of honeyed fruit dancing with a subtle precision normally reserved for a great Mosel Auslese, long fragrant finish, along with the 1986- my favorite Yquem of our generation, effortless and celestial- yet with all of the savories and gripping flavors of the more robust vintages given the greatest general acclaim, its selflessly harmonious character also makes it the perfect companion to so many dishes or desserts, what a perfect pairing for floating islands! In a very good place with decades of intellectual and emotional pleasure ahead.
*****, now to 2050+
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This is one of the better buys for Chateau d'Yquem these days. What a beautiful expression of sweet wine. The nose pops with sweet, ripe and overripe pineapple, apricots, spice, coconut, creme de caramel, candied orange rind and butterscotch. Rich, sweet, lusciously textured waves of honey-coated tropical fruits on the mid-palate, that come along with the right shot of acidity make this an effortless sweet treat to drink. This is fabulous today and it is only going to get better from here for the next 2-3 or 4 decades!
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Similar note. Opened and decanted for 30 min before serving. Honey and caramel. Full body and delicious with intense yet balanced sweet. Not overall complex but enjoyable.
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Popped'n poured with dessert for the gf's birthday dinner at La Piquette, this was a perfect accompaniment, with its caramel and tropical fruit notes, the sweetness perfectly balanced by the acidity.
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Double blind. Immediately in Sauternes with a big, deep nose of honeyed orchard fruits with caramel as well. Nicely found and lush with a delicious flavor profile and nice balance.
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A thanksgiving dessert with a mini carrot cake- from 375ml as just two of us thanks to covid....just delicious and doing great now- beautiful amber color and perfect sweetness with hint of classic pineapple - is there such a thing as a bad yquem?
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No need to describe this as there are so many notes. This is completely in ints sweet spot right now and I would recommend drinking a bottle now if you have this. It's great and I'm not certain it will continue to get better.
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Enjoyed out of 375ml after a fairly elaborate Bordeaux wine dinner. Out of the 5 excellent wines consumed that night (including a First Growth), this was the clear winner. With flavors of honey, toasted nuts, white flowers, apricots, and grilled peaches, the best part was the pairing with a scoop of Foie Gras ice cream. The combination was sublime!
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Better than my bottle of seven years ago, but honestly having had a lot of great (e.g. Climens, etc) Sauternes since this time, I'm finding this to be pleasant>good, and not very good>excellent. Could be an off bottle, I suppose. Or, I've just become pickier. NR
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Did not have the usual zest of spice and depth. Mostly got honey and sweetness although the finish was outstanding. We bought this bottle from the secondary market through our wine retailer so provenance may be an issue here!
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UWS Leap year dinner (@ CdW and KvdK): Honey, apricots and botrytis in the bouquet. Same on the palate. Beautiful and elegant acidity beside the sweetness. 95 - 96
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SAQ N° 00704916 277$ la filette Samedi soir avec entrée de foie gras torchon. Première expérience avec Yquem. Première fiole: bouchonnée. Deuxième semble plus clean, mais nettement plus foncée que la première. Robe sicco 6066 urne romaine, c'est foncé pas mal. Niveau par contre bon. Bouquet assez réservé initialement, pas madérisé, caramel, écorce orange un peu, toffee. Discrets arômes florales en arrière. Bouche aussi timide, du gros toffee. Manque de fraicheur, du crisp. Ca plombe dans l'aile. Au total, je ne suis pas certain que c'était représentatif de la maison. Ça manquait de miel et d'agrumes et de délicatesse. Peut-être du au millésime. Pas sensé être une fiole VES non plus. À ré-essayer dans un autre millésime. NR
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Private evening with friends: Glass: Sophienwald White Perfect half bottle (fill level, cork). Decanted for a few minutes. Clear, glowing amber color. Clean, classic Sauternes nose with some volatile acidity from the high Botrytis level that vanishes with time and air. Dense, but not very appealing/interesting to me. On the palate the Yquem showed, why it is the “primus inter pares” in Sauternes! I had quite a few Sauternes from different decades over the course of the last weeks, but nothing comparable to this bottle from a mediocre vintage. Very complex with dried apricot, spices, herbs, some exotic fruit. High extract, power and tension. Never broad or chubby. Wonderful racy acidity that balanced the high sugar level quite well. Very long and multi layered. Joyful to drink now, but this wine will easily evolve and improve over the next decades. 94-95
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From Magnum. Side by side with 1995 (750 ml). Evolved and deep. Good balance sweet to crispness. Seemed to be more mature than the 95 with that extra complexity you get as these wines age.
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Really wonderful tonight. everything you could want in an Yquem at this point of maturity. Full of apricot, honeysuckle, marzipan and other wonderful things plus tons of grip and bracing acidity. A really wonderful wine.
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40th birthday wines (Pied a Terre): Rich, alluring copper colour. A delightful blast of barley sugar on the nose - real lift and energy. Manages to be both broad and focused. Not too sweet and very long.
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Bu au chalet de Bulle (René) avec la gang des Fouduvin pour ce beau souper weekend Annuel. OUFF...le petit Jésus en culotte de velours... quel beau vin, Faut avouer que le mariage avec ma tarte Tatin était aussi à la hauteur...les 2 se relançaient. Pas mal de complexité, caramel, pêches, ananas et marmelade. Finale super longue et savoureuse. C'est superbement bien équilibré aussi...un WOW! Note à celui qui demande si je goûte réellement aux vins pour battre le record de CR ...ben OUI JE goute TOUS les vins et c'est PAS une blague mon affaire!
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Drank from a half bottle. Our notes were very consistent with many of the others here, especially in relation to the 'orange flavours'. Marmalade in abundance. An extremely long finish, and the beauty of D'Yquem to offer a sweet wine that is so balanced and never icky.
Drank with JO and SH in London
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Birthday dinner No. 1 at La Piquette - the '97 d'Yquem was, when first tasted years ago, probably the vintage that made me understand that d'Yquem is not like any other Sauternes. It's been well over a decade since I last tasted this, and it's simply beautiful, notes of tropical fruits and caramel, a wonderful accompaniment to La Piquette's Gâteau à l'Orange. There may not be many better ways to celebrate a birthday.
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Nez classique du sauternais, avec de belles notes de safran et de cardamone. Si le nez n'a rien d'unique, la bouche elle est vraiment magique : on s'attend a être envahi par le sucre, mais absolument rien ne fatigue le palais, comme si le sucre passait par un autre canal pour ne déposer que les arômes riches et opulents, devenus complétement aériens.
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Very accessible for a young Yquem. But a touch too alcoholic in the finish. Dried fruits as apricot, dates and figs, some honey but not with a perfect concentration and precision as usual. Maybe for the next 10 years . 92-93
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Deep colour, tawny, honey but also shines. Light bright fragrance, white flowers, honeysuckle, lightly toasty, grilled nuts. Medium weight, perfectly balanced, seamless structure, long resonating finish. Honey, vanilla, roasted nuts, ripe peaches and apricots. Has softened but still remarkably powerful. Delicious drinking now.
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Clear golden yellow in color. Orange blossom and honey on nose and palate. Still drinking very young at this point. Acidity was a little lacking at this age, but still very enjoyable.
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Dark gold with a tinge of orange. Tastes like it looks with an abundance of orange blossom. Superb balance here, this is obviously sweet but thankfully not cloying. Paired with foie gras and it was otherworldly. Drink or hold.
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(Blind tasting) Fully mature, spice nose with hints of dill. Orange marmalade, mandarin hints, and only slight gluey botrytis. Gently oaky. Elegant. Fullish, majestic palate. Dense. More body than acidity. Slightly cloying. But freshness and elegance is also there. More oaky with coconut aromas than Fargues. Slightly less elegant than Fargues, which we preferred in this tasting.
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My first time for chateau D'Yquem, tried the 06,97 & 89 at Adams restaurant in Birmingham and they didn't disappoint. The 2006 still young but my 2nd favourite, the 89 is banging and the 97 my 3rd choice. A real treat. Normally D'Yquem is out of my price range but being able to try three different vintages at once was an offer I couldn't refuse.
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Deep amber and syrupy. Aroma: Intense honey, apricot, pineapple, lychee, stewed fig, mint and gentle oak. At palate entry, toffee and star fruit. At mid-palate, honey, sweet blood orange, pineapple, and marmalade. At finish, orange peel, gentle oak and tannin, long citrusy finish. Full bodied. Very complex honey citrus marmalade combo. Bracing acidity balanced with honey sweetness. Great Sauterne.
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Colour is quite golden... nose of apricot, caramel, smoke, it is great but lacking a little bit finesse and acidity... The taste is a little bit too sweet and sugary for me... but still good Yquem!
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Robe ambrée foncée. Sur les abricots, orange confit, pêche, gousse de vanille et un petit côté herbacé (pas comme défaut). Très long en bouche et très complexe. Pas trop sucré. Beau vin. En tant qu’amateur de vin liquoreux, je rêvais depuis nombreuse année à boire ce bijou du monde du vin. J’avais de très grandes attentes, mais même si c’est très bon, je m’attendais a plus. Je trouve que c’est très cher payer VS des vins liquoreux à 3-4 fois moins dispendieux qui m’ont amené pratiquement le même plaisir. Peut-être mes attentes étaient trop élevées, mais reste un très beau moment, surtout que l’accord avec le torchon de foie gras et le fromage bleu était tout simplement parfait.
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P/chilled with 30 min to 3 hours glass time. Cork 1/4 soaked with a bit of crumbling on top but sound. Clear, med-dark yellow w/touch of tangerine & rose. Thick legs. If there is a perfect dessert wine, this must be it. The integration was simply amazing. With many Sauternes, TBA, BA, Ice wines and such, you notice one trait that overwhelms the rest whether it's ripe pear, raisons, yellow apple or what have you. This showed nothing but pure balance of all of them. The sweetness was right on too, not overly done. Incredibly rich, smooth and intense, no doubting the label sets the standard. My hosts have 2 bottles, much younger. Years down the road, I hope they show as well. Stupendous now but will easily cellar for decades providing proper storage & cork soundness. Not a hint whatsoever of anything off. Perfection, maybe so. $100. 95-98
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SLDS January BBQ: Toast, coconut, lemon, apricot and spice - really engaging nose. Good acidity meshes well with the held back sweetness. Nicely punchy flavours. The 1985 was just a little ahead tonight but this will probably catch up in time.
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Nez sur l'abricot, le miel, les fleurs jaunes. Très bien, mais un grand millésime pour un vin aussi réputé et, surtout, dispendieux? Je ne suis pas impressionné.
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Tasted with a lot of distractions in an informal setting. Tasted from 0.375 bottle next to the 1999, this was the clear winner. Explosive notes of honey, caramel, sweet spices, apricot, peach, some safron, smokey notes too. Very complex but elegant at the same time. Pretty full-bodied, with good medium-high acidity adding balance. Very good balance of sweetness/acidity. Excellent length. A perfectly mature Yquem. Loved it.
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Saved this one for a 20th anniversary dinner. Did not disappoint; long and luxurious, with a wonderful aroma. Frankly, this wine was probably above my ability to truly appreciate (but I did my best). Drank it with a pear tart, and again the following evening with Roquefort.
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Yquem classique, structure et exhubérence combinée. Robe commençant à tourner vers l'ombrée. Crème brulée, cassonade, gauffre, fleur d'oranger, marmelade, miel, scotch, canffre en finale. Acidité encore bien présente permet au tout de rester délicat. À point, mais peu vieillir encore, contrairement aux autres Sauternes de l'année 1997 qui sont à leur appogée.
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My fourth vintage of this wine; 97, 99, 2006 and 2007. Fairly dark, the sweetness and thickness have faded, quite a lot of botrytis and very god balance and harmony. No bitterness to speak of. A very good vintage for this wine and quite a find at current marketprice. From a small bottle.
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At the Prime rib with dessert. It seems we left the best wines of our dinner for last, because this defined for me at least the perfect Sauternes, the perfect balance of honey and acid. Utterly smooth perfection.
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100 Point (Parker or other) Wine Dinner Organized by Steve for 6 "Wine Guys" (The Prime Rib, Philadelphia): On this evening this wine was perfect. I can't imagine how it could be improved upon. Decanted a couple hours before drinking from 750ml bottle. The color was a burnt apricot. The nose was effusive with honey and intense grilled peach. Huge acidity and an incredibly rich, unctuous, decadent mouth feel. The grilled peach flavor was strikingly strong and enjoyable accompanied by roasted almond and caramelized sugar/honey. Gloriously long on the finish with a touch of roasted hazelnut rather than almond as it faded away after more than a minute. WOW!
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My first D'Yquem and one the 2 Birthday bottles this year and what a disappointment. Bought it online (from a private person). Bottle looked like in perfect condition (0,375) but the cork was very porous. Had trouble removing it (in 100 pieces). Light to dark brown colour. The smell was just plain stale. Bottle open for 2 hours. The taste was also stale and very alcoholic. It was very far removed from all the great tasting notes I read here.
Suppose to be the highlight of the day but quite the bummer.
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Medium amber colour. Expressive nose showing aromas of orange peel, honey, ripe peaches, cinnamon, vanilla and clove.
It is lusciously sweet with a crisp acidity. It has a medium+ alcohol and it's full-bodied. It has pronounced intensity flavours and a lingering finish.
It is an outstanding wine of great persistence and concentration in balance with the acidity. It shows complexity provided by oak and bottle ageing whilst keeping a lot of freshness despite its age.
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Colour: Beyond deep golden, now well into the orangey-brown almost walnutty spectrum. Even from a 375 ml bottle, the 97 is maturing very fast. Looks like a 1967 (I wish …).
Nose: Distinctive mature, hot vintage Yquem with intense crème brulee and toffee-honeyed-apricots, a touch of mushrooms, a hint of aeroplane glue and a lovely tone of freshly cut, slightly sweet, gummy red wood. Seems like a much older vintage. There are no oxidative tones however and it’s very concentrated, very complex and very intriguing.
Palate: A powerful, concentrated and emphatic explosion of heavily botrytised fruit with that unique Yquem flavour. More youthful than the nose, the luscious toffee-honeyed apricotty tones are more dominant. However, like every bottle of 97 that I’ve drunk, it has an overly assertive oak finish (which surprisingly is still a touch bitter at age 20 years), although it does have an lovely, off-setting sweet resinny dimension.
The 97 is improving in my view, because the oak is settling down. In short, this is a fabulous and memorable wine which gives an insight into those almost treacle coloured old Yquems that look worryingly dark but which are, in fact, bottled nectar.
UPDATED 7 March 2017 Thanks to a comment from aagrawal, I've changed my description of the colour. I'd previously mentioned it was heading towards a treacle like colour but it is nowhere near that yet, ie. no very dark brown opaque quality - yet.
A lovely d'Yquem; though certainly on the riper end of the spectrum, this has retained Yquem's classic poise and balance. A broad and fine nose; lots of ripe fruit, mineral, crunchy creme brulee, honey, and white flowers in its perfume. Fleshy and round in the mouth with fine equilibrium and a nice amount of botrytis. Delightful. Lots of life left here.
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Food + Wine Weekend in Chas; 3/2/2017-3/4/2017 (Charleston, SC): Undoubtedly one of my favorite wines. Drank at dinner and didn't take copious notes, but this had enough years to have a bit of heft in the palette with that lovely balanced acidity and lots of citrus and orange peel and slightly caramelized flavors. Just fantastic. Served with a seared foie gras and it was a match made in heaven.
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From a half PnP. Dark gold / light Amber colour, maybe a touch darker than expected but seemed like a good bottle. A rich and botrytised Yquem - ripe apricot alongside dried pineapple and citrus notes against a complex background of sweet darker honey, brown sugar and hints of dates/raisins. Seems to be heading towards maturity with a relatively evolved profile. ****++
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I had this alongside the great 2001. The 1997 is imho a highly overlooked vintage which is a 'mini 2001 - similar nose and much more ready although with less than half the concentration and finish. Still sweet, acid in balance and drinkable now but will obviously cellar for 20-30yrs. Hate to say it but having tried the 2001 I would rather have half a bottle of that than a regular one of this...
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Note Display Settings Goldenrod in color this sweet nectarine honeyed sensation is rich and viscous with acidity and glycerin balanced like two equally lovely beauty queens on a seesaw. Orange, lemon zest, apricot and caramel, peach and popcorn make this a surefire winner. Have another bottle up north - ship to Miami for the next holiday or savor in the Big Apple?
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Creme brulee, Honey,macadamia nuts, toffee, dried apricots, figs and dates, fine acidity, caramell, maybe ahint too alcoholic, in the finish some vanilla beans, very balanced at this stage, start to reach his peak but enjoyable at least for 10-15 years
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What can really said about one of the most ethereal wines in existence? The color is goldenrod, dark and thick. Honey, creme brûlée, apricot, golden raisin, dates, and something else that I just cannot put my finger on that is almost savory. There is a wonderfully delicate acidity and this wine is still incredibly fresh, mine was in a 375ml bottle, with wonderful fruity aromas. The finish lasts for days and is truly at its best when paired with a funky and creamy blue cheese or foie gras. This wine still has a ton of life in it and I would have liked another few years of age on this one but it is still absolutely wonderful to drink now.
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Sushi Taro Dinner: This is a riper and oilier style of D’Yquem. Expressive nose displaying ripe yellow fruits, apricot, peach, candied orange rind, pineapple, honey and sweet spices. Excellent concentration, quite think and oily without being too heavy, intense ripe apricot driven palate impression, good acidity and lovely long finish. This is really ripe and opulent. The only minor complain is that it doesn’t heave the airy/cotton candy like texture of truly great D’Yquems.
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On a rapid path to full maturity, the wine delivers a beautiful, purity of ripe, and over ripe tropical fruit, honey, floral and spice notes, all wrapped up in an elegant, silky, opulently, textured bundle.
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There are no words... this bottle was outstanding!! The color is becoming even more caramel and the wine is taking on a bit of weight, yet it is still amazingly fresh and delightful. Plenty of acidity and botrytis, all wonderfully in balance. Had this with the cheese course. Delicious now - I'm sure it will last/live for decades (375ml).
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Perfection in the glass. Deeper golden colour at 19 years. Weightless yet rich and succulent. Acidity was refreshing and perfect. Texture was silky. Wow factor was almost surreal. Flavors on the nose and palate of orange zest, honey, white peach and a floral perfume that was pleasing. I'm guessing this wine will still be great at 100 years. Highest recommendation.
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A touch less rich and lower in acidity than the 6/13/12 bottle and slightly less profound than the 1996 half bottle I brought to Serbia last year. This bottle was also consumed in Serbia.
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The nose is complex, with spicy botyris apricot, caramel, butterscotch, fig, citrus, honey, and pineapple. Concentrated, yet light and fresh, minerality, good acidity, super long finish. Very Young, but an concentrated and amazing wine.
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Amazing sauternes, with super long finish, and substantial mouth feel. Enjoyed the expected apricot and tropical fruit, plus honey, but not overly sweet, just perfectly balanced. Great for a relaxed conversation after dinner with a warm chevre cheesecake.
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Plus que le nez, joli, assez complexe, ennivrant, plutôt sur l'agrume et l'abricot sec, le fruit exotique, c'est bel et bien en bouche qu'il impressionne par sa puissance maîtrisée, sa fraîcheur et sa longueur magnifique. C'est bien sur sa trame étirée qu'il se démarque. Ainsi... Il se sirote lentement, sans lasser ni fatiguer, il a cet équilibre étonnant qui appelle à le redécouvrir à chaque nouvelle gorgée. Il gagnera sans doute en complexité avec le temps...
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Annual holiday dinner with DC winos: fabulous wines kick off 2016! (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): After reaching the peaks of Climens 2001, this could be considered a "letdown", but at what other dinner could one say Yquem 1997 is a letdown? Let's get real. This is a great bottle of wine. It shows off crème brûlée and toffee like flavors that keep you coming back for more. There is a sumptuousness to the palate, that Yquem richness that leads to a long finish. Thanks Chris Bublitz for this great premier grand cru classé!
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The nose is complex, with time, buttered popcorn, caramel, butterscotch, candied orange, honey, pineapple and apricot scents emerge. Fresh, sweet, concentrated, vibrant, long and not at all heavy or cloying, this is still quite young, yet, with its all its attributes, it's a treat to drink today. Patient consumers will be happy in 10, 20, 30 or or more years I'm quite sure. This was the perfect end to a great Thanksgiving dinner.
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Perfect cork and fill. Light gold color. Apricots, peaches, honey on the nose, full-bodied and viscous, great balance between ripe fruits, honeyed/floral sweetness and acidity, long finish. Should drink well for years. Excellent-outstanding.
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Un nez envoûtant, d'abricot mûr, avec un peu de lichi, du miel et de la cire d'abeille. La bouche est superbement équilibrée, assez riche mais fraiche, ça forme un ensemble élégant et gourmand, un pur délice. 95 pts
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Fresh apricot, honeysuckle, mango, creme brulee and honey. Undeniably a good wine but difficult to assess at this early stage. Almost too one-dimensionally sweet at this point. Will inevitably develop more depth of expression but until then falls short of being a great Yquem. This requires a good deal more patience.
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Full-bodied, rich and rewarding, with a glycerined texture and deep notes of caramel, apricots, smoke and herbs along with tropical flavors: coconut, pineapple and litchi. Still fairly primary, this wine would appear to be immortal.
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Opened for International Sweet Wine day, this was a stunner. White peaches, flowers, apricot and pineapples were slathered in honey and vanilla. The wine is rich, concentrated, full bodied and luscious, with sweetness, viscosity and freshness. Still young, this is great now and it's only going to get better with 5, 10, 20 or 30 years of age, depending on how you like it.
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We used Coravin, and we will do so again next week. Presents extremely well, albeit as expected from D'Yquem, on the nose. The slight nose of petrol still there. It will take a long time for this to open so it is in the corner while we find something ready quicker.
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Holiday Bordeaux Dinner with Eric - 82, 89 & 90 FGs among others (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): From a half bottle. Seems more mature and heavier than the 86, ripe yellow fruits, a hint of red fruit, apricot jam, crème brulee, ginger and candied orange peel. Excellent concentration, oily palate, dry apricot and ginger driven palate impression and lovely long finish. It doesn’t have the precision of the 86 but still really hedonistic.
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An expressive nose, bright candied apricot, white flowers, dried pineapple and orange marmalade. The palate nearly mirrors the nose, with an incredible acidity given the concentration, it has a weightlessness. Quintessential Yquem, great stuff.
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Wow. Very complex and layered nose of honey, apricot and even some nutty aromas. Incredibly complex and balanced in the mouth with the acid balancing the sweetness perfectly. Extremely long finish that keeps on giving. A transcendent wine. This can age for a long time.
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Another fabulous tasting experience. It's a treat to sample the balancing act between the layers of perfectly ripe, honeyed tropical fruits and the acidity that keeps everything lively and fresh. Still young, you can pop a cork today for its youthful exuberance, or wait a few decades for the caramel, butterscotch and spicy notes to appear.
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A great Sauternes but I still don’t think the 97 is the wine it should be. From a 375 ml bottle, colour is decidedly golden. Nose immediately says Yquem, with beautiful dried apricots predominating among some dark honey and lashings of other botrytis nuances giving great complexity. Is also slightly burnt and with noticeable raisins overtones, consistent with the hot vintage and the 14% alcohol.
Palate: is obviously Yquem, so is therefore fabulous: extremely complex and with great concentration and a long, long lingering aftertaste. HOWEVER, once again with this vintage I found the oak to be a touch assertive on the finish (a bit cedary) and, coupled with slightly burnt sugar on the palate, too, and a feeling that the wine could have been better balanced, I found this to be a bit disappointing by Yquem’s (world’s best) standards. Since 3 of the last four 375 ml bottles have had this excessively assertive character on the finish, to varying degrees, 15-17 years after vintage I've now downgraded the vintage.
Compared to some other vintages around that time, it is: • still vastly better than the very disappointing 1999 (which seriously lacks botrytis and that unique Yquem thumbprint); • way below the incomparable 2001 (the perfect sauternes); • not as good as the 2002 (which while not as rich is much more elegant and better balanced, especially the oak) • certainly not as good as the glorious 2003 (which is better balanced, with at least as much power but superior botrytis complexity and better handled oak)
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GRANDI BOTTIGLIE NIGHT (ENOTECA GRANDI BOTTIGLIE TORINO): Giallo zafferano dorato. Naso di mais, e paglia bruciata dal sole. tocco fumè di legno molto corposo al gusto di curry, e zuppa inglese. In bocca è zafferano liquido e buccia di arancia candita, moelleux, oleoso e denso, ma mai pesante. Vino ruffiano e leccatissimo, fa molto caramella. Splendido in abbinamento con un Roquefort etichetta nera, e sul finale eterno ti strappa un sorriso: il primo d' Yquem non si dimentica mai!
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Drinking d'Yquem never gets old. The beautiful, perfectly ripe tropical fruit drenched in honey, vanilla and spicy tones, coupled with racy acidity keeps the wine fresh and exciting. Still young, the wine has barely moved, except in texture. But you do not have to wait for decades to experience this wine. It's great today and will be even better if, or when your grandchildren open it. That is... if you can keep your hands off it.
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I purchased this wine in the last year from a very reputable retailer (the SAQ in fact). 375ml. Colour was a dark amber, almost like burnt sugar. When I compared the colour to my 1990s, this wine was much darker, and appears to have matured very quickly. I'm wondering if this is representative for this wine, and any comments would be appreciated. On the nose, the wine did not smell at all maderised, and certainly did not taste that way either. It tasted like a very aged, mature Yquem. The fruit was vibrant and complex, and the acidity was in balance. Not as mind-blowing as many Yquems I've had.
Rich golden colour. Honey nose. Beautiful complex taste although I have to say that by the time I was on my second or third glass I felt I had had enough.
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No formal notes taken. I just sat back and enjoyed this beautiful d’Yquem. Sweet honey and stones on the nose, with hints of vanilla and tropical fruits. Lovely palate, with clean and balanced sweetness, not sticky or too much, nor to acidic, but just beautiful and extremely balanced. Perfect acidity and lovely sweet tropical fruit. Super long finish. Super elegant.
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Great bottle, but seemed a little disjointed tonight - had with a sweet desert, not blue cheese (which is our norm) - maybe that's why, not sure. But still an awesome wine. had with the 2003 side by side - '03 won tonight!
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First ever taste of Yquem. The nose was amazing with wood, stone fruits and honey. Then the taste was sublime. Very thick and rich, the oak totally integrating into the flavour of the wine. Strong apricot and honey flavour, long finish. Delicious!
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Opened this unplanned after a yellowtail and steak dinner which started off with apertivo and some Whispering Angle rose.
First time trying a Y'quem. 375ml bottle. Floral nose with sugar. Light but deep in the mouth. Distinct and long finish at times. Seemed perfectly balanced.
Definite crowd pleaser. Had with chocolate panettone friends brought from Milan. Can see why people say this stands out among Sauternes.
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Tis the Season-Another Wedding Dinner (Range, San Francisco): Orange golden color. Exciting nose of bright citrus, vanilla bean, almond paste, perfume and spice. Less of the coconut, apricot character of really ripe years. Concentrated but medium weight for a d'Yquem. Beautiful balance and length due to strong acidity. Moderate sweetness, definitely not that unctuous or liquoreux. I really liked this and found it easier going than some of the bigger, sweeter examples I've had from other vintages. This also seems about completely mature now without a lot to gain from extended cellaring.
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Yquem, Vega Sicilia Ùnico, Jamet... (Déjeuner au Restaurant Violier, Crissier): Couleur citron mûr, lumineuse. Nez extraordinaire avec beaucoup de variété dans les arômes, abricot, miel, fleurs blanches, amandes. La bouche est à l'unisson, avec beaucoup de matière et de longueur. Ce nectar n'est jamais lourd, car la trame acide est finement présente tout au long de la dégustation.
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Color was golden yellow. Scents were very floral and honey. Tastes were apricot, floral and honey, with a nice backbone of acidity keeping it all together.
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Wow! Yquem does it again. Consumed this after a wonderful classic French cuisine, with the cheese course. The Yquem and the Stilton were perfectly matched. The wine was smooth, viscous, lots of amazing complex scents and that wonderful Yquem botrytis was still emanating. Really, really great tasting tonight (with TF Nov 14)
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(from 375ml) Serious bottle variation from the majority of notes/experiences here. Served double-blind, I guessed Sauternes, one from a much less pedigreed producer, and one from a genuine 'off-vintage'. Shocked (and saddened) as hell when this was revealed.
That typical Yquem fragrance of vanilla, honey and apricot marmalade, but it feels rather heavy and monolithic on the palate, not showing the finesse and elegance that normally characterizes Yquem for me. There's good richness and depth here, but I'm left wanting more acidity.
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What is there to be said? Convincing, as always. An Yquem on the elegant side, complexity emerging, but lacks a bit in power/intensity to be of the best Yquems.
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Rich, golden viscous appearance (14% alcohol). Powerful complex nose predominantly of dried apricots with some honeyed caramel and vanilla, musk and spices. Obviously Yquem and quite full on; magnificent.
Opulent palate; luscious and richly textured - the warm ripe year shows. A powerful mouthful of complex botrytis laden dried apricots and honeyed desserts on a long, long and lingering typical Yquem finish. Sixteen years on now, and from a 375ml bottle, the previously quite assertive vanilla and spices are integrating beautifully. The most enjoyable 97 Yquem that I've had. Iconic, even though I prefer several other recent vintages.
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If you want Chateau d'Yquem in your cellar and you do not want to spend the money for the 2001, run, do not walk and buy this wine. It's a very good example of what makes Yquem great! With the perfect level of acidity to create freshness and lift, the extremely ripe pineapple, apricot, tropical fruit, floral, vanilla, nut and spice aromas are worth the price of admission. On the palate, the elegant wine is not heavy, it's about balance, purity and sweetness, coupled with lift. If you like your Sauternes young, and most people do, pop a cork! If you prefer waiting, there is no hurry on this winner.
A superbly smoothed, balanced and rewarding Yquem. Not up to the heights of the 1988, 2001, or 2007, nonetheless one of the better Yquems of recent years. Strong notes of apricot and tropical fruit predominate. Not excessively unctuous, nor cloying, clearly the best of the 1990's.
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Drank at the Boot & Flogger Very rich with an amazing complexity and notes that change in your mouth. Incredible length which just goes on and on. Notes of honey, burnt sugar, lemon, apricot, peach and nuts. Wonderful stuff which will keep developing.
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Dark golden, much more evolved colour than the 1996 and 1998 surrounding it. Very expansive nose of lady's perfume, glue, canned apricots and allspice. Full bodied, sweet and heavy, but with underlying acidity to (almost) carry it through. One of the heavier Yquems together with 1989. The 1990 has better definition, but the 1997 can stand moth desserts due to its weight and power.
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This was somewhat atypical to me as it didn't have the charachteristical d'Yquem rich almond nose and fatness. More tropical fruit in a lighter style that made me guess Tokaj. Developed alot in the glass. Very good.
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Château d'Yquem with AuZone (AuZone, Stockholm): Colour: light golden yellow Nose: spicy honey (heather honey?), dried apricot, botrytis, discrete caramel notes, some maramalde, a discrete but not at all disturbing solvent notes, hints of nuts. Emerging notes of maturity with elegance. Palate: very concentrated, full-bodied, slightly oily, very spicy, dried fruit, caramel, liquorice, a very faint hint of alcoholic fire. Long and spicy aftertaste with dried fruit, caramel and fresh acidity. Overall impression: this one had it all - maturity and at the same time vigour and elegance - 98 p.
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Rich and honeyed nose - not that fruit driven. Almond cookies, hay, hazelnuts, brioche and beautiful mushroom character. Sweet and lively palate with huge concentration of fruit and a steely backbone of acidity shining through all the fat. Baked apples and apricots with a cool and energizing touch of copper. Long and drier finish. Fine complexity adding to the overall yumminess. Great stuff!
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Tasted from a half bottle this time. This seemed so much more developed than the precious full bottle. In fact this showed more like a Barsac or loupiac than a Sauternes. This showed some rubbery notes compared to previous with lesser freshness to lift it up. Still has nice sweet apricots and even unripe nectarines and just a spoon of honeysuckle but somehow less wow than the last bottle.
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New Year's Eve 2012 Drinks (Kat and Ewen's): Superb. From a 375ml, this was a whole lot more evolved than the whole bottle we had a couple of weeks ago and, I thought, even more delicious. It had a wonderful nose, with typical notes of coconut cream and toasted nuts alongside sweet scents of dried apricots and figs, drizzles of brown sugar, and lovely spice and earth - a really complex, compelling bouquet. Amazing stuff. I could happily have sniffed this all night. The palate was pure hedonistic deliciousness. It was thick, weighty and moreish, full of yummy flavours of dried apricots and mangoes, with less brown sugar than on the nose maybe, but a lot more honey and golden syrup just dripped across the fruit. Great finish too, long, generous and fleshy, with a great dose of warm spice lingering amidst the honeyed tones. Yet for all that rich bounty that the wine offered, it was actually the lovely balance that made it such a great drink, with a wonderfully fresh feel lent to it by juicy, lemony acidity that watered the mouth on the attack and led the wine all the way into its lovely finish. A lovely d'Yquem. So good now, but I would imagine this half-bottle would have been astounding given another 8-10 years.
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Golden sunlight in color this caramel popcorn with peach, apricot and sweet nectarine honeyed sensation is full-bodied richness with acidity and glycerin in perfect balance. A special holiday treat.
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Glowing gold with a regal shine to it. Bitter sweet lemon tea with sweet Candied winter melon bits and honey. An uncloistered soft smoothie like body of superfluous golden rays of sunshine goodness. Brings to mind a breakfast scene with fresh soft bread spread generously with lemon orange marmalade with a drizzle of honey. Yummy! Wholesome ! Goodness.
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End of the World Dinner (Nicolas Restaurant, Teck Lim Street, Singapore): This was a great bottle of d'Yquem, easily one of the best vintages outside the established greats of the last couple of decades (i.e. 1988, '89, '90, 2001, perhaps 2007). Like the Eiswein that preceded it though, this clearly has its best years ahead of it. it had knockout nose, with a golden, honeyed glow to its vibrant aromas of apricots, nectarines and some dried apples, with nicely complex notes of sweet spice, a bit of mineral and a typical coconutty accent rounding the bouquet off. Wonderful stuff - no one had doubt that this was d'Yquem just on that nose alone. Really yummy on the palate too, with sweet drippings of treacle and coconut cream on the attack, and then a wonderfully balanced and fresh midpalate showing delectable flavours of dried apricots and nectarines, some ripe apples and pears, heading off into a long, lovely finish that glided away in a beautiful melange of honey and spice and earth and marmalade notes. Delicious even now, but this still has a lot of primary sweetnes to it. With the balance it has and the lovely depth of botrytis and fruit, I would watch for this to only fully hit its stride somewhere around 2025, and it will probably go one for decades beyond that. What a lovely wine.
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From a 375 ml bottle - quite golden for its years. Alcoholic, almost slightly syruppy appearance.
Nose: Rich, powerful, intense and very complex. Flavours of dried apricots, caramellised honey and citrus plus spicy vanilla. Obviously Yquem. Monumental.
Palate: Intense, powerful, rich, viscous texture of honeyed apricots, citrus and oak spices in an almost liqueur type setting. An opulent, extravagant wine with a long, lingering and "lip licking" finish of those amazing flavours that only Chateau d'Yquem can achieve. While the 97 is a vastly better wine than the 99, I have some reservations about this vintage. I'll leave a few months then review again, more carefully.
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generous Thanksgiving bottle from my brother-in-law. It took a few days to realize fully its potential. Soft and full. maybe better served almost room temperature to pull out all the complexity.
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Nose of dried apricot, pineapple, peach, honey, coconut, toffee, orange zest, nice botrytis spice. On the palate, apricot, peach, toffee, honey, orange marmalade, pineapple. Long finish with vibrant acidity. Drink or hold, there is some variability on these bottles which makes it hard to predict.
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Dark golden in colour. Initially muted but then comes round in the glass with apricots and honey. Viscous texture, very sweet with a little spice. Lots of sweet orange fruits but lacking in acidity and doesn;t finish completely fresh, although the finish is admirably long and deep. Excellent wine but didn't meet expectations.
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Dark golden color from this 15 years old wine. Glue and canned apricots on the nose. A bit shy? Full bodied with OK balancing acidity, but I could have wished for even more acidity, however this is typical 1997 in my book. Not as long as I would have expected, rides on the fruit and sugar rather than acidity. Overall very nice, but less than I would have expected. Having tasted this one for many years, but my guess would be to let it rest another 10 years.
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Given the prestige of the producer and the quality of the vintage, it may seem greedy but I was expecting a little more from this wine. That said, it is still absolutely gorgeous, showing a warm floral, tangerine, marmaladey character with apricots poking their heads up on the mid palate. Surprisingly delicate structure. You almost need to search for the quality but it is certainly there.
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Our first Yquem experience, and have only had a handful of previous Sauternes, so these notes don't represent an expert critique. Drank with Roquefort cheese after a crème brulee desert. Drank alongside an inexpensive but reasonable quality Hunter Valley botrytis Semillon for comparative purposes. Obviously a far superior wine - making the Hunter seem simple, sweet, and short. Deep gold-amber. The nose, while having many more dimensions and interest than the Hunter, was to me the only minor disappointment of the wine. The nose was only medium intensity, and was dominated by nice botrytis marmalade notes. The palate was the star. Incredibly viscous and mouth-filling with only the tiniest of sips required. Intense burst of flavour that built through a wonderful middle palate, beautifully balanced between sweetness and acidity. The real highlight of the experience was the incredible length. Again, just the smallest sip was required for tens of seconds of flavour. Overall, very satisfied with the experience given the high expectations. Would now like to try more aged Sauternes, and some of the less expensive, but likely almost as enjoyable Premiers and Deuxiemes Crus.
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San Diego WineSpectator.com Offline, 6/29/2012 (The University Club, San Diego): 375 ml. Clear light amber-copper hue. An explosion of apricot, pumpkin pie spice, candied tangerine peel. But what an elegant and sophisticated explosion. Sweetness and acidity in amazing balance, providing a sense of precision and vitality. My #2 and group's FIRST PLACE tonight.
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Medium gold/orange color; fruit and flower aromas and flavors; great texture with a strong spicy pop on the finish. Very good but I was hoping for extraordinary. Had the '98 previously and I believed I liked that more.
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Colour: Bright golden, with big legs (14% alcohol).
Nose: Beautiful amalgam of honeyed dried apricots, candy, and spicy, slightly dry vanilla. Hints of champignons as well - nice. Penetrating and alluring; magical and obviously Yquem but without the knockout doses of apricot, mango fruits - or the orange blossom - of some vintages.
Palate: Follows nose: powerful and elegant; beautiful flavours yet not a perfect bottle, I think. Nevertheless, lovely honeyed dried apricots in a complex setting of spicy, lightly vanillary oak and candied (but not caramellised) fruits. Luxurious, silky, viscous texture with excellent acid and a warm, lifted and very long, lingering finish, with some grip. It was just off the pace on the night, and a resealed sample the next day confirmed this, with a slightly prickly oak character character subduing the palate.
Great wine but not a great bottle. I expected a bit more from this extraordinary Chateau in such a good year. Accordingly, I've marked this the same as a (great) bottle from the lesser 2002 vintage that I had a couple of weeks ago.
JULY 2014 comment - had another bottle which also had this rather unattractive prickly oak character (see separate notes). I'm convinced now that this is a characteristic of the 97's and that this bottle drunk in 2012 was not uncharacteristic. Sadly, I've downgraded the vintage having had 3 out of 4 bottles since 2012 that had varying degrees of this finish characteristic.
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Golden color. Complex aromas of apricots, honey, quince and creme brulee. Ripe, silky, sweet fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and balance and great length. Not as thick on the palate as some of the greatest d'Yquem's I have had in the past but very complex and long and a joy to drink. At peak (in half bottle).
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All-sauternes dinner (Jardiniere, SF): When first opened, this was very closed. It took a lot of time in the glass (2+ hours) to become expressive. Concentrated, ice-wine like fruit with great acidity, some showing of wood indicating more integration time is needed; palate was very enjoyable. This needs much more time in bottle... at least 5-10 years. This is a very interesting wine, since it seems to be different every time that I have it. The best showing, however, was my last one after the wine had hours upon hours of air. 93-94
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From a full bottle, still young but you know this is going places. Excellent nose of pineapple, marzipan VA, grilled nuts and vanilla are still integrating on the palate. Needs 5-10 years but an absolute stunner. Half bottles are approachable now.
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Beautiful nose of honey, stone fruit, toasted almonds, orange, bees wax, and nutmeg. All of these notes are on the palate as well and lead to a very long finish. Full bodied with good acidity. Very sophisticated, with excellent balance and complexity. Paired beautifully with a lemon tart.
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Half bottle. As good as the '90 with a better price. Deliciously silky and full with a rosiness and classic organic set of scents and flavors: lanolin, wax, petrol, and burnt sugar with a titillating acidity from pineappley notes. Brioche came next, it was like indulging in the most intimate of fine five course meals, and thereafter apple, caramel, and brie cheese. Tangy with a smooth, vibrant finish lasting upwards of 30 seconds. Perfect now, perfect on my lips the morning after, perfect in 10 years.
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Nice light golden color, very nice nose of fresh coconut, honey and apricot. Very rich yet not overwhelming, very well balanced with loads of coconut in the mouth, very good and probably will be better in several more years.
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K&L Top Bordeaux Tasting (K&L, San Francisco): Deep gold color but with no hint of orange; intense apricot, complex lovely nose, nice spices; palate is fresh, can taste the sauvignon blanc, intense at first then a balanced minerally midpalate, great density; clean finish with moderate-long length. This is a superb sauternes and a very good Yquem. This has a long development ahead and while drinking nicely, has likely years more integration ahead of it. 94-95
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Wow. This Yquem displayed a fantastic nose of flowers and fruits with extreme finessse and complexity. The palate was as amazing with a wonderful balance. The sweetness was completely hidden and the alcohol never spikes. And clearly the wine lasted forever in the palate (5mins+)
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From a half-bottle. Somewhat reticent nose at first, probably attributable to being too cold. There are aromas of yellow stone fruit as well as a slight hint of barley sugar and orange peel. Slight smell of varnish taints the nose. On the palate, this is much less sweet than I would have expected. There is a very rich undercurrent of acidity, but it is held in check by the fruit flavours (again, stone fruits). Due to the arguable lack of sweetness, I'd pair this Yquem with a savory dish; the richer the better (foie gras, anyone?).
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Holiday Tastings; 12/16/2011-12/20/2011 (Redlands): Tasted several times with declining results, this half-bottle was full of dried apricot and pepper, so overdone with the apricot that it's quite one-dimensional, supposedly got better the next day, but I found it hard to care; 88
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I bought this wine because it received a perfect score (20/20) from La Revue du Vin de France. It was a disappointment. The wine had a fragrant nose of marmalade which was more discreet than flamboyant; on the palate, it was intense and densely thick with subdued acid and a distinct bitterness on the finish. Compared to the Inniskillin icewine—my benchmark for great sweet wine—it does not taste as delectable yet costs three times as much.
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Served at annual Wine Pigs dinner at Volt with third course of foie gras, quince, hazelnut brioche, and crystal lettuce. Absolutely delicious and everything we expected it to be. Just approaching puberty and showing that other worldly complexity unique to d'Yquem. A perfect match with the extremely generous portion of foie gras which was a meal in itself. Wow!
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Birthday Week; 10/9/2011-10/16/2011 (Galveston, TX): Not as golden as the previous botle. Nose of dried apricot, peach, honey, orange zest, spice. On the palate, apricot, peach, pineapple, honey. Still has the vibrant acididty and nice long finish. Simply not as nuanced as the last bottle.
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After dragging this wine half way around the world for 10 years, I try it at midnight after a fantastic flight of wines including 82, 86 & 93 Las Cases and a few decent barolos. Kev fried up some foie gras for the tasting and to give us strength. One of our drinking partners was escorted home due to poor form. I recall a lovely d'Yquem, sure it will be better in a few years. Everything you expect it to be.
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Apricot, candied lemon rind and white figs on the nose. A tiny bit of mint. The palate is sweet with honey and apricot hard candy. Great, long finish with lots of cleansing acidity. Awesome.
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Glorious golden hue, with tropical fruit\ and light butterscotch on the nose. Viscous quality yet light on its feet. Could be a little smoother but already has great depth and complexity. Not nearly as good as the 1990 i had last year but hopefully with time this will blossom some more.
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Dreamtasting #2 (Restaurant de Watermolen, Kasterlee): (*, open label) Colour seems evolved and mature for this age. Liqueur-like bouquet with hints of tuttifrutti, apricot and peach. Lots of botrytis. Although this is a wonderful wine and definitely a treat to drink it, I felt this bottle was performing under par. Too much development for its age. 17/20
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Apricots and peach of course. Beautiful botrytis and great concentration. Nevertheless the wine did not extremely impress. It was too evolved on the palate. An off bottle? I don't know the history of the bottle and I will score it anyway for future reference.
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This wine started slow but finisuhed huge. It took about an hour and a half...full to medium body. Penty of pear, appricot and lemon with a nice touch of honey. Excellent treat!
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gold. nose of apricot, coconut, botrytis. luscious mouth, thick and sweet but with lots of acidity and a touch of oxidised flavour. very long. I had it with chicken, cheese, roquefort, and caramelised pineapple (which tasted watery in comparison to the wine). I think best on its own.
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Fantastic. As usual, the tough question is whether to parcel off small swills so I can prolong the pleasure or retreat to the bedroom with a glass of this ambrosia and drink it one lick at a time.
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Another magnificent Yquem! Deep golden color, with gorgeous nose plenty of tropical fruits, honey and a hint of rubber. Full-bodied with creamy texture and flavors of honey, bee-wax, orange peel, caramel and quince. Endless aftertaste.
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My first Yquem, and overall impression was that while it was technically excellent (appearance, nose, palate, length etc all top notch), I wasn't really taken away by the wine. Comparing it to Suduiraut 1990, it was only marginally better (and not really justifying the markup). Perhaps my preferences in sweet wines are with rieslings, madeira and other fortifieds (and not Sauternes).
Light gold with tinge of green at the rim. Exceptional pungent botrytis on the nose, with a line of ripe peach dominating throughout. There is a beautiful line of acid which holds the wine together, the botrytis from the nose continues on the palate, accompanied by a slight tartness, and a charred peach-apricot note. Quite unctious and oily in texture. Extreme length on this one - 30+ seconds.
If Sauternes is your thing, this will definitely float your boat.
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Really delicious, although I was surprized that it seemed "less unique" than I sort of expected, given the reputation. A soft golden yellow with tears on the walls of the glass. Nose is multifaceted with sweet orange blossoms, rose hips, marzipan, vanilla, hints of spices, very exotic. Sweet but surprisingly structured, fruit tastes of apricot compote, orange marmalade, with great lift, mid-section suggests malt, extremely long finish. Acidity to pair well with the fois gras we served for New Years eve.
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This is a good wine but for this price I can enjoy other Sauternes that cost 75% less, Left some for the day after and it stayed the same so there is many years to come for this wine.
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This was pretty revelatory. Golden hue in the glass. All sorts of stuff going on with the nose, including apricot, peach, honey, caramel. Carries the flavors of a more viscous attack, but is light and fresh in body, with a less overbearing style that coats the mouth with a a finely-tuned and balanced array of more apricot, caramel, spice, smoky vanilla and great acidity. The finish just lingers. Had my last sip of this two hours ago, and its still there on the tip of tongue. Really a fantastic wine whose multi-layered flavors and simultaneous mouth-coating qualities and airy lightness were eye opening.
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Gold with green reflexes. Explosive nose of coconut, peach, apricot, pineapple. Mouth more on peach/apricot, perfectly balanced and very very long. delicious! still on its way up for sure.
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Orange-gold in color. An incredibly seductive and layered nose of orange liqueur, pineapple, spices, honey, smoke, and bourbon vanilla. Equally complex and voluptuous on the palate, but you’re astonished how rich it is and yet manages to remain so fresh and fleet on its feet – if you were to pair this with foie gras, for example, there’s certainly enough acidity to cleanse all the fat away. The balance is exquisite on all sides. The beautifully sustained finish of honeyed apricot and cream lingers on forever, and it’s so good it makes me not want to put anything else in my mouth for minutes afterward. My first taste of d’Yquem, and it lived up to my expectations in every way.
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Kaukana edellisestä kokemuksesta. Tällä kertaa verrattiin Alois Kracherin TBA 11 (38€) ja yquem hävisi vertailun. Kyseinen pullo on tosin seilannut ruotsi-suomi väliä siljalla mahdollisesti vuosia, lieko vaikutusta?
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My first time with Yquem, so some nerves. Luminous gold as it rested in a little antique decanter. Not much on the nose - some cool deep scents with a little botrytis, but no revelation. But then. A joyful, forceful attack. Ravishing. And pulse after pulse of flavour to the point where I began to laugh - not a reaction I generally have to wine. The sensation echoes for several minutes. Drunk for G's birthday, accompanied by the final act of Rosenkavalier.
Light golden hue-faint botrytis,lemon rind,honeyed apricots. Light and fresh with nice adicity. Served blind-Never would have guessed a Big D based on the color on palate. Nice wine but not a wow for me.91-92
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Suduiraut Vertical: Amazing nose with walnuts and lots of layered complex aromas. Palate doesn't live up to the 2001 Suduiraut that we were tasting. It is good and balanced but palate is simple by comparison.
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Fresh, lively and with that beautiful combination of syrupy viscosity but gravity-free float. Side by side with 96 in halves, it was the better wine by a country mile.
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Popped and poured. Deep golden color. Initially a slight band aid odor that disappeared quickly. Nose of dried apricot, pineapple, peach, honey, coconut, toffee, orange zest, nice botrytis spice. On the palate, OMFG, how can something feel so viscous, yet dance on the tongue, flavors of apricot, peach, toffee, honey, orange marmalade, pineapple. Long long finish with vibrant acidity. Extraordinary now. Could it get better? Drink or hold. There is a reason that d'Yquem commands the premium price. Great experience with a great wine.
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Outstanding! What kept my score at 95 was on the palate: not the depth of flavors I was expecting. However, still an incredibly delicious wine with a big nose of honey, apricot and stone fruits. The finish kept the tastes lingering for what seemed like forever.
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Delicious, this bottle still incredibly young tasting, but the color looked medium apricot gold. Full palate of flavors and long finish. Can't wait to try another one.
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A hot vintage with earliest recorded harvest on September 4th. Typical golden hue. Expressive and impressive nose with honey and good botrytis character. Oily texture with flavours of tropical fruits and marzipan. Nicely balanced with good acidity. Rich finish and good length. This is a big, structured wine that will last for a long time. It doesn't have the astonishing complexity of other vintages I have had, but it's still a memorable wine. Estimated maturity: 2009-2030+
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What a great wine! The deep golden color, initially metaluc nose, and then after the first swirl - an explosion of appricot vanilla. Sweet and complex taste, but not overpowering. Fantastic wine.
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I don't get too much on the nose but in the mouth it is fabulous, very balanced, predominantly apricots for me, goes on and on. There was a touch of woodiness on the nose which I don't think was supposed to be there - maybe it was very slightly corked but not enough to spoil the enjoyment. Half bottle and my only one.
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Un moment magique, que j’attendais depuis longtemps. Un nez difficilement descriptible tant il est complexe et magnifique : crème brûlée, fumée, abricots, zeste d’orange, ananas, miel et biscuits à thé. Les saveurs se succèdent à un rythme effréné. La bouche suit avec une texture hors du commun, caressante, satinée, à la fois dense, onctueuse, opulente, lisse et délicate. Un équilibre impeccable. La finale est longue et sur les fruits à chair blanche. La magie opère; de grandes émotions. La plus grande bouteille de vin bue à ce jour. Merci ChicoResh. 96-97
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Leslie’s: Wow--this had more burnt caramel, upsidedown cake, carmelized brown sugar, toasty earthiness with serious stuffing character. Really nice bal, but not as light and pure as the Baumard Quarts de C. Grt.
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Wow!! Still young with a nose of honey, marzipan, subtle orange zesty and raisins. The mouth was filled with tender sweetness and a rich palate. Good acidity, gorgeous creamy, caramel finish. Group average 96.6 (#5).
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judgment of chicago-California Cabs vs Bordeaux (Chicago IL, Ward's): nose: beautiful and very youthful with perfectly balanced tones of coconut, apricots, white florals, all sorts of peach tones and bits of nectarines. There is a bit of shyness on the nose right now, but extremely deep and well layered
taste: very precise and deep tones of apricots, peaches, melons, and loads of white florals that are so well layered and lush. There is a real lovely medium weight to the wine that seems to want to let some extra time add to it
overall: a beautiful young d'yquem. This seemed to hold back a bit, but there was such a beautiful and somewhat precocious feel to it that should really blossom with more time
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The color is liquid yellow gold, very impressive. The nose--not so impressive. It had dried apricot, some mint and a nutty and/or cardboard aroma, also fairly closed. The palate, however, was one of the most complex we've ever tasted. Tertiary (and maybe even quaternary!) flavor groups on the palate. At the front it's big, round, sweet and viscous. Next comes an orangey-mint, fresh burst of citrus acidity. It's followed by a maple syrup, sweet honey and buttery turn, and ends with a long, full, buttery, honey, sweet, menthol finish that seems to last forever. Dried apricot, honey and almonds seem to be present throughout. It grew on us, a lot.
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Nez très Yquem, très bon, mais plus simple que le 98 que j'ai préféré (et qui est 100$ de moins). Très chocolaté, le plus botrytisé de mes expériences Yquem. La longueur en bouche est impressionante. 991/1000
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probably my least favorite vintage of this classic wine. showing a bit clunky tonight. not flabby in the traditional low acid sense (although it could use some extra), but rather exhibiting low botrytis.
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Medium to light gold colour. Absolutely gorgeous mesmorizing nose of fresh citrus mingled with dried fruit and hazelnut. Wonderful flavours of zesty citrus with honey and toffee. Fantastic length. This is so easy to drink. It went perfect;y with a date and nut flan (better match without the cream!). Will try to keep the other bottle for 3-5 years if I can.
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I tasted once from normal bottle since released...young but no hard edge...superb 97/100.
Today quite ready from the half-bottle, very beautiful nose of typical Yquem, every scent is set to be great complexity. The body is not as dense as 1990, lovely full-elegant-bodied, The aftertaste is very smooth, long, linger and superb.
Very lightly colored. The nose is very young: some apricot, botrytis, lemon and more. The structure is fantastic, very good acid. It tastes of dried fruit, with some (bitter) orange zest in the finish. The finish goes on forever. It is extremely well made; clear and opulent, well structured but still light and elegant. Outstanding!
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Super complex and exotic showing notes of coconut ice, vanilla, canned pineapple, mango and wood spice. There is so much full throttle Sauternes action that one marvels how the whole package remains in check, but the typical d’Yquem energy buzzes and bristles through the wine elevating all nuances whilst maintaining restraint.
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from 375 ml. when is this wine ever actually bad? none in my experience, but this is near the bottom. thin and very mundane/tentative in the midpalate with a relatively short finish.
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Drunk from my cellar after a tasting of Von Buhl (Pfalz). Wow! The wine was a little too warm, but still it exploded from the glass. Because of the temperature and because the wine is still very young, it seemed a little alcoholic but this disappeared soon. It has a very complex, delicious nose, you just keep sniffing and sniffing it. The texture of the wine is less fat than I expected, although it is still sticky (I poored the wine out of a caraf and licked it of my fingers when I spilled some...). Also a lot of wood in the beginning, but this soon evolved into the right vanilla-tones you want in a sweet wine. This is indeed an other world wine.
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Tasted on Silja symphony in restaurant bon vivant. This is the first d'yquem I've tasted(not the last) and I was so blown away that I didn't write any tasting note. So this note is written afterwards Nose: Very intensive, honey, botrytis Palate: Full-bodied. Thick and sweet. Powerfull and very very harmonious. Incredibly long aftertaste. I fell in love
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Tasted February 15,2008 at Lake Louise Post Hotel Yquem tasting. This wine had a very strong petroleum smell to it and the balance seemed to be off. I was not a fan.
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Rich, balanced, and light on it's feet despite the depth and palate presence. Great flavors of caramel, apricots, nectarines on the palate with some extra floral notes on the nose. Impressive finish.
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This is the second year in a row that Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus enjoyed a dessert wine while they wrapped presents, and adorned the Christmas tree with gifts. Last year, it was Far Niente. This year -- things moved up to a higher level. This is a magnificent wine. A beautiful carmel, orange, honey color. A rich, sweet, semi-moldy orange-blossom nose. But the real treat is how it tastes. This is rich, without being too rich; and sweet, without being too sweet; and polished, without being over-the-top. The best way to describe this nectar is balanced. A nice balance between the hint of underlying acid, and the wonderfully, oily, fruit and sugar. What I really like is how the Yquem achieves a richness without being heavy or over-bearing. There is something about this wine that creates a sense of relaxed calm following the chaos that only parents of young children over-excited with anticipation of morning can appreciate. A mini-vacation on the eve of a wonderful traditional day filled with chaos, family, memories, magic, and echoes of christmas's past and long ago.
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Medium straw saturation. Nose of white spring flowers, tangerine, marmalade followed by flavors of sweet honeysuckle, lots of baked pears and brown sugared apricots. Dang! Real, real, real nice!
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South Florida does Lafleur (Cafe Maxx, Pompano Beach, Florida): Surprising weak. Nicely sweet and tasty, but just the barest hint of botrytis. At age ten, of course it isn't mature, but the baby fat should have worn off and the instrinsic power should be detectable. Pretty flavors of pineapple, peach and orange peel. It's okay - but this is YQUEM and the expectations are great. From limited tastings, I believe the '99 is better.
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Oh no, I have just comitted infanticde. Bought a half bottle for the wifes birthday - we knew we would be killing it by drinking it, but what pleasure, what an experience. The half bottle lasted us 2 days. A small small glass of this goes a long way and we just sat there smelling and laughing and smelling and sipping. Even when the glass was empty you could smell the wine at such huge levels of pungency that you dont need to drink this to enjoy it. The wine sticks to the glass like glue and there are so many aromas and so many levels to strike me speechless. Previous reviewers of this wine explain much more eloquently than myself the flavours and smells of this wine - all I can say is that I can still taste it and still smell it. Everyone who subscribes to this website should at some point in their life drink this wine despite its cost. Unforgettable.
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Medium rich with honeyed, tropical fruit notes and vanilla. This is a very well made Yquem, perfectly balancing acidity and sweetness. But, it lacks the concentration, depth and level of botrytis found in the best years. For my palate, this is probably what a vintage like 70 or 71 tasted like young.
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University Settlement dinner (Christies): very volatile, smells of insecticide, vibrant acidity in the mouth offers excellent balnce to the, no doubt, high level of rs. Really quite lithe on the palate notes of honey, roasted nuts, and dried fruits, papaya, pineapple and apricot but this wine is hot, hot, hot and it was served at about 65F. Between the volatility and heat this is only good at best.
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My first taste of d'Yquem - from 1/2 bottle. Simply a remarkable nose of pineapple, honey and tropical flowers - I never wanted to stop sniffing it. In the mouth it's so thick and balanced. Just a really heady experience!
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A wealth of fruit, but lower levels of acidity failed to give this the zip of top bottles of Yquem. I will hold remaining bottles for at least 5-10 years to see if that big fruit begins to develop secondary characteristics. At present, it is all apricot marmalade. If it does develop these characteristics, my rating will be off-base to the low side.
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Yquem Tasting (Robersons Wine, London): Light gold, a dumb nose, with a hint of spicy oak. Lighter in style with lower concentration, but none the worse for it, apporachable now and a very enjoyable wine.
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Had at Cowboy Cioa with dessert and it is not my style. Sweet apricot flavor with medicine finish. Won't put a score since I can't base it on anything.
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Heavyweight Sauternes despite its youth. On day one the fruit is fresh and honeyed with a very suave texture and a viscous mouthfeel. A week after opening, the the fruit turns darker and the honeyed botrytis influence takes up more of the foreground. It also leaves a heavier footprint and comes off a bit less refined. A lot of flavor comes from the botrytis itself with the wine not tasting especially sweet by Sauternes standards. I think it is better suited to serve with an appropriate food course than as a dessert wine or after-dinner drink.
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Dinner at the Wine Cask (The Wine Cask, Santa Barbara, CA): Orange, apricot marmelade flavors with some acidity. Given its relative youth it seemed more ready to drink I would have expected. Possibly a little low on acid? but still great wine. The question is just how long to age these.
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Orange marmalade, candied apricot, and lemon cream pie on the nose. A weighty palate with a cotton candy spongy texture. Pure and very clean, with good length in the flavor and acidity. Great concentration but, like the last time I had this, just a bit cloying.
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I know it is young, but so am I. No regrets about opening this one. Perfect balance and a lightness that escapes all other producers. I was glad to share this with people whom, despite limited wine experience, were able to derive real pleasure from the experience. WOTN. 50+5+12+20+10=97
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DRC Tasting at Classics Restaurant: A forward, fat d'Yquem. Marmalade and candied apricot nose. A spongy "cotton candy" mouthfeel with intense fruit, good concentration, but slightly deficient in the acidic backbone. A solid wine, but a very mediocre d"Yquem. ***
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Tasting at Wine and Cheese Show - The highlights: I had just a small pour, but the orangy yellow hue was evident. The nose was creamy citrus flavors, with a hint of the oak. Taste is the classic sweet yquem, big, I got pineapples, and oranges. The slightest hints of cream brule show through. Nice to taste now, seemless and elegant with decent acids, but you know there is so much more complexity to come. After i fiished the wine I walked around the show and just smelled the my glass for about 15 minutes and the caramel notes were just unreal. Yup, need some for the cellar in 30 years.
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Bright golden in color. At first whiff candied citrus peel vaults from the glass. This is followed by ripe candied apricot, honey and slight pear. Wow. The acid is right in balance if not slightly on the low side. With a little time, these candied notes blow off to express a greater purity of fruit. Seamless. This is a rare treat. The spicy mouthfeel last for 20+ seconds and is mouthcoating. On the finish I find hints of mild vanilla, sweet biscuits and the slightest hint of smoke.
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1997 Yquem, Sauternes/Barsac, Bordeaux, France Golden yellow in color. Strong scents of apricot, honey, and roasted sugar. Thick, dense and oily in texture with gobs of ripe fruit. Very intense and vanilla-fused in flavor with wonderful complexity of sweetness, balanced out by fresh, ripe acid. Firmly built with lots of stuffing for long keeping - however, I would not hesitate opening up a bottle, the wine is great right now. Long aftertaste. Great! 96 points
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from ½ bottle;. Rich, yellow, honey-like colour. Very intense bouquet on notes of vanilla, créme brulée, roasted almonds and honey. Large bodied with dazzling purity and freshness, coupled with superb intensity and concentration of flavour. Well structured with excellent balance and harmony and a long, long smooth and velvet-like aftertaste. I like this wine as is now. Maybe it'll get better with time. But I loved it for drinking right now...
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3/29/2024 - evanqian wrote: 95 Points
Night of sweet wines with Lianzijia (Newmarket, Auckland): from 750ml bottle. dark with brown hue. marmalade, apricot jam, honeysuckle and caramel, with a little nut and crème brûlée, dense texture, sufficient acidity to support a large-scale and balanced structure, good on density and length.
It's a bit oxidised, having some port-like flavours, which is not favoured, however, in a rare chance to taste a 27-year-old d'Yquem, how can I expect freshness, I accept it as a flavour of age.
Alc 13.9%, TA 4.8 g/L, RS 120 g/L
Ap 5/5, Ar 12/15, Palate 18/20, Overall 5+5/10
Total 95/100
NM 93 (Vinous 04/2022)
RH 17.5 (JR 02/2020)
LPB 95 (WA 08/2019)
JM 96 (WS 11/2014)
RP 96 (WA 04/2003)
JS 95 (WS 04/2003)
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2/24/2024 - Handy1 wrote: 95 Points
Out of half bottle. Dark amber/brown color. Over all balanced sweetness and acidity maybe touch acidity fading. Drink up out of a half
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2/9/2024 - ankitmehra Likes this wine: 97 Points
Four Decades of Left Bank Bordeaux with Friends (New York): After tasting a 1968 Château Latour, 1970 Château Palmer, 1986 Château Lynch-Bages and 1995 Château Haut-Brion on the night, it was an unbelievable feeling when our WOTN was the last bottle we opened: a demi of 1997 Château d'Yquem. There's never an occasion where mature d'Yquem doesn't steal the limelight, but that first whiff of tropical fruits (pineapple and mango) off the nose, coupled with oak and honeysuckle just lure you into such an elegant example of Sauternes. The palate had an upfront that had a very pronounced mango note that was balanced out with quince before the mid-palate introduced a light pineapple note that was elevated with baking spices. The finish added some weight and (relative) youthfulness with notes of herbs, licorice and vanilla, rounding out the wine extremely well. Late 1990s Château d'Yquem is in a great spot right now.
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2/3/2024 - Papies wrote:
The power of a story grows with every retelling (Restaurant Story, London): From half bottle.
This divided us a bit as Nicol really liked it while Andreas was a bit put off but it even at times questioning its health. A bit of a marmite wine in a way and for sure being an Yquem will always trigger this. We will leave the for another day though.
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12/22/2023 - Jamieson12o Likes this wine:
From half. Not rated (but delicious!). Christmas 2023.
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12/8/2023 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
From half this was drinking well. Some honey and dried apricot notes and a touch of vanilla spice. Moderate sweetness through the mid and a fresh and energetic finish that powers on and on.
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12/7/2023 - Raage Likes this wine: 93 Points
(CDV)
Ce soir là, après de jolies quilles (palais fatigués ?), il se présentait, riche et concentré, offrant un équilibre de garde (pas de lourdeur)
Puissant, assez opulent, d’une aromatique élégante et complexe, il était fort heureusement tempéré par l’accord sur le pamplemousse confit. L’amertume du dessert venait calmer la sucrosité et les 14° du vin…
93+
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9/6/2023 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
From half bottle, this was singing. A delightful core of sweet luscious orchard fruits. Plenty of honey and the usual Yquem coconut ice. Wonderful balancing acidity. Quite complete.
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8/5/2023 - chbeaumont wrote: 93 Points
Amber; muffled nose, Dundee marmalade, herb tinged, bergamot; spicy, big, intensely sweet, treacle; extended finish. Will age further but has peaked.
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7/27/2023 - d'Artagnan wrote: 98 Points
Offerte par Demis à la pêche.
Un nez d’abricot rôti, sucre d’orge, un peu de cannelle, écorces d’orange. La concentration et la longueur sont phénoménales, avec une complexité aromatique, bien sûr, exceptionnelle, sur des notes de pêche et de pain d’épices. Finale expansive, large, fabuleuse. Un vin d’anthologie. 98 pts
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5/20/2023 - JerM wrote: 95 Points
(Hume Park) Rich bright amber golden in glass, ripe apricot, tight acidity, honey marmalade, mandarins, white pepper, hint ginseng and root herbs, layered. Hallabong oranges, hints cocoa dust. Layered.
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4/30/2023 - KVM wrote:
from 375 ml. Medium orange. Toasted wheat, overripe peach, cantaloupe nose, some volatile acidity. Sweet, concentrated, tingly acid, tropical fruit, the aftertaste goes on and on. fabulous way to end the evening.
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4/1/2023 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 93 Points
Old Bordeaux in Tokyo (Brasserie Paul Bocuse): With Chatters, Vintomas and Mats @Brasserie Paul Bocuse. Theme: Old Bordeaux.
2023-04-01
Fantastic!
Intense coconut shavings and intense pleasures.
Perfect acidity and sweetness.
Needs time!
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4/1/2023 - chatters wrote:
Cellartracker in the flesh with Stefan, Akiko, Mats & Tomas (Paul Boucasse, Tokyo): "Served blind from half bottle
Toffee apple, cream, caramel, candied peel, orange marmalade, a little muscovado sugar. Medium plus intensity acidity, very toffee apple backed by citrus, marmalade and a touch of apricot…a little textured burr and sweet spice complete the picture.
I guessed d'Yquem 89"
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2/6/2023 - ricknat1 wrote: 94 Points
Very nice but a little green at the end. Ma give t more air
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1/15/2023 - dharrison93 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Brilliant. Drank with friends following a long travel day.
Clean honey gold with orange.
Dazzling nose of vibrant apricots, marmalade marzipan and hints of baked apple pie.
If a date, this was a 33 year old Harvard MBA grad: Brilliant + exhilarating company.
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12/30/2022 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine: 95 Points
WOTD at our lunch. Golden caramel and sweet without cloying. You get a multitude of flavours from brandy to more typical botyrized pineapple.
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12/27/2022 - sh6k Likes this wine: 96 Points
Light golden color — the “Sauternes” crayon from the box. Vibrant acidity in perfect balance with the syrupy thickness. All the fruits and perfume. Great drinking right now.
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12/27/2022 - voldous wrote: 99 Points
Biased due to sentimental place this vintage of d'yquem holds for me, but the mouth feel is unparalleled. The perfect balance between a younger (crisper, lighter) and an older (syrupy) sauternes. Taste is perfect amount of sweet and the range of aromas is hard to even summarize (but doesn't overwhelm)
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12/17/2022 - MasterWis wrote: 92 Points
Not too clear on why this is considered a great Sauternes Vintage, volume maybe? Slightly unbalanced to my taste, lacks some acidity to make it great. Super good nevertheless, it is Yquem, but not up there with the bests.
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12/5/2022 - oenanthe Likes this wine: 96 Points
Greatest Hits of the 1980s and 1990s Bordeaux (Hawksmoor Guildhall): A coppery colour, neither light nor dark, like lit burnished brass. Glowing and limpid. There is pineapple, lime, caramel, cinnamon and a lot more besides. A wine to get lost in, or to reminisce with. Some sniffs reminded me of a Chelsea Sidecar which is made of gin, lemon and triple-sec. Very complex and multidimensional, it is astonishing that grapes can be made to do this. On the palate it is fresh as a daisy (after only a quarter of a century - the youngest wine of the night!), very little unctuousness at all vs my expectation of a syrupy quality. Needless to say it is delicious, apricots, orange marmalade, lime, quince - you name it, it is probably there - and the smallest sips go on forever. With apple crumble, and then on its own at the end of the meal. Wonderful way to finish and I rather floated (well, rolled...) home. An excellent way to dispose of one of my few remaining full bottles of sweet wine - I am all about the 375s these days. Voted WOTN by most of us.
NB I bought this many years ago in the wine section of Waitrose, which nowadays seems absurd.
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12/5/2022 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 95 Points
Greatest Hits of the 1980s & 1990s Bordeaux (Hawksmoor Guildhall, London, UK): A real treat to end the evening. The nose is beguiling and I could sniff it all evening. To start there is a lime oil quality then there is some charred pineapple. I once had this in a Brazilian rodízio in Bristol and am transported back to that moment. There is something in the cherry spectrum, morello liquour perhaps. Palate is just terrific. Goes on for nearly a minute. There is more of the tropical fruit here some papaya and little quince . With some time a little creamy spearmint and a charming torn tarragon leaf savouriness. I haven’t mentioned the acidity, but it was perfect. The prefect foil to the fruit medley. Such a treat. Outstanding.
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10/26/2022 - Alex G. wrote:
Gorgeous orange color, sweet but not cloying, this is a delightful wine. Served from magnum, it's possible that 750's might not be as vibrant at this stage.
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10/23/2022 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A lovely Yquem starting to darken but drinking very nicely and as always the perfect end to a meal
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10/16/2022 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 95 Points
Simply a fabulous desert wine!
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10/15/2022 - Rogershkg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking well still
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9/15/2022 - Renevin Likes this wine:
Très foncé. Nez caramel. En bouche belle rondeur, final sur le caramel. Apparaît très évolué
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9/3/2022 - Michael Hung Likes this wine: 95 Points
The Grill Dinner: [Yquem flight at The Grill]
Caramel, toffee, darkened sugar (not as bitter as burnt), rum raisin, dates, candied pineapple. Balanced and complex, perhaps slightly cloying, but is the best Yquem of the flight as it has the perfect amount of complexity right now.
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7/11/2022 - NJG-323879 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted from a half bottle and served to finish a menu (at Chateau de Courcelles). Drinking very well. Lingering aftertast including numerous shades of caramel and honey.
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6/20/2022 - Vas19 wrote: 91 Points
Decent complexity, wish there was a bit more acid as it leaves a lingering sweetness on the tongue. Not a great value for me.
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6/19/2022 - Ozsnapper Likes this wine: 94 Points
It was nice but not what I had been anticipating for an Yquem. Great balance but not as complex as expected. Definitely not wowed by this wine which in my opinion you should be given the pedigree.
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5/14/2022 - Radboy wrote: 95 Points
Delightful wine. Plenty of caramel, honey, and orange marmalade. Bits of lychee and a hint of cinnamon. Medium bodied with a nice, but not long, finish.
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5/8/2022 - streethawk Likes this wine:
Amber colour. Nose and palate reveal masses of honey, caramel, toffee, ripe tropical fruits. Terrific acidity keeps this in balance. Unctuous, mouth filling, and incredibly long. Great complexity. No hurry to drink this, but will be hard to resist!
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5/1/2022 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 95 Points
Another great showing since the last time in 2021. Very well balanced wine with a nice finish. Liquid candy. Paired perfectly with crème brûlée. This is in its prime. Didn’t take long to open up in the glass. Hard to say when this wine will rollover but it won’t matter much since none of us will be around.
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3/11/2022 - DCHawkeye wrote: 96 Points
Drank with the foie gras appetizer at La Piquette in DC and finished with dessert. Outstanding bottle, and in a great place.
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12/16/2021 - Raage Likes this wine: 95 Points
(CDV)
5 ans après, je le préfère largement. Il s'est affiné, se montrant digeste et frais, concentré certes, mais avec cette sensation d'acidité en finale, il ne fatiguait jamais!
Un très bel équilibre donc, un Yquem raffiné, étiré, racé, doté de la belle longuer des grands vins...
Il ira peut-être plus loin que 2032
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11/25/2021 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 95 Points
It’s been 5 years since my last bottle and the color has darkened significantly. 2 hour decant which is completely necessary. I paired this with apple pie. What a perfect combo. This wine has great balance and a long finish. I’m guessing this is in its prime but I suppose it depends how you like these. No rush to drink these. Revisit 2025
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11/18/2021 - RichardP wrote: 94 Points
Orange marmalade and caramel on the nose. On the palate, marmalade, apricot, and pineapple, with notes of honey and yellow apple on the long finish, with good acidity.
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11/6/2021 - chbeaumont wrote: 94 Points
Amber; honeyed, caramel toffee; spiced toffee apple, intense. Towering finish, lingering.
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11/5/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 96 Points
Stunning example. Orange marmalade, honey, caramel, apricots, pineapple. So many flavors and layers. Not petrol, but a similar oil type aroma on the nose that just added to the complexity. Why even bother with dessert itself when there is this wine?
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10/26/2021 - aagrawal wrote: 95 Points
Dinner with the wine group (Zazie's, San Francisco): From 375mL. Deep golden, hint of orange, slightly darker than the '96 Yquem along side it; intensely aromatic while popping the cork and in the glass, baking spice, almost a mint-flavored smoke, core of underlying orange marmalade, smoked honey, complex and interesting aromas; palate is full bodied, richly textured sweetness, medium-plus acidity (slightly less than the '96 but still in balance), medium-plus alcohol (14%) which comes across as a touch less than the '96, pure orange fruit throughout (which I describe as a crystalline fruit in previous notes); long finish, clean, flavorful with orange fruit, slight twinge of bitter orange peel, slight sweetness. Plenty of room for development over 2 decades. 94+
4 hours air: delicious but a half-step behind the ‘96 with a bit less acidity and a more rounded mouthfeel. Lost that slight smoky character from when I first opened it. Enjoyable now and I'm glad I opened it, but it will develop another gear with more cellar time, though probably never hit the heights of vintages like '88-'90.
Day 2: Color still slightly darker than the '96, golden-orange; nose still complex and largely similar to yesterday, not showing any oxidation or fading; palate tasted first (ie: not in comparison to the '96) shows excellent balanced acidity, balanced sweetness, delicious mature fruit flavors, but still with plenty of youth; finish is long. 95+ today, and still of the opinion that this will improve for decades.
Another retaste: every time I come back to this, it's a little different. Not just spice and fruit, but sometimes a hint of mint, or a hint of smoke, or a bit of musk or funk, or a hint of burnt caramel. It shifts faster than the '96, which is a bit more steady in its presentation.
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8/12/2021 - peterchoy wrote: 95 Points
Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of medium gold colour, with greenish rims and legs.
Nose: Clean, with pronounced intensity of citrus fruit of lemon and orange marmalade, stone fruit of apricot, tropical fruit of pineapple, maturity notes of honey, dried fruit of raisin, floral notes of blossom, oxidation notes of caramel, sweet spice of cloves. The wine is developing.
Palate: Sweet with high acidity, the wine has medium (+) alcohol, full body and exhibiting pronounced intensity of flavours of citrus fruit of lemon and orange marmalade, stone fruit of apricot, tropical fruit of pineapple, oxidation notes of caramel. The wine has a long finish.
Conclusion: Very good quality Sauternes with an intense nose of great complexity, exhibiting wonderful aromas with elegance. On the palate the wine has amazing balance, with the sweetness and acidity in perfect harmony. The flavours are very concentrated with also an exceptional length. It is ready to drink now and can maintain for another 8-10 years.
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7/6/2021 - englishman's claret wrote: 94 Points
This particular example wasn't quite as articulate as a bottle a few years ago, while it could easily have come down to storage variation or decanting time. With about an hour and a half of air, I found this to be much more powerful, showing off a primarily apricot profile, accented by verbena and tropical nuances. Despite the fact that this showed young, the profound depth on the nose and palate (with beautiful balance and length) was obvious.
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5/9/2021 - Oscaro Likes this wine: 94 Points
Korta noter från minnet
Klassisk yquem med en kraft i doft och smak som bara Yquem bränt smör, saffran och hyacint. Lång eftersmak med balanserad syra. I en fin fas nu även om den håller i evigheter.
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4/29/2021 - Oeno_PHIL wrote: flawed
Complètement oxydé, déception..
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4/10/2021 - dr g Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nice!
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4/3/2021 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
opened 3 hours prior to serving.
lovely gold color, gorgeously floral nose, ethereal mousse, caramel, on the palate Yquem at its most elegant and finessed, marmalade tones, pineapple, a core of dark mousse to anchor the softly undulating waves of honeyed fruit dancing with a subtle precision normally reserved for a great Mosel Auslese, long fragrant finish, along with the 1986- my favorite Yquem of our generation, effortless and celestial- yet with all of the savories and gripping flavors of the more robust vintages given the greatest general acclaim, its selflessly harmonious character also makes it the perfect companion to so many dishes or desserts, what a perfect pairing for floating islands! In a very good place with decades of intellectual and emotional pleasure ahead.
*****, now to 2050+
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3/29/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
This is one of the better buys for Chateau d'Yquem these days. What a beautiful expression of sweet wine. The nose pops with sweet, ripe and overripe pineapple, apricots, spice, coconut, creme de caramel, candied orange rind and butterscotch. Rich, sweet, lusciously textured waves of honey-coated tropical fruits on the mid-palate, that come along with the right shot of acidity make this an effortless sweet treat to drink. This is fabulous today and it is only going to get better from here for the next 2-3 or 4 decades!
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3/6/2021 - Rogershkg Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious, the fruit comes out, sweetness just right gentle and not overpowering
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2/14/2021 - schan109 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar note. Opened and decanted for 30 min before serving. Honey and caramel. Full body and delicious with intense yet balanced sweet. Not overall complex but enjoyable.
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2/5/2021 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped'n poured with dessert for the gf's birthday dinner at La Piquette, this was a perfect accompaniment, with its caramel and tropical fruit notes, the sweetness perfectly balanced by the acidity.
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12/18/2020 - schan109 Likes this wine: 94 Points
2020 Winter Solstice: PnP. Honey and caramel. Full body and delicious with intense yet balanced sweet. Not overall complex but enjoyable.
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12/17/2020 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Double blind. Immediately in Sauternes with a big, deep nose of honeyed orchard fruits with caramel as well. Nicely found and lush with a delicious flavor profile and nice balance.
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12/17/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Wines that a Burgundy Drinking Group Will Enjoy: Semi-Virtual Blind Tasting (Northside of Chicago): Double blind. Seemed obviously Sauternes, with so much depth, even if not as complex or layered as the best vintages of d’Yquem. Very good now.
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11/28/2020 - Tylerk wrote: 94 Points
A thanksgiving dessert with a mini carrot cake- from 375ml as just two of us thanks to covid....just delicious and doing great now- beautiful amber color and perfect sweetness with hint of classic pineapple - is there such a thing as a bad yquem?
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8/29/2020 - Topper wrote: 97 Points
No need to describe this as there are so many notes. This is completely in ints sweet spot right now and I would recommend drinking a bottle now if you have this. It's great and I'm not certain it will continue to get better.
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8/22/2020 - Ispendtoomuchmoneyonwine wrote: 89 Points
From magnum this seemed a bit off virtually no nose, in the mouth it was very good but this was a tired bottle
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8/15/2020 - DickMull wrote: 95 Points
Enjoyed out of 375ml after a fairly elaborate Bordeaux wine dinner. Out of the 5 excellent wines consumed that night (including a First Growth), this was the clear winner. With flavors of honey, toasted nuts, white flowers, apricots, and grilled peaches, the best part was the pairing with a scoop of Foie Gras ice cream. The combination was sublime!
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7/21/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Better than my bottle of seven years ago, but honestly having had a lot of great (e.g. Climens, etc) Sauternes since this time, I'm finding this to be pleasant>good, and not very good>excellent. Could be an off bottle, I suppose. Or, I've just become pickier. NR
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6/30/2020 - Rogershkg Likes this wine: 93 Points
As usual beautiful sweet white wine. The grapes shine through
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6/10/2020 - tanduybui wrote: flawed
Did not have the usual zest of spice and depth. Mostly got honey and sweetness although the finish was outstanding. We bought this bottle from the secondary market through our wine retailer so provenance may be an issue here!
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6/6/2020 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
consistent with notes of 10/20/2019
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2/29/2020 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
UWS Leap year dinner (@ CdW and KvdK): Honey, apricots and botrytis in the bouquet. Same on the palate. Beautiful and elegant acidity beside the sweetness. 95 - 96
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12/10/2019 - Avicenne wrote: flawed
SAQ N° 00704916 277$ la filette
Samedi soir avec entrée de foie gras torchon.
Première expérience avec Yquem.
Première fiole: bouchonnée.
Deuxième semble plus clean, mais nettement plus foncée que la première.
Robe sicco 6066 urne romaine, c'est foncé pas mal. Niveau par contre bon.
Bouquet assez réservé initialement, pas madérisé, caramel, écorce orange un peu, toffee. Discrets arômes florales en arrière.
Bouche aussi timide, du gros toffee. Manque de fraicheur, du crisp. Ca plombe dans l'aile.
Au total, je ne suis pas certain que c'était représentatif de la maison. Ça manquait de miel et d'agrumes et de délicatesse. Peut-être du au millésime. Pas sensé être une fiole VES non plus.
À ré-essayer dans un autre millésime.
NR
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11/22/2019 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 95 Points
Private evening with friends: Glass: Sophienwald White
Perfect half bottle (fill level, cork). Decanted for a few minutes. Clear, glowing amber color. Clean, classic Sauternes nose with some volatile acidity from the high Botrytis level that vanishes with time and air. Dense, but not very appealing/interesting to me.
On the palate the Yquem showed, why it is the “primus inter pares” in Sauternes! I had quite a few Sauternes from different decades over the course of the last weeks, but nothing comparable to this bottle from a mediocre vintage. Very complex with dried apricot, spices, herbs, some exotic fruit. High extract, power and tension. Never broad or chubby. Wonderful racy acidity that balanced the high sugar level quite well. Very long and multi layered. Joyful to drink now, but this wine will easily evolve and improve over the next decades. 94-95
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11/10/2019 - jefiset wrote: 93 Points
Complexe, à point, belle évolution
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11/10/2019 - mclancy10006 wrote: 98 Points
From Magnum. Side by side with 1995 (750 ml). Evolved and deep. Good balance sweet to crispness. Seemed to be more mature than the 95 with that extra complexity you get as these wines age.
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11/9/2019 - S1 Likes this wine:
Charleston Offlineorama V; 11/7/2019-11/10/2019 (The Holy City): from magnum. A baby. Luscious. Apricot, ginger, spice, green herb, orange curd.
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10/20/2019 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 96 Points
Paired perfectly with a three cheese tart w/apple butter, this has intense candied citrus notes, honey and apricot in abundance. An awesome wine.
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9/29/2019 - Topper wrote: 96 Points
Really wonderful tonight. everything you could want in an Yquem at this point of maturity. Full of apricot, honeysuckle, marzipan and other wonderful things plus tons of grip and bracing acidity. A really wonderful wine.
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9/28/2019 - NickA Likes this wine: 94 Points
40th birthday wines (Pied a Terre): Rich, alluring copper colour. A delightful blast of barley sugar on the nose - real lift and energy. Manages to be both broad and focused. Not too sweet and very long.
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8/26/2019 - maxima wrote: 93 Points
Bu au chalet de Bulle (René) avec la gang des Fouduvin pour
ce beau souper weekend Annuel.
OUFF...le petit Jésus en culotte de velours...
quel beau vin,
Faut avouer que le mariage avec ma tarte Tatin était aussi
à la hauteur...les 2 se relançaient.
Pas mal de complexité, caramel, pêches, ananas et
marmelade.
Finale super longue et savoureuse.
C'est superbement bien équilibré aussi...un WOW!
Note à celui qui demande si je goûte réellement aux vins pour
battre le record de CR ...ben OUI JE goute TOUS les vins et
c'est PAS une blague mon affaire!
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5/3/2019 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 92 Points
Enjoyable now, and while not complex this was managable and compact with orange marmelade and apricot notes. Consistent across two bottles.
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4/20/2019 - lepetitchateau wrote: 90 Points
Nicely mature with god vivacious. There was an intriguing orange/grapefruit marmalade thing here. It an epic vintage but lovely.
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4/16/2019 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank from a half bottle. Our notes were very consistent with many of the others here, especially in relation to the 'orange flavours'. Marmalade in abundance. An extremely long finish, and the beauty of D'Yquem to offer a sweet wine that is so balanced and never icky.
Drank with JO and SH in London
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3/30/2019 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine Monuments Man Chapter 4 (Berens am Kai 1 star Restaurant): 1967 was supposed and we recognised later it was 97 so my diasappointment was unfounded. Because Yquem 1967 was my first run to the wine heaven.
This wine was too alcoholic,one dimensional and broad in the finish. Not the elgance and finesse Yquem can reach sometimes. 92-93
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3/15/2019 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 96 Points
Birthday dinner No. 1 at La Piquette - the '97 d'Yquem was, when first tasted years ago, probably the vintage that made me understand that d'Yquem is not like any other Sauternes. It's been well over a decade since I last tasted this, and it's simply beautiful, notes of tropical fruits and caramel, a wonderful accompaniment to La Piquette's Gâteau à l'Orange. There may not be many better ways to celebrate a birthday.
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3/3/2019 - Jeanda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nez classique du sauternais, avec de belles notes de safran et de cardamone. Si le nez n'a rien d'unique, la bouche elle est vraiment magique : on s'attend a être envahi par le sucre, mais absolument rien ne fatigue le palais, comme si le sucre passait par un autre canal pour ne déposer que les arômes riches et opulents, devenus complétement aériens.
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1/27/2019 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very accessible for a young Yquem. But a touch too alcoholic in the finish. Dried fruits as apricot, dates and figs, some honey but not with a perfect concentration and precision as usual. Maybe for the next 10 years . 92-93
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1/5/2019 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep colour, tawny, honey but also shines.
Light bright fragrance, white flowers, honeysuckle, lightly toasty, grilled nuts.
Medium weight, perfectly balanced, seamless structure, long resonating finish. Honey, vanilla, roasted nuts, ripe peaches and apricots. Has softened but still remarkably powerful. Delicious drinking now.
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12/17/2018 - B&PBaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous. Perfect mouthfeel. Just the right amount of sweetness. What a great way to finish a meal!
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11/9/2018 - Rogershkg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Obviously very good sweet wine. Plenty of fruit and honey. Good on the nose
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10/29/2018 - rexmerlot wrote: 91 Points
Clear golden yellow in color. Orange blossom and honey on nose and palate. Still drinking very young at this point. Acidity was a little lacking at this age, but still very enjoyable.
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10/16/2018 - Alex G. Likes this wine:
Dark gold with a tinge of orange. Tastes like it looks with an abundance of orange blossom. Superb balance here, this is obviously sweet but thankfully not cloying. Paired with foie gras and it was otherworldly. Drink or hold.
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10/13/2018 - Argrath wrote: 94 Points
(Blind tasting)
Fully mature, spice nose with hints of dill. Orange marmalade, mandarin hints, and only slight gluey botrytis. Gently oaky. Elegant.
Fullish, majestic palate. Dense. More body than acidity. Slightly cloying. But freshness and elegance is also there. More oaky with coconut aromas than Fargues.
Slightly less elegant than Fargues, which we preferred in this tasting.
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10/6/2018 - Radboy wrote: 94 Points
Drinking well.
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9/8/2018 - lifebreath wrote: 92 Points
Good apricot cinnamon and exotic spice, but lacking the acidic drive I associate with Yquem. A little soft in the mouth.
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8/3/2018 - Buddrow Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first time for chateau D'Yquem, tried the 06,97 & 89 at Adams restaurant in Birmingham and they didn't disappoint. The 2006 still young but my 2nd favourite, the 89 is banging and the 97 my 3rd choice. A real treat. Normally D'Yquem is out of my price range but being able to try three different vintages at once was an offer I couldn't refuse.
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6/17/2018 - wihong wrote: 95 Points
Deep amber and syrupy. Aroma: Intense honey, apricot, pineapple, lychee, stewed fig, mint and gentle oak. At palate entry, toffee and star fruit. At mid-palate, honey, sweet blood orange, pineapple, and marmalade. At finish, orange peel, gentle oak and tannin, long citrusy finish. Full bodied. Very complex honey citrus marmalade combo. Bracing acidity balanced with honey sweetness. Great Sauterne.
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5/26/2018 - Philippe_C wrote: 91 Points
Colour is quite golden... nose of apricot, caramel, smoke, it is great but lacking a little bit finesse and acidity... The taste is a little bit too sweet and sugary for me... but still good Yquem!
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2/5/2018 - flussier Likes this wine: 95 Points
Robe ambrée foncée. Sur les abricots, orange confit, pêche, gousse de vanille et un petit côté herbacé (pas comme défaut). Très long en bouche et très complexe. Pas trop sucré. Beau vin. En tant qu’amateur de vin liquoreux, je rêvais depuis nombreuse année à boire ce bijou du monde du vin. J’avais de très grandes attentes, mais même si c’est très bon, je m’attendais a plus. Je trouve que c’est très cher payer VS des vins liquoreux à 3-4 fois moins dispendieux qui m’ont amené pratiquement le même plaisir. Peut-être mes attentes étaient trop élevées, mais reste un très beau moment, surtout que l’accord avec le torchon de foie gras et le fromage bleu était tout simplement parfait.
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1/15/2018 - Barry Notes Likes this wine: 95 Points
P/chilled with 30 min to 3 hours glass time. Cork 1/4 soaked with a bit of crumbling on top but sound. Clear, med-dark yellow w/touch of tangerine & rose. Thick legs. If there is a perfect dessert wine, this must be it. The integration was simply amazing. With many Sauternes, TBA, BA, Ice wines and such, you notice one trait that overwhelms the rest whether it's ripe pear, raisons, yellow apple or what have you. This showed nothing but pure balance of all of them. The sweetness was right on too, not overly done. Incredibly rich, smooth and intense, no doubting the label sets the standard. My hosts have 2 bottles, much younger. Years down the road, I hope they show as well. Stupendous now but will easily cellar for decades providing proper storage & cork soundness. Not a hint whatsoever of anything off. Perfection, maybe so. $100. 95-98
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1/6/2018 - CamWheeler wrote: 94 Points
SLDS January BBQ: Toast, coconut, lemon, apricot and spice - really engaging nose. Good acidity meshes well with the held back sweetness. Nicely punchy flavours. The 1985 was just a little ahead tonight but this will probably catch up in time.
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1/4/2018 - Partenaire wrote: 88 Points
Nez sur l'abricot, le miel, les fleurs jaunes. Très bien, mais un grand millésime pour un vin aussi réputé et, surtout, dispendieux? Je ne suis pas impressionné.
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12/7/2017 - Rogershkg wrote: 95 Points
Still beautiful. Rounded deep fruit taste. Could drink this forever
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11/11/2017 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 97 Points
Tasted with a lot of distractions in an informal setting. Tasted from 0.375 bottle next to the 1999, this was the clear winner. Explosive notes of honey, caramel, sweet spices, apricot, peach, some safron, smokey notes too. Very complex but elegant at the same time. Pretty full-bodied, with good medium-high acidity adding balance. Very good balance of sweetness/acidity. Excellent length. A perfectly mature Yquem. Loved it.
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11/4/2017 - tadhg555 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Saved this one for a 20th anniversary dinner. Did not disappoint; long and luxurious, with a wonderful aroma. Frankly, this wine was probably above my ability to truly appreciate (but I did my best). Drank it with a pear tart, and again the following evening with Roquefort.
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10/29/2017 - mydi Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brought to a dinner party...
Just wonderful with the various deserts. Past descriptions are right on. Glorious wine.
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9/18/2017 - RN Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely golden colour. Rich, balanced but at the same time dry with lovely acid- Cut like a samurai sword through the desert! Lovely treat.
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9/7/2017 - FrancoisD Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dégusté à la fête de Juju
Yquem classique, structure et exhubérence combinée.
Robe commençant à tourner vers l'ombrée.
Crème brulée, cassonade, gauffre, fleur d'oranger, marmelade, miel, scotch, canffre en finale.
Acidité encore bien présente permet au tout de rester délicat.
À point, mais peu vieillir encore, contrairement aux autres Sauternes de l'année 1997 qui sont à leur appogée.
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8/22/2017 - Sundbyberg wrote: 96 Points
My fourth vintage of this wine; 97, 99, 2006 and 2007.
Fairly dark, the sweetness and thickness have faded, quite a lot of botrytis and very god balance and harmony. No bitterness to speak of. A very good vintage for this wine and quite a find at current marketprice.
From a small bottle.
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8/2/2017 - skurtz Likes this wine: 100 Points
At the Prime rib with dessert. It seems we left the best wines of our dinner for last, because this defined for me at least the perfect Sauternes, the perfect balance of honey and acid. Utterly smooth perfection.
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8/2/2017 - oldwines Likes this wine: 100 Points
100 Point (Parker or other) Wine Dinner Organized by Steve for 6 "Wine Guys" (The Prime Rib, Philadelphia): On this evening this wine was perfect. I can't imagine how it could be improved upon. Decanted a couple hours before drinking from 750ml bottle. The color was a burnt apricot. The nose was effusive with honey and intense grilled peach. Huge acidity and an incredibly rich, unctuous, decadent mouth feel. The grilled peach flavor was strikingly strong and enjoyable accompanied by roasted almond and caramelized sugar/honey. Gloriously long on the finish with a touch of roasted hazelnut rather than almond as it faded away after more than a minute. WOW!
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6/19/2017 - Actionhost wrote: flawed
My first D'Yquem and one the 2 Birthday bottles this year and what a disappointment. Bought it online (from a private person). Bottle looked like in perfect condition (0,375) but the cork was very porous. Had trouble removing it (in 100 pieces). Light to dark brown colour. The smell was just plain stale. Bottle open for 2 hours. The taste was also stale and very alcoholic. It was very far removed from all the great tasting notes I read here.
Suppose to be the highlight of the day but quite the bummer.
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6/10/2017 - Mlyons wrote:
Should be great
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3/17/2017 - RayOB wrote: 94 Points
Drank in Hong Kong
Notes of nuts, honey, burnt sugar and apple. Rich oily palate. Lovely.
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3/14/2017 - Man in Black wrote:
Medium amber colour. Expressive nose showing aromas of orange peel, honey, ripe peaches, cinnamon, vanilla and clove.
It is lusciously sweet with a crisp acidity. It has a medium+ alcohol and it's full-bodied. It has pronounced intensity flavours and a lingering finish.
It is an outstanding wine of great persistence and concentration in balance with the acidity. It shows complexity provided by oak and bottle ageing whilst keeping a lot of freshness despite its age.
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3/6/2017 - Greg Munyard Likes this wine: 95 Points
Colour: Beyond deep golden, now well into the orangey-brown almost walnutty spectrum. Even from a 375 ml bottle, the 97 is maturing very fast. Looks like a 1967 (I wish …).
Nose: Distinctive mature, hot vintage Yquem with intense crème brulee and toffee-honeyed-apricots, a touch of mushrooms, a hint of aeroplane glue and a lovely tone of freshly cut, slightly sweet, gummy red wood. Seems like a much older vintage. There are no oxidative tones however and it’s very concentrated, very complex and very intriguing.
Palate: A powerful, concentrated and emphatic explosion of heavily botrytised fruit with that unique Yquem flavour. More youthful than the nose, the luscious toffee-honeyed apricotty tones are more dominant. However, like every bottle of 97 that I’ve drunk, it has an overly assertive oak finish (which surprisingly is still a touch bitter at age 20 years), although it does have an lovely, off-setting sweet resinny dimension.
The 97 is improving in my view, because the oak is settling down. In short, this is a fabulous and memorable wine which gives an insight into those almost treacle coloured old Yquems that look worryingly dark but which are, in fact, bottled nectar.
UPDATED 7 March 2017
Thanks to a comment from aagrawal, I've changed my description of the colour. I'd previously mentioned it was heading towards a treacle like colour but it is nowhere near that yet, ie. no very dark brown opaque quality - yet.
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3/5/2017 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
A lovely d'Yquem; though certainly on the riper end of the spectrum, this has retained Yquem's classic poise and balance. A broad and fine nose; lots of ripe fruit, mineral, crunchy creme brulee, honey, and white flowers in its perfume. Fleshy and round in the mouth with fine equilibrium and a nice amount of botrytis. Delightful. Lots of life left here.
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3/2/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Food + Wine Weekend in Chas; 3/2/2017-3/4/2017 (Charleston, SC): Undoubtedly one of my favorite wines. Drank at dinner and didn't take copious notes, but this had enough years to have a bit of heft in the palette with that lovely balanced acidity and lots of citrus and orange peel and slightly caramelized flavors. Just fantastic. Served with a seared foie gras and it was a match made in heaven.
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2/22/2017 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 94 Points
Needs about 90 min to open up. Full bodied. Great balance and finish. Not even near it's prime but drinking well. Revisit 2020
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2/13/2017 - MAOC wrote:
From a half PnP. Dark gold / light Amber colour, maybe a touch darker than expected but seemed like a good bottle. A rich and botrytised Yquem - ripe apricot alongside dried pineapple and citrus notes against a complex background of sweet darker honey, brown sugar and hints of dates/raisins. Seems to be heading towards maturity with a relatively evolved profile. ****++
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2/3/2017 - JulianSkeels wrote: 94 Points
I had this alongside the great 2001. The 1997 is imho a highly overlooked vintage which is a 'mini 2001 - similar nose and much more ready although with less than half the concentration and finish. Still sweet, acid in balance and drinkable now but will obviously cellar for 20-30yrs. Hate to say it but having tried the 2001 I would rather have half a bottle of that than a regular one of this...
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1/3/2017 - dbkitc wrote: 94 Points
Thick, viscous. Brown sugar richness. Good acid on the finish. Big boy. (94)
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1/1/2017 - limule Likes this wine: 96 Points
Splendide
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12/25/2016 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 95 Points
Note Display Settings
Goldenrod in color this sweet nectarine honeyed sensation is rich and viscous with acidity and glycerin balanced like two equally lovely beauty queens on a seesaw. Orange, lemon zest, apricot and caramel, peach and popcorn make this a surefire winner. Have another bottle up north - ship to Miami for the next holiday or savor in the Big Apple?
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12/11/2016 - Frank Schneider wrote: 96 Points
What a wine ! I need to drink more sauternes ! I love it
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11/16/2016 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 95 Points
Creme brulee, Honey,macadamia nuts, toffee, dried apricots, figs and dates, fine acidity, caramell, maybe ahint too alcoholic, in the finish some vanilla beans, very balanced at this stage, start to reach his peak but enjoyable at least for 10-15 years
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11/4/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Great Young Echezeaux Dinner (goosefoot - Chicago IL): From 375 ml bottle. Dried apricot with moderate botrytis. Sweetness and fruit in harmony, with every component in balance. Moderate length.
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9/21/2016 - Spirited Wine and Liquor Likes this wine: 97 Points
What can really said about one of the most ethereal wines in existence? The color is goldenrod, dark and thick. Honey, creme brûlée, apricot, golden raisin, dates, and something else that I just cannot put my finger on that is almost savory. There is a wonderfully delicate acidity and this wine is still incredibly fresh, mine was in a 375ml bottle, with wonderful fruity aromas. The finish lasts for days and is truly at its best when paired with a funky and creamy blue cheese or foie gras. This wine still has a ton of life in it and I would have liked another few years of age on this one but it is still absolutely wonderful to drink now.
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9/12/2016 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Sushi Taro Dinner: This is a riper and oilier style of D’Yquem. Expressive nose displaying ripe yellow fruits, apricot, peach, candied orange rind, pineapple, honey and sweet spices. Excellent concentration, quite think and oily without being too heavy, intense ripe apricot driven palate impression, good acidity and lovely long finish. This is really ripe and opulent. The only minor complain is that it doesn’t heave the airy/cotton candy like texture of truly great D’Yquems.
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8/29/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
On a rapid path to full maturity, the wine delivers a beautiful, purity of ripe, and over ripe tropical fruit, honey, floral and spice notes, all wrapped up in an elegant, silky, opulently, textured bundle.
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7/26/2016 - King JR wrote: 96 Points
There are no words... this bottle was outstanding!! The color is becoming even more caramel and the wine is taking on a bit of weight, yet it is still amazingly fresh and delightful. Plenty of acidity and botrytis, all wonderfully in balance. Had this with the cheese course. Delicious now - I'm sure it will last/live for decades (375ml).
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7/14/2016 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 100 Points
Perfection in the glass. Deeper golden colour at 19 years. Weightless yet rich and succulent. Acidity was refreshing and perfect. Texture was silky. Wow factor was almost surreal. Flavors on the nose and palate of orange zest, honey, white peach and a floral perfume that was pleasing. I'm guessing this wine will still be great at 100 years. Highest recommendation.
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6/7/2016 - hsacks Likes this wine: 93 Points
A touch less rich and lower in acidity than the 6/13/12 bottle and slightly less profound than the 1996 half bottle I brought to Serbia last year. This bottle was also consumed in Serbia.
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4/24/2016 - ericindc Likes this wine: 96 Points
The nose is complex, with spicy botyris apricot, caramel, butterscotch, fig, citrus, honey, and pineapple. Concentrated, yet light and fresh, minerality, good acidity, super long finish. Very Young, but an concentrated and amazing wine.
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3/17/2016 - George C ATLANTA Likes this wine: 98 Points
Amazing sauternes, with super long finish, and substantial mouth feel. Enjoyed the expected apricot and tropical fruit, plus honey, but not overly sweet, just perfectly balanced. Great for a relaxed conversation after dinner with a warm chevre cheesecake.
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3/8/2016 - D. Fulton wrote: flawed
Utter tragedy: corked.
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3/1/2016 - Raage wrote: 93 Points
Plus que le nez, joli, assez complexe, ennivrant, plutôt sur l'agrume et l'abricot sec, le fruit exotique, c'est bel et bien en bouche qu'il impressionne par sa puissance maîtrisée, sa fraîcheur et sa longueur magnifique. C'est bien sur sa trame étirée qu'il se démarque.
Ainsi... Il se sirote lentement, sans lasser ni fatiguer, il a cet équilibre étonnant qui appelle à le redécouvrir à chaque nouvelle gorgée.
Il gagnera sans doute en complexité avec le temps...
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1/8/2016 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Annual holiday dinner with DC winos: fabulous wines kick off 2016! (Ripple Restaurant in Washington D.C.): After reaching the peaks of Climens 2001, this could be considered a "letdown", but at what other dinner could one say Yquem 1997 is a letdown? Let's get real. This is a great bottle of wine. It shows off crème brûlée and toffee like flavors that keep you coming back for more. There is a sumptuousness to the palate, that Yquem richness that leads to a long finish. Thanks Chris Bublitz for this great premier grand cru classé!
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1/7/2016 - LWI wrote: 94 Points
Orange peel and marzipan; nail polish, some spice, red apples(small hard, 'winter apples'), decent acidity, very pleasant, wonderful finish.
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12/25/2015 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 96 Points
The peach, apricot and sweet nectarine are richer, smoother, sweeter and more seductive than three years ago. The holiday treat continues.
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12/10/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote: flawed
Cooked but it still doesn't suck.
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11/27/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
The nose is complex, with time, buttered popcorn, caramel, butterscotch, candied orange, honey, pineapple and apricot scents emerge. Fresh, sweet, concentrated, vibrant, long and not at all heavy or cloying, this is still quite young, yet, with its all its attributes, it's a treat to drink today. Patient consumers will be happy in 10, 20, 30 or or more years I'm quite sure. This was the perfect end to a great Thanksgiving dinner.
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10/24/2015 - dbg wrote:
Perfect cork and fill. Light gold color. Apricots, peaches, honey on the nose, full-bodied and viscous, great balance between ripe fruits, honeyed/floral sweetness and acidity, long finish. Should drink well for years. Excellent-outstanding.
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9/1/2015 - d'Artagnan wrote: 95 Points
Un nez envoûtant, d'abricot mûr, avec un peu de lichi, du miel et de la cire d'abeille. La bouche est superbement équilibrée, assez riche mais fraiche, ça forme un ensemble élégant et gourmand, un pur délice. 95 pts
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6/27/2015 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 92 Points
Allemand, Jamet, Burgs, Barolo, Yquem, and more: Liquid creme brûlée. Mixed with a little 2013 Pepiere Clos de Briords, the added acidity and floral elements really makes it take off.
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6/25/2015 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fresh apricot, honeysuckle, mango, creme brulee and honey. Undeniably a good wine but difficult to assess at this early stage. Almost too one-dimensionally sweet at this point. Will inevitably develop more depth of expression but until then falls short of being a great Yquem. This requires a good deal more patience.
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6/1/2015 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
Full-bodied, rich and rewarding, with a glycerined texture and deep notes of caramel, apricots, smoke and herbs along with tropical flavors: coconut, pineapple and litchi. Still fairly primary, this wine would appear to be immortal.
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5/9/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Opened for International Sweet Wine day, this was a stunner. White peaches, flowers, apricot and pineapples were slathered in honey and vanilla. The wine is rich, concentrated, full bodied and luscious, with sweetness, viscosity and freshness. Still young, this is great now and it's only going to get better with 5, 10, 20 or 30 years of age, depending on how you like it.
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2/8/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote: 95 Points
From 750mL - ahhhhh! We had to order two glasses. I wasn't gonna share mine.
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1/27/2015 - willthethrill Likes this wine: 96 Points
Could not be better balanced between dried fruits and sweet marmalade. Half bottle with C on snowy evening.
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1/21/2015 - JoeDwine wrote: 94 Points
From 375...Creme Brulee some nice spice and Orange Marmalade. nail polish
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1/13/2015 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine: 95 Points
We used Coravin, and we will do so again next week. Presents extremely well, albeit as expected from D'Yquem, on the nose. The slight nose of petrol still there. It will take a long time for this to open so it is in the corner while we find something ready quicker.
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12/18/2014 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Holiday Bordeaux Dinner with Eric - 82, 89 & 90 FGs among others (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): From a half bottle. Seems more mature and heavier than the 86, ripe yellow fruits, a hint of red fruit, apricot jam, crème brulee, ginger and candied orange peel. Excellent concentration, oily palate, dry apricot and ginger driven palate impression and lovely long finish. It doesn’t have the precision of the 86 but still really hedonistic.
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12/18/2014 - Eric wrote:
A great dinner at Capella in DC (Washington DC): Deep color. Coconut and burned sugar. Pretty classic, mature YQuem.
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12/18/2014 - Bill Bucklew wrote: 95 Points
An expressive nose, bright candied apricot, white flowers, dried pineapple and orange marmalade. The palate nearly mirrors the nose, with an incredible acidity given the concentration, it has a weightlessness. Quintessential Yquem, great stuff.
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11/28/2014 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Very complex and layered nose of honey, apricot and even some nutty aromas. Incredibly complex and balanced in the mouth with the acid balancing the sweetness perfectly. Extremely long finish that keeps on giving. A transcendent wine. This can age for a long time.
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11/23/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Another fabulous tasting experience. It's a treat to sample the balancing act between the layers of perfectly ripe, honeyed tropical fruits and the acidity that keeps everything lively and fresh. Still young, you can pop a cork today for its youthful exuberance, or wait a few decades for the caramel, butterscotch and spicy notes to appear.
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7/24/2014 - King JR wrote: 93 Points
Not the greatest showing ever, but still very delicious. Always enjoyable. Still lots of punch.
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7/10/2014 - Greg Munyard wrote: 93 Points
A great Sauternes but I still don’t think the 97 is the wine it should be. From a 375 ml bottle, colour is decidedly golden. Nose immediately says Yquem, with beautiful dried apricots predominating among some dark honey and lashings of other botrytis nuances giving great complexity. Is also slightly burnt and with noticeable raisins overtones, consistent with the hot vintage and the 14% alcohol.
Palate: is obviously Yquem, so is therefore fabulous: extremely complex and with great concentration and a long, long lingering aftertaste. HOWEVER, once again with this vintage I found the oak to be a touch assertive on the finish (a bit cedary) and, coupled with slightly burnt sugar on the palate, too, and a feeling that the wine could have been better balanced, I found this to be a bit disappointing by Yquem’s (world’s best) standards. Since 3 of the last four 375 ml bottles have had this excessively assertive character on the finish, to varying degrees, 15-17 years after vintage I've now downgraded the vintage.
Compared to some other vintages around that time, it is:
• still vastly better than the very disappointing 1999 (which seriously lacks botrytis and that unique Yquem thumbprint);
• way below the incomparable 2001 (the perfect sauternes);
• not as good as the 2002 (which while not as rich is much more elegant and better balanced, especially the oak)
• certainly not as good as the glorious 2003 (which is better balanced, with at least as much power but superior botrytis complexity and better handled oak)
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5/31/2014 - galenico Likes this wine: 95 Points
GRANDI BOTTIGLIE NIGHT (ENOTECA GRANDI BOTTIGLIE TORINO): Giallo zafferano dorato. Naso di mais, e paglia bruciata dal sole.
tocco fumè di legno molto corposo al gusto di curry, e zuppa inglese.
In bocca è zafferano liquido e buccia di arancia candita, moelleux, oleoso e denso, ma mai pesante. Vino ruffiano e leccatissimo, fa molto caramella.
Splendido in abbinamento con un Roquefort etichetta nera, e sul finale eterno ti strappa un sorriso: il primo d' Yquem non si dimentica mai!
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5/29/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Drinking d'Yquem never gets old. The beautiful, perfectly ripe tropical fruit drenched in honey, vanilla and spicy tones, coupled with racy acidity keeps the wine fresh and exciting. Still young, the wine has barely moved, except in texture. But you do not have to wait for decades to experience this wine. It's great today and will be even better if, or when your grandchildren open it. That is... if you can keep your hands off it.
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5/27/2014 - la turque wrote: 92 Points
I purchased this wine in the last year from a very reputable retailer (the SAQ in fact). 375ml. Colour was a dark amber, almost like burnt sugar. When I compared the colour to my 1990s, this wine was much darker, and appears to have matured very quickly. I'm wondering if this is representative for this wine, and any comments would be appreciated.
On the nose, the wine did not smell at all maderised, and certainly did not taste that way either. It tasted like a very aged, mature Yquem. The fruit was vibrant and complex, and the acidity was in balance.
Not as mind-blowing as many Yquems I've had.
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5/26/2014 - King JR wrote: 96 Points
As usual, the WOTN - no contest. Nothing more to say - it's everything you expect, and it lives up to the rep every time!
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4/30/2014 - Rogershkg wrote: 93 Points
Maybe I am mean with the points. Deep gold colour. Honey floral nose. Beautiful rich flavour, honey, fruit. Long taste. Really dekicious
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4/24/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Chicago Wine Flock...Giacosa Dinner Courtesy of Tim (Telegraph - chicago IL): From 375ml bottle (serving 10). Some lemon curd and creme brulee along with apricot. Big start, moderate length.
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4/5/2014 - Rogershkg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich golden colour. Honey nose. Beautiful complex taste although I have to say that by the time I was on my second or third glass I felt I had had enough.
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2/22/2014 - Ramberg wrote: 96 Points
No formal notes taken.
I just sat back and enjoyed this beautiful d’Yquem.
Sweet honey and stones on the nose, with hints of vanilla and tropical fruits.
Lovely palate, with clean and balanced sweetness, not sticky or too much, nor to acidic, but just beautiful and extremely balanced.
Perfect acidity and lovely sweet tropical fruit.
Super long finish.
Super elegant.
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2/19/2014 - King JR wrote: 94 Points
Great bottle, but seemed a little disjointed tonight - had with a sweet desert, not blue cheese (which is our norm) - maybe that's why, not sure. But still an awesome wine. had with the 2003 side by side - '03 won tonight!
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1/5/2014 - theonlylittledog wrote: 96 Points
First ever taste of Yquem. The nose was amazing with wood, stone fruits and honey. Then the taste was sublime. Very thick and rich, the oak totally integrating into the flavour of the wine. Strong apricot and honey flavour, long finish. Delicious!
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1/1/2014 - garyty wrote: 95 Points
Need more.
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12/7/2013 - Fur in the glass Likes this wine:
Opened this unplanned after a yellowtail and steak dinner which started off with apertivo and some Whispering Angle rose.
First time trying a Y'quem. 375ml bottle. Floral nose with sugar. Light but deep in the mouth. Distinct and long finish at times. Seemed perfectly balanced.
Definite crowd pleaser. Had with chocolate panettone friends brought from Milan. Can see why people say this stands out among Sauternes.
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11/26/2013 - drwine2001 wrote:
Tis the Season-Another Wedding Dinner (Range, San Francisco): Orange golden color. Exciting nose of bright citrus, vanilla bean, almond paste, perfume and spice. Less of the coconut, apricot character of really ripe years. Concentrated but medium weight for a d'Yquem. Beautiful balance and length due to strong acidity. Moderate sweetness, definitely not that unctuous or liquoreux. I really liked this and found it easier going than some of the bigger, sweeter examples I've had from other vintages. This also seems about completely mature now without a lot to gain from extended cellaring.
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11/22/2013 - Ericsson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Yquem, Vega Sicilia Ùnico, Jamet... (Déjeuner au Restaurant Violier, Crissier): Couleur citron mûr, lumineuse. Nez extraordinaire avec beaucoup de variété dans les arômes, abricot, miel, fleurs blanches, amandes. La bouche est à l'unisson, avec beaucoup de matière et de longueur. Ce nectar n'est jamais lourd, car la trame acide est finement présente tout au long de la dégustation.
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11/17/2013 - dase13 wrote: 96 Points
Color was golden yellow. Scents were very floral and honey. Tastes were apricot, floral and honey, with a nice backbone of acidity keeping it all together.
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11/16/2013 - King JR wrote: 97 Points
Wow! Yquem does it again. Consumed this after a wonderful classic French cuisine, with the cheese course. The Yquem and the Stilton were perfectly matched. The wine was smooth, viscous, lots of amazing complex scents and that wonderful Yquem botrytis was still emanating. Really, really great tasting tonight (with TF Nov 14)
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11/2/2013 - Tim Heaton wrote:
(from 375ml) Serious bottle variation from the majority of notes/experiences here. Served double-blind, I guessed Sauternes, one from a much less pedigreed producer, and one from a genuine 'off-vintage'. Shocked (and saddened) as hell when this was revealed.
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9/27/2013 - salil wrote: 89 Points
That typical Yquem fragrance of vanilla, honey and apricot marmalade, but it feels rather heavy and monolithic on the palate, not showing the finesse and elegance that normally characterizes Yquem for me. There's good richness and depth here, but I'm left wanting more acidity.
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9/16/2013 - LWI wrote: 95 Points
What is there to be said? Convincing, as always. An Yquem on the elegant side, complexity emerging, but lacks a bit in power/intensity to be of the best Yquems.
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9/7/2013 - Greg Munyard wrote: 95 Points
Rich, golden viscous appearance (14% alcohol). Powerful complex nose predominantly of dried apricots with some honeyed caramel and vanilla, musk and spices. Obviously Yquem and quite full on; magnificent.
Opulent palate; luscious and richly textured - the warm ripe year shows. A powerful mouthful of complex botrytis laden dried apricots and honeyed desserts on a long, long and lingering typical Yquem finish. Sixteen years on now, and from a 375ml bottle, the previously quite assertive vanilla and spices are integrating beautifully. The most enjoyable 97 Yquem that I've had. Iconic, even though I prefer several other recent vintages.
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9/2/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
If you want Chateau d'Yquem in your cellar and you do not want to spend the money for the 2001, run, do not walk and buy this wine. It's a very good example of what makes Yquem great! With the perfect level of acidity to create freshness and lift, the extremely ripe pineapple, apricot, tropical fruit, floral, vanilla, nut and spice aromas are worth the price of admission. On the palate, the elegant wine is not heavy, it's about balance, purity and sweetness, coupled with lift. If you like your Sauternes young, and most people do, pop a cork! If you prefer waiting, there is no hurry on this winner.
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8/25/2013 - pacificoast wrote: 94 Points
A superbly smoothed, balanced and rewarding Yquem. Not up to the heights of the 1988, 2001, or 2007, nonetheless one of the better Yquems of recent years. Strong notes of apricot and tropical fruit predominate. Not excessively unctuous, nor cloying, clearly the best of the 1990's.
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6/14/2013 - Collector1855 wrote: 97 Points
Chateau Latour vertical with Commercial Director Jean Garandeau (Grand Hotel Dolder, Zurich): At Arvi Chateau Latour tasting, Grand Hotel Dolder. This was the dessert wine to wrap up a terrific evening. Very expressive nose of apricot, pears quince and botrytis and a hint of smoke, very complex. On the palate wonderful balance of body and freshness.
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6/8/2013 - MauriceE wrote:
From half bottle. Again truly great. Fine for drinking now or over the next 50+ years. 1997 is a classic botrytis year and this shows.
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4/10/2013 - RayOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank at the Boot & Flogger
Very rich with an amazing complexity and notes that change in your mouth. Incredible length which just goes on and on. Notes of honey, burnt sugar, lemon, apricot, peach and nuts. Wonderful stuff which will keep developing.
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4/7/2013 - UTPK wrote:
Dark golden, much more evolved colour than the 1996 and 1998 surrounding it. Very expansive nose of lady's perfume, glue, canned apricots and allspice. Full bodied, sweet and heavy, but with underlying acidity to (almost) carry it through. One of the heavier Yquems together with 1989. The 1990 has better definition, but the 1997 can stand moth desserts due to its weight and power.
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3/16/2013 - Tavastgatan wrote: 94 Points
This was somewhat atypical to me as it didn't have the charachteristical d'Yquem rich almond nose and fatness. More tropical fruit in a lighter style that made me guess Tokaj. Developed alot in the glass. Very good.
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3/12/2013 - St Paul wrote: 94 Points
Apricot and other tropical tones. Pear. Almost Tokaj like with its creamy tropical structure.
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3/10/2013 - Nuromri Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep gold. Honey, pineapple, coconut. With Vital and Olea in Wien
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3/7/2013 - d'Auvenay Likes this wine: 94 Points
Vertical 67, 75, 86, 88, 90, 96 and 97. Preference as follow: 67, 75, 86, 90, 97, 88, 96.
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2/28/2013 - Vintomas wrote: 98 Points
Château d'Yquem with AuZone (AuZone, Stockholm): Colour: light golden yellow
Nose: spicy honey (heather honey?), dried apricot, botrytis, discrete caramel notes, some maramalde, a discrete but not at all disturbing solvent notes, hints of nuts. Emerging notes of maturity with elegance.
Palate: very concentrated, full-bodied, slightly oily, very spicy, dried fruit, caramel, liquorice, a very faint hint of alcoholic fire. Long and spicy aftertaste with dried fruit, caramel and fresh acidity.
Overall impression: this one had it all - maturity and at the same time vigour and elegance - 98 p.
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2/24/2013 - avp wrote:
Rich and honeyed nose - not that fruit driven. Almond cookies, hay, hazelnuts, brioche and beautiful mushroom character.
Sweet and lively palate with huge concentration of fruit and a steely backbone of acidity shining through all the fat. Baked apples and apricots with a cool and energizing touch of copper. Long and drier finish.
Fine complexity adding to the overall yumminess. Great stuff!
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1/4/2013 - Alex H wrote: 87 Points
Tasted from a half bottle this time. This seemed so much more developed than the precious full bottle. In fact this showed more like a Barsac or loupiac than a Sauternes. This showed some rubbery notes compared to previous with lesser freshness to lift it up. Still has nice sweet apricots and even unripe nectarines and just a spoon of honeysuckle but somehow less wow than the last bottle.
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12/31/2012 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
New Year's Eve 2012 Drinks (Kat and Ewen's): Superb. From a 375ml, this was a whole lot more evolved than the whole bottle we had a couple of weeks ago and, I thought, even more delicious. It had a wonderful nose, with typical notes of coconut cream and toasted nuts alongside sweet scents of dried apricots and figs, drizzles of brown sugar, and lovely spice and earth - a really complex, compelling bouquet. Amazing stuff. I could happily have sniffed this all night. The palate was pure hedonistic deliciousness. It was thick, weighty and moreish, full of yummy flavours of dried apricots and mangoes, with less brown sugar than on the nose maybe, but a lot more honey and golden syrup just dripped across the fruit. Great finish too, long, generous and fleshy, with a great dose of warm spice lingering amidst the honeyed tones. Yet for all that rich bounty that the wine offered, it was actually the lovely balance that made it such a great drink, with a wonderfully fresh feel lent to it by juicy, lemony acidity that watered the mouth on the attack and led the wine all the way into its lovely finish. A lovely d'Yquem. So good now, but I would imagine this half-bottle would have been astounding given another 8-10 years.
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12/28/2012 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 88 Points
half. Relatively developed, rich and golden, lacks some zip. perhaps not a great bottle. good not great.
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12/25/2012 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 96 Points
Golden sunlight in color this caramel popcorn with peach, apricot and sweet nectarine honeyed sensation is full-bodied richness with acidity and glycerin in perfect balance. A special holiday treat.
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12/17/2012 - Alex H wrote: 92 Points
Glowing gold with a regal shine to it. Bitter sweet lemon tea with sweet Candied winter melon bits and honey. An uncloistered soft smoothie like body of superfluous golden rays of sunshine goodness. Brings to mind a breakfast scene with fresh soft bread spread generously with lemon orange marmalade with a drizzle of honey. Yummy! Wholesome ! Goodness.
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12/15/2012 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
End of the World Dinner (Nicolas Restaurant, Teck Lim Street, Singapore): This was a great bottle of d'Yquem, easily one of the best vintages outside the established greats of the last couple of decades (i.e. 1988, '89, '90, 2001, perhaps 2007). Like the Eiswein that preceded it though, this clearly has its best years ahead of it. it had knockout nose, with a golden, honeyed glow to its vibrant aromas of apricots, nectarines and some dried apples, with nicely complex notes of sweet spice, a bit of mineral and a typical coconutty accent rounding the bouquet off. Wonderful stuff - no one had doubt that this was d'Yquem just on that nose alone. Really yummy on the palate too, with sweet drippings of treacle and coconut cream on the attack, and then a wonderfully balanced and fresh midpalate showing delectable flavours of dried apricots and nectarines, some ripe apples and pears, heading off into a long, lovely finish that glided away in a beautiful melange of honey and spice and earth and marmalade notes. Delicious even now, but this still has a lot of primary sweetnes to it. With the balance it has and the lovely depth of botrytis and fruit, I would watch for this to only fully hit its stride somewhere around 2025, and it will probably go one for decades beyond that. What a lovely wine.
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12/11/2012 - Greg Munyard Likes this wine:
From a 375 ml bottle - quite golden for its years. Alcoholic, almost slightly syruppy appearance.
Nose: Rich, powerful, intense and very complex. Flavours of dried apricots, caramellised honey and citrus plus spicy vanilla. Obviously Yquem. Monumental.
Palate: Intense, powerful, rich, viscous texture of honeyed apricots, citrus and oak spices in an almost liqueur type setting. An opulent, extravagant wine with a long, lingering and "lip licking" finish of those amazing flavours that only Chateau d'Yquem can achieve. While the 97 is a vastly better wine than the 99, I have some reservations about this vintage. I'll leave a few months then review again, more carefully.
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11/24/2012 - bags wrote:
generous Thanksgiving bottle from my brother-in-law. It took a few days to realize fully its potential. Soft and full. maybe better served almost room temperature to pull out all the complexity.
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10/19/2012 - GalvezGuy wrote: 94 Points
Nose of dried apricot, pineapple, peach, honey, coconut, toffee, orange zest, nice botrytis spice. On the palate, apricot, peach, toffee, honey, orange marmalade, pineapple. Long finish with vibrant acidity. Drink or hold, there is some variability on these bottles which makes it hard to predict.
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10/2/2012 - Mivvy wrote: 89 Points
Dark golden in colour. Initially muted but then comes round in the glass with apricots and honey. Viscous texture, very sweet with a little spice. Lots of sweet orange fruits but lacking in acidity and doesn;t finish completely fresh, although the finish is admirably long and deep. Excellent wine but didn't meet expectations.
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9/30/2012 - UTPK wrote:
Dark golden color from this 15 years old wine. Glue and canned apricots on the nose. A bit shy? Full bodied with OK balancing acidity, but I could have wished for even more acidity, however this is typical 1997 in my book. Not as long as I would have expected, rides on the fruit and sugar rather than acidity. Overall very nice, but less than I would have expected. Having tasted this one for many years, but my guess would be to let it rest another 10 years.
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9/29/2012 - Miceri wrote: 95 Points
Well-balanced, abricot, intense, power,
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9/27/2012 - Will Devize wrote: 91 Points
Given the prestige of the producer and the quality of the vintage, it may seem greedy but I was expecting a little more from this wine. That said, it is still absolutely gorgeous, showing a warm floral, tangerine, marmaladey character with apricots poking their heads up on the mid palate. Surprisingly delicate structure. You almost need to search for the quality but it is certainly there.
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9/5/2012 - bundydavis wrote: 97 Points
Pure liquid gold! Definitely in its drinking window. Tasted honey, apricot and peaches. Caramelized, silky goodness!
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8/30/2012 - prez wrote: 98 Points
Amazing balance.
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7/21/2012 - G.M. wrote: 96 Points
Our first Yquem experience, and have only had a handful of previous Sauternes, so these notes don't represent an expert critique. Drank with Roquefort cheese after a crème brulee desert. Drank alongside an inexpensive but reasonable quality Hunter Valley botrytis Semillon for comparative purposes. Obviously a far superior wine - making the Hunter seem simple, sweet, and short. Deep gold-amber. The nose, while having many more dimensions and interest than the Hunter, was to me the only minor disappointment of the wine. The nose was only medium intensity, and was dominated by nice botrytis marmalade notes. The palate was the star. Incredibly viscous and mouth-filling with only the tiniest of sips required. Intense burst of flavour that built through a wonderful middle palate, beautifully balanced between sweetness and acidity. The real highlight of the experience was the incredible length. Again, just the smallest sip was required for tens of seconds of flavour. Overall, very satisfied with the experience given the high expectations. Would now like to try more aged Sauternes, and some of the less expensive, but likely almost as enjoyable Premiers and Deuxiemes Crus.
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6/29/2012 - Javachip wrote: 95 Points
San Diego WineSpectator.com Offline, 6/29/2012 (The University Club, San Diego): 375 ml. Clear light amber-copper hue. An explosion of apricot, pumpkin pie spice, candied tangerine peel. But what an elegant and sophisticated explosion. Sweetness and acidity in amazing balance, providing a sense of precision and vitality. My #2 and group's FIRST PLACE tonight.
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6/29/2012 - Racer117 wrote: 93 Points
Medium gold/orange color; fruit and flower aromas and flavors; great texture with a strong spicy pop on the finish. Very good but I was hoping for extraordinary. Had the '98 previously and I believed I liked that more.
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6/28/2012 - Margauxguy wrote: 96 Points
Rich, round and powerful. Opulent orange marmalade, pear ,apricot. Powerful, but balanced sweetness. Great acidity, but a baby
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6/21/2012 - Greg Munyard wrote: 94 Points
Colour: Bright golden, with big legs (14% alcohol).
Nose: Beautiful amalgam of honeyed dried apricots, candy, and spicy, slightly dry vanilla. Hints of champignons as well - nice. Penetrating and alluring; magical and obviously Yquem but without the knockout doses of apricot, mango fruits - or the orange blossom - of some vintages.
Palate: Follows nose: powerful and elegant; beautiful flavours yet not a perfect bottle, I think. Nevertheless, lovely honeyed dried apricots in a complex setting of spicy, lightly vanillary oak and candied (but not caramellised) fruits. Luxurious, silky, viscous texture with excellent acid and a warm, lifted and very long, lingering finish, with some grip. It was just off the pace on the night, and a resealed sample the next day confirmed this, with a slightly prickly oak character character subduing the palate.
Great wine but not a great bottle. I expected a bit more from this extraordinary Chateau in such a good year. Accordingly, I've marked this the same as a (great) bottle from the lesser 2002 vintage that I had a couple of weeks ago.
JULY 2014 comment - had another bottle which also had this rather unattractive prickly oak character (see separate notes). I'm convinced now that this is a characteristic of the 97's and that this bottle drunk in 2012 was not uncharacteristic. Sadly, I've downgraded the vintage having had 3 out of 4 bottles since 2012 that had varying degrees of this finish characteristic.
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6/13/2012 - hsacks wrote: 94 Points
Golden color. Complex aromas of apricots, honey, quince and creme brulee. Ripe, silky, sweet fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and balance and great length. Not as thick on the palate as some of the greatest d'Yquem's I have had in the past but very complex and long and a joy to drink. At peak (in half bottle).
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4/21/2012 - Radboy wrote: 93 Points
A nice, but certainly not great, sweetie.
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4/15/2012 - aagrawal wrote: 94 Points
All-sauternes dinner (Jardiniere, SF): When first opened, this was very closed. It took a lot of time in the glass (2+ hours) to become expressive. Concentrated, ice-wine like fruit with great acidity, some showing of wood indicating more integration time is needed; palate was very enjoyable. This needs much more time in bottle... at least 5-10 years. This is a very interesting wine, since it seems to be different every time that I have it. The best showing, however, was my last one after the wine had hours upon hours of air. 93-94
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4/15/2012 - ginfizz wrote: 96 Points
From a full bottle, still young but you know this is going places. Excellent nose of pineapple, marzipan VA, grilled nuts and vanilla are still integrating on the palate. Needs 5-10 years but an absolute stunner. Half bottles are approachable now.
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4/14/2012 - hoservin wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful nose of honey, stone fruit, toasted almonds, orange, bees wax, and nutmeg. All of these notes are on the palate as well and lead to a very long finish. Full bodied with good acidity. Very sophisticated, with excellent balance and complexity. Paired beautifully with a lemon tart.
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4/12/2012 - noblyrotten wrote: 97 Points
Half bottle. As good as the '90 with a better price. Deliciously silky and full with a rosiness and classic organic set of scents and flavors: lanolin, wax, petrol, and burnt sugar with a titillating acidity from pineappley notes. Brioche came next, it was like indulging in the most intimate of fine five course meals, and thereafter apple, caramel, and brie cheese. Tangy with a smooth, vibrant finish lasting upwards of 30 seconds. Perfect now, perfect on my lips the morning after, perfect in 10 years.
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3/20/2012 - Pacalet wrote: 95 Points
Nice light golden color, very nice nose of fresh coconut, honey and apricot. Very rich yet not overwhelming, very well balanced with loads of coconut in the mouth, very good and probably will be better in several more years.
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3/17/2012 - aagrawal wrote: 95 Points
K&L Top Bordeaux Tasting (K&L, San Francisco): Deep gold color but with no hint of orange; intense apricot, complex lovely nose, nice spices; palate is fresh, can taste the sauvignon blanc, intense at first then a balanced minerally midpalate, great density; clean finish with moderate-long length. This is a superb sauternes and a very good Yquem. This has a long development ahead and while drinking nicely, has likely years more integration ahead of it. 94-95
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3/17/2012 - Edouard84 wrote: 99 Points
Wow. This Yquem displayed a fantastic nose of flowers and fruits with extreme finessse and complexity. The palate was as amazing with a wonderful balance. The sweetness was completely hidden and the alcohol never spikes. And clearly the wine lasted forever in the palate (5mins+)
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3/11/2012 - MGrange wrote: 96 Points
Apricot, honey and lemon. A wonderful Yquem that worked perfect with the caramelised scallops and pear salad.
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1/19/2012 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
From a half-bottle. Somewhat reticent nose at first, probably attributable to being too cold. There are aromas of yellow stone fruit as well as a slight hint of barley sugar and orange peel. Slight smell of varnish taints the nose. On the palate, this is much less sweet than I would have expected. There is a very rich undercurrent of acidity, but it is held in check by the fruit flavours (again, stone fruits). Due to the arguable lack of sweetness, I'd pair this Yquem with a savory dish; the richer the better (foie gras, anyone?).
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12/18/2011 - Ed Chen wrote: 88 Points
Holiday Tastings; 12/16/2011-12/20/2011 (Redlands): Tasted several times with declining results, this half-bottle was full of dried apricot and pepper, so overdone with the apricot that it's quite one-dimensional, supposedly got better the next day, but I found it hard to care; 88
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12/5/2011 - OldSpec wrote: 90 Points
I bought this wine because it received a perfect score (20/20) from La Revue du Vin de France. It was a disappointment. The wine had a fragrant nose of marmalade which was more discreet than flamboyant; on the palate, it was intense and densely thick with subdued acid and a distinct bitterness on the finish. Compared to the Inniskillin icewine—my benchmark for great sweet wine—it does not taste as delectable yet costs three times as much.
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11/3/2011 - Mr. Muga wrote: 97 Points
Served at annual Wine Pigs dinner at Volt with third course of foie gras, quince, hazelnut brioche, and crystal lettuce. Absolutely delicious and everything we expected it to be. Just approaching puberty and showing that other worldly complexity unique to d'Yquem. A perfect match with the extremely generous portion of foie gras which was a meal in itself. Wow!
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10/11/2011 - GalvezGuy wrote: 92 Points
Birthday Week; 10/9/2011-10/16/2011 (Galveston, TX): Not as golden as the previous botle. Nose of dried apricot, peach, honey, orange zest, spice. On the palate, apricot, peach, pineapple, honey. Still has the vibrant acididty and nice long finish. Simply not as nuanced as the last bottle.
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10/8/2011 - Hex triplet #43302E wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful gold color. Nose with apricot, caramel, maybe a little lemon oil at the end. Complex, good acidity and balance. Very nice.
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10/7/2011 - Winetex wrote: 91 Points
Medium gold color; This bottle was like d'Yquem lite - it had all of the apricot and butterscotch aromas and flavors but not much texture (viscosity).
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8/17/2011 - pilot360 wrote:
Was an outstanding bottle paired with creme brule.
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6/7/2011 - typh wrote: 93 Points
After dragging this wine half way around the world for 10 years, I try it at midnight after a fantastic flight of wines including 82, 86 & 93 Las Cases and a few decent barolos. Kev fried up some foie gras for the tasting and to give us strength. One of our drinking partners was escorted home due to poor form. I recall a lovely d'Yquem, sure it will be better in a few years. Everything you expect it to be.
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6/6/2011 - Uglypinga wrote:
Apricot, candied lemon rind and white figs on the nose. A tiny bit of mint. The palate is sweet with honey and apricot hard candy. Great, long finish with lots of cleansing acidity. Awesome.
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5/23/2011 - Hazeo wrote: 95 Points
Glorious golden hue, with tropical fruit\ and light butterscotch on the nose. Viscous quality yet light on its feet. Could be a little smoother but already has great depth and complexity. Not nearly as good as the 1990 i had last year but hopefully with time this will blossom some more.
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5/22/2011 - dougie wrote: 93 Points
Very sweet and spicy. Mike found the flavor (quince or clove) a bit unappealing. I liked it, but was not blown away.
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5/15/2011 - King JR wrote: 95 Points
Amazing - as usual! Perfect balance, great acidity, lovely mix of sweet and botrytis.
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5/8/2011 - ChinonRouge wrote: 96 Points
Liquid gold.
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4/23/2011 - celtic67 wrote:
complex notes of caramelized apricots & ginger on the nose & palate. so elegant. much better than the '95. outstanding but not worth the $.
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3/12/2011 - jkoenen wrote: 89 Points
Dreamtasting #2 (Restaurant de Watermolen, Kasterlee): (*, open label) Colour seems evolved and mature for this age. Liqueur-like bouquet with hints of tuttifrutti, apricot and peach. Lots of botrytis. Although this is a wonderful wine and definitely a treat to drink it, I felt this bottle was performing under par. Too much development for its age. 17/20
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3/12/2011 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Apricots and peach of course. Beautiful botrytis and great concentration. Nevertheless the wine did not extremely impress. It was too evolved on the palate. An off bottle? I don't know the history of the bottle and I will score it anyway for future reference.
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3/5/2011 - cbrown82 wrote: 96 Points
This wine started slow but finisuhed huge. It took about an hour and a half...full to medium body. Penty of pear, appricot and lemon with a nice touch of honey. Excellent treat!
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2/14/2011 - elledeca wrote:
gold. nose of apricot, coconut, botrytis. luscious mouth, thick and sweet but with lots of acidity and a touch of oxidised flavour. very long. I had it with chicken, cheese, roquefort, and caramelised pineapple (which tasted watery in comparison to the wine). I think best on its own.
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2/13/2011 - Radboy wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic. As usual, the tough question is whether to parcel off small swills so I can prolong the pleasure or retreat to the bedroom with a glass of this ambrosia and drink it one lick at a time.
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2/5/2011 - balassis wrote: 95 Points
Another magnificent Yquem!
Deep golden color, with gorgeous nose plenty of tropical fruits, honey and a hint of rubber.
Full-bodied with creamy texture and flavors of honey, bee-wax, orange peel, caramel and quince.
Endless aftertaste.
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1/28/2011 - lightning wrote: 93 Points
My first Yquem, and overall impression was that while it was technically excellent (appearance, nose, palate, length etc all top notch), I wasn't really taken away by the wine. Comparing it to Suduiraut 1990, it was only marginally better (and not really justifying the markup). Perhaps my preferences in sweet wines are with rieslings, madeira and other fortifieds (and not Sauternes).
Light gold with tinge of green at the rim. Exceptional pungent botrytis on the nose, with a line of ripe peach dominating throughout. There is a beautiful line of acid which holds the wine together, the botrytis from the nose continues on the palate, accompanied by a slight tartness, and a charred peach-apricot note. Quite unctious and oily in texture. Extreme length on this one - 30+ seconds.
If Sauternes is your thing, this will definitely float your boat.
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1/14/2011 - AndrewJ Likes this wine: 99 Points
Brilliant wine with incredible balance and exceptional oak.
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12/31/2010 - KPB wrote: 97 Points
Really delicious, although I was surprized that it seemed "less unique" than I sort of expected, given the reputation. A soft golden yellow with tears on the walls of the glass. Nose is multifaceted with sweet orange blossoms, rose hips, marzipan, vanilla, hints of spices, very exotic. Sweet but surprisingly structured, fruit tastes of apricot compote, orange marmalade, with great lift, mid-section suggests malt, extremely long finish. Acidity to pair well with the fois gras we served for New Years eve.
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12/28/2010 - tshahar wrote: 91 Points
This is a good wine but for this price I can enjoy other Sauternes that cost 75% less, Left some for the day after and it stayed the same so there is many years to come for this wine.
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11/25/2010 - ezsobre wrote: 97 Points
This was pretty revelatory. Golden hue in the glass. All sorts of stuff going on with the nose, including apricot, peach, honey, caramel. Carries the flavors of a more viscous attack, but is light and fresh in body, with a less overbearing style that coats the mouth with a a finely-tuned and balanced array of more apricot, caramel, spice, smoky vanilla and great acidity. The finish just lingers. Had my last sip of this two hours ago, and its still there on the tip of tongue. Really a fantastic wine whose multi-layered flavors and simultaneous mouth-coating qualities and airy lightness were eye opening.
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11/20/2010 - elledeca wrote:
Gold with green reflexes. Explosive nose of coconut, peach, apricot, pineapple. Mouth more on peach/apricot, perfectly balanced and very very long. delicious! still on its way up for sure.
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10/30/2010 - heythatslife wrote: 97 Points
Orange-gold in color. An incredibly seductive and layered nose of orange liqueur, pineapple, spices, honey, smoke, and bourbon vanilla. Equally complex and voluptuous on the palate, but you’re astonished how rich it is and yet manages to remain so fresh and fleet on its feet – if you were to pair this with foie gras, for example, there’s certainly enough acidity to cleanse all the fat away. The balance is exquisite on all sides. The beautifully sustained finish of honeyed apricot and cream lingers on forever, and it’s so good it makes me not want to put anything else in my mouth for minutes afterward. My first taste of d’Yquem, and it lived up to my expectations in every way.
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10/28/2010 - joni.m.anttonen@gmail.com wrote:
Kaukana edellisestä kokemuksesta. Tällä kertaa verrattiin Alois Kracherin TBA 11 (38€) ja yquem hävisi vertailun. Kyseinen pullo on tosin seilannut ruotsi-suomi väliä siljalla mahdollisesti vuosia, lieko vaikutusta?
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10/13/2010 - Regina wrote: 96 Points
My first time with Yquem, so some nerves. Luminous gold as it rested in a little antique decanter. Not much on the nose - some cool deep scents with a little botrytis, but no revelation. But then. A joyful, forceful attack. Ravishing. And pulse after pulse of flavour to the point where I began to laugh - not a reaction I generally have to wine. The sensation echoes for several minutes. Drunk for G's birthday, accompanied by the final act of Rosenkavalier.
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10/4/2010 - uberoh wrote: 94 Points
great nose taste and complexity. Very light color - clearly will develop more structure and complexity with age. Delicious!
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9/25/2010 - gsquireh wrote: 97 Points
Flawless
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8/27/2010 - LeatherPalate wrote: 91 Points
Light golden hue-faint botrytis,lemon rind,honeyed apricots. Light and fresh with nice adicity.
Served blind-Never would have guessed a Big D based on the color on palate. Nice wine but not a wow
for me.91-92
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8/22/2010 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Suduiraut Vertical: Amazing nose with walnuts and lots of layered complex aromas. Palate doesn't live up to the 2001 Suduiraut that we were tasting. It is good and balanced but palate is simple by comparison.
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8/21/2010 - cliffkol wrote: 95 Points
Tapas Night - Berlins and Schnells. Elena - amazaing wine, huge nose and taste of honey.
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8/4/2010 - stephanm wrote: 95 Points
Fresh, lively and with that beautiful combination of syrupy viscosity but gravity-free float. Side by side with 96 in halves, it was the better wine by a country mile.
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7/23/2010 - GalvezGuy wrote: 97 Points
Popped and poured. Deep golden color. Initially a slight band aid odor that disappeared quickly. Nose of dried apricot, pineapple, peach, honey, coconut, toffee, orange zest, nice botrytis spice. On the palate, OMFG, how can something feel so viscous, yet dance on the tongue, flavors of apricot, peach, toffee, honey, orange marmalade, pineapple. Long long finish with vibrant acidity. Extraordinary now. Could it get better? Drink or hold. There is a reason that d'Yquem commands the premium price. Great experience with a great wine.
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6/19/2010 - cliffkol wrote: 95 Points
Outstanding! What kept my score at 95 was on the palate: not the depth of flavors I was expecting. However, still an incredibly delicious wine with a big nose of honey, apricot and stone fruits. The finish kept the tastes lingering for what seemed like forever.
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6/6/2010 - ginfizz wrote: 96 Points
Delicious, this bottle still incredibly young tasting, but the color looked medium apricot gold. Full palate of flavors and long finish. Can't wait to try another one.
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6/4/2010 - gsquireh wrote: 96 Points
Balanced and full-bodied, rich, viscous, and excellent acidity with fruitbasket of flavors- orange, lemon, peach, and apricot. Loved it
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6/1/2010 - brian1 wrote: 98 Points
Just superb wine. Very close to perfection for me.
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5/23/2010 - Niagara wrote: 97 Points
Magnificent!
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5/22/2010 - diablo wrote: 97 Points
Spectacular stuff. Apricots, peaches, pears, well-integrated smoky oak. Rich and extremely well-balanced.
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5/17/2010 - nskelsey wrote: 93 Points
A hot vintage with earliest recorded harvest on September 4th. Typical golden hue. Expressive and impressive nose with honey and good botrytis character. Oily texture with flavours of tropical fruits and marzipan. Nicely balanced with good acidity. Rich finish and good length. This is a big, structured wine that will last for a long time. It doesn't have the astonishing complexity of other vintages I have had, but it's still a memorable wine. Estimated maturity: 2009-2030+
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1/1/2010 - mperisic wrote: 97 Points
What a great wine! The deep golden color, initially metaluc nose, and then after the first swirl - an explosion of appricot vanilla. Sweet and complex taste, but not overpowering. Fantastic wine.
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12/25/2009 - Bodge wrote:
I don't get too much on the nose but in the mouth it is fabulous, very balanced, predominantly apricots for me, goes on and on. There was a touch of woodiness on the nose which I don't think was supposed to be there - maybe it was very slightly corked but not enough to spoil the enjoyment. Half bottle and my only one.
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12/19/2009 - BigJul wrote: 97 Points
Un moment magique, que j’attendais depuis longtemps. Un nez difficilement descriptible tant il est complexe et magnifique : crème brûlée, fumée, abricots, zeste d’orange, ananas, miel et biscuits à thé. Les saveurs se succèdent à un rythme effréné. La bouche suit avec une texture hors du commun, caressante, satinée, à la fois dense, onctueuse, opulente, lisse et délicate. Un équilibre impeccable. La finale est longue et sur les fruits à chair blanche. La magie opère; de grandes émotions. La plus grande bouteille de vin bue à ce jour. Merci ChicoResh. 96-97
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10/25/2009 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Leslie’s: Wow--this had more burnt caramel, upsidedown cake, carmelized brown sugar, toasty earthiness with serious stuffing character. Really nice bal, but not as light and pure as the Baumard Quarts de C. Grt.
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10/2/2009 - MauriceE wrote: 97 Points
Yquem "great years" tasting (Seinpost (Scheveningen, The Netherlands)): Again impressive, especially when considering the line-up of d'Yquem it had to compete in: 55, 67, 71, 75, 76, 86, 88, 89, 90, 97, 99, 01. My favorites are 01 - 67 - 88.
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10/2/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 97 Points
1997 Château d'Yquem (Frankrijk, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes) Kleur: Vol goudgeel. Aroma / bouquet: Naast de gebruikelijke indrukken van Botrytis, rozijnen, caramel, kaneel en honing valt vooral de overrijpe en gedroogde ananas op. Smaak / Afdronk: Zwoel, vol en geconcentreerd. Een wijn om 'in plakjes te snijden' met een opvallende frisheid. Algemeen / potentieel: Proeverij van de jaren 67, 71, 75, 76, 86, 88, 89, 90, 97, 99, 01 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 97/100
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9/23/2009 - wir wrote: 95 Points
Wow!! Still young with a nose of honey, marzipan, subtle orange zesty and raisins. The mouth was filled with tender sweetness and a rich palate. Good acidity, gorgeous creamy, caramel finish. Group average 96.6 (#5).
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6/13/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 95 Points
judgment of chicago-California Cabs vs Bordeaux (Chicago IL, Ward's): nose: beautiful and very youthful with perfectly balanced tones of coconut, apricots, white florals, all sorts of peach tones and bits of nectarines. There is a bit of shyness on the nose right now, but extremely deep and well layered
taste: very precise and deep tones of apricots, peaches, melons, and loads of white florals that are so well layered and lush. There is a real lovely medium weight to the wine that seems to want to let some extra time add to it
overall: a beautiful young d'yquem. This seemed to hold back a bit, but there was such a beautiful and somewhat precocious feel to it that should really blossom with more time
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5/1/2009 - TheBusiness724 wrote: 94 Points
The color is liquid yellow gold, very impressive. The nose--not so impressive. It had dried apricot, some mint and a nutty and/or cardboard aroma, also fairly closed. The palate, however, was one of the most complex we've ever tasted. Tertiary (and maybe even quaternary!) flavor groups on the palate. At the front it's big, round, sweet and viscous. Next comes an orangey-mint, fresh burst of citrus acidity. It's followed by a maple syrup, sweet honey and buttery turn, and ends with a long, full, buttery, honey, sweet, menthol finish that seems to last forever. Dried apricot, honey and almonds seem to be present throughout. It grew on us, a lot.
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4/2/2009 - Daium wrote:
Nez très Yquem, très bon, mais plus simple que le 98 que j'ai préféré (et qui est 100$ de moins). Très chocolaté, le plus botrytisé de mes expériences Yquem. La longueur en bouche est impressionante.
991/1000
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2/19/2009 - jeff nowak wrote: 87 Points
probably my least favorite vintage of this classic wine. showing a bit clunky tonight. not flabby in the traditional low acid sense (although it could use some extra), but rather exhibiting low botrytis.
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2/16/2009 - peetee wrote: 97 Points
Medium to light gold colour. Absolutely gorgeous mesmorizing nose of fresh citrus mingled with dried fruit and hazelnut. Wonderful flavours of zesty citrus with honey and toffee. Fantastic length. This is so easy to drink. It went perfect;y with a date and nut flan (better match without the cream!). Will try to keep the other bottle for 3-5 years if I can.
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1/8/2009 - noppakit s. wrote: 97 Points
I tasted once from normal bottle since released...young but no hard edge...superb 97/100.
Today quite ready from the half-bottle, very beautiful nose of typical Yquem, every scent is set to be great complexity. The body is not as dense as 1990, lovely full-elegant-bodied, The aftertaste is very smooth, long, linger and superb.
This must be my one of the most wanted Yquem.
Drink 2012 - 2040..................97-98/100....................
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12/20/2008 - chbeaumont wrote: 97 Points
Deep, old gold; cress & mint, pineapple cubes, powerful yet stylish; piercing acidity, intense, rich, opulent even; expansive. Classy. Almost certainly, more to come. 19>.
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11/4/2008 - ktrh wrote: 94 Points
Very lightly colored. The nose is very young: some apricot, botrytis, lemon and more. The structure is fantastic, very good acid. It tastes of dried fruit, with some (bitter) orange zest in the finish. The finish goes on forever. It is extremely well made; clear and opulent, well structured but still light and elegant. Outstanding!
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10/26/2008 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Super complex and exotic showing notes of coconut ice, vanilla, canned pineapple, mango and wood spice. There is so much full throttle Sauternes action that one marvels how the whole package remains in check, but the typical d’Yquem energy buzzes and bristles through the wine elevating all nuances whilst maintaining restraint.
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10/24/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 90 Points
from 375 ml. when is this wine ever actually bad? none in my experience, but this is near the bottom. thin and very mundane/tentative in the midpalate with a relatively short finish.
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9/11/2008 - MauriceE wrote: 97 Points
Drunk from my cellar after a tasting of Von Buhl (Pfalz). Wow! The wine was a little too warm, but still it exploded from the glass. Because of the temperature and because the wine is still very young, it seemed a little alcoholic but this disappeared soon. It has a very complex, delicious nose, you just keep sniffing and sniffing it. The texture of the wine is less fat than I expected, although it is still sticky (I poored the wine out of a caraf and licked it of my fingers when I spilled some...). Also a lot of wood in the beginning, but this soon evolved into the right vanilla-tones you want in a sweet wine. This is indeed an other world wine.
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9/6/2008 - nvandyk wrote: 93 Points
Nice, but underwhelming.
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8/2/2008 - joni.m.anttonen@gmail.com wrote: 97 Points
Tasted on Silja symphony in restaurant bon vivant. This is the first d'yquem I've tasted(not the last) and I was so blown away that I didn't write any tasting note. So this note is written afterwards
Nose: Very intensive, honey, botrytis
Palate: Full-bodied. Thick and sweet. Powerfull and very very harmonious. Incredibly long aftertaste.
I fell in love
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2/26/2008 - zimmy07 wrote: 92 Points
a bit of whisky on the nose followed by an overly sweet, rich, and thick blast of tropical fruits. Still too young, but tasty
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2/15/2008 - Rosengoo wrote:
Tasted February 15,2008 at Lake Louise Post Hotel Yquem tasting. This wine had a very strong petroleum smell to it and the balance seemed to be off. I was not a fan.
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1/6/2008 - corger wrote:
Full of apple, less syrupy than expected. Could have stayed in the bottle longer!
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12/27/2007 - DdB wrote: 95 Points
Rich, balanced, and light on it's feet despite the depth and palate presence. Great flavors of caramel, apricots, nectarines on the palate with some extra floral notes on the nose. Impressive finish.
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12/24/2007 - A&C wrote: 96 Points
This is the second year in a row that Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus enjoyed a dessert wine while they wrapped presents, and adorned the Christmas tree with gifts. Last year, it was Far Niente. This year -- things moved up to a higher level. This is a magnificent wine. A beautiful carmel, orange, honey color. A rich, sweet, semi-moldy orange-blossom nose. But the real treat is how it tastes. This is rich, without being too rich; and sweet, without being too sweet; and polished, without being over-the-top. The best way to describe this nectar is balanced. A nice balance between the hint of underlying acid, and the wonderfully, oily, fruit and sugar. What I really like is how the Yquem achieves a richness without being heavy or over-bearing. There is something about this wine that creates a sense of relaxed calm following the chaos that only parents of young children over-excited with anticipation of morning can appreciate. A mini-vacation on the eve of a wonderful traditional day filled with chaos, family, memories, magic, and echoes of christmas's past and long ago.
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11/18/2007 - mortenef wrote: 97 Points
Liquid gold. For me, this is perfection. Alas, only a 375ml. Loads of botrytis and tropical fruits. Finish lasts several minutes. Yum...
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9/18/2007 - sosgoodjhu wrote: 96 Points
Medium straw saturation. Nose of white spring flowers, tangerine, marmalade followed by flavors of sweet honeysuckle, lots of baked pears and brown sugared apricots. Dang! Real, real, real nice!
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9/7/2007 - sdr wrote: 84 Points
South Florida does Lafleur (Cafe Maxx, Pompano Beach, Florida): Surprising weak. Nicely sweet and tasty, but just the barest hint of botrytis. At age ten, of course it isn't mature, but the baby fat should have worn off and the instrinsic power should be detectable. Pretty flavors of pineapple, peach and orange peel. It's okay - but this is YQUEM and the expectations are great. From limited tastings, I believe the '99 is better.
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8/22/2007 - pjaines wrote: 96 Points
Oh no, I have just comitted infanticde. Bought a half bottle for the wifes birthday - we knew we would be killing it by drinking it, but what pleasure, what an experience. The half bottle lasted us 2 days. A small small glass of this goes a long way and we just sat there smelling and laughing and smelling and sipping. Even when the glass was empty you could smell the wine at such huge levels of pungency that you dont need to drink this to enjoy it. The wine sticks to the glass like glue and there are so many aromas and so many levels to strike me speechless. Previous reviewers of this wine explain much more eloquently than myself the flavours and smells of this wine - all I can say is that I can still taste it and still smell it. Everyone who subscribes to this website should at some point in their life drink this wine despite its cost. Unforgettable.
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8/6/2007 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Medium rich with honeyed, tropical fruit notes and vanilla. This is a very well made Yquem, perfectly balancing acidity and sweetness. But, it lacks the concentration, depth and level of botrytis found in the best years. For my palate, this is probably what a vintage like 70 or 71 tasted like young.
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3/13/2007 - Gregory Dal Piaz wrote: 86 Points
University Settlement dinner (Christies): very volatile, smells of insecticide, vibrant acidity in the mouth offers excellent balnce to the, no doubt, high level of rs. Really quite lithe on the palate notes of honey, roasted nuts, and dried fruits, papaya, pineapple and apricot but this wine is hot, hot, hot and it was served at about 65F. Between the volatility and heat this is only good at best.
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3/10/2007 - John J. Smith wrote: 97 Points
My first taste of d'Yquem - from 1/2 bottle. Simply a remarkable nose of pineapple, honey and tropical flowers - I never wanted to stop sniffing it. In the mouth it's so thick and balanced. Just a really heady experience!
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2/3/2007 - Wine Bill wrote: 98 Points
Y2 day in the Librije, Zwolle, Netherlands. (Yquem tasting) (De Librije, Zwolle, Netherlands.): Golden yellow. Enormous good concentration and balance between sweetness and acidity. Pineapple, caramel, bitterness. Long but backward aftertaste. This will be a hell of a wine in several more years. In fact it already is.
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1/23/2007 - Winegirl31 wrote:
One of the best Sauternes I've tried.
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1/2/2007 - 82bordeaux wrote: 92 Points
A wealth of fruit, but lower levels of acidity failed to give this the zip of top bottles of Yquem. I will hold remaining bottles for at least 5-10 years to see if that big fruit begins to develop secondary characteristics. At present, it is all apricot marmalade. If it does develop these characteristics, my rating will be off-base to the low side.
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11/24/2006 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 90 Points
Yquem Tasting (Robersons Wine, London): Light gold, a dumb nose, with a hint of spicy oak. Lighter in style with lower concentration, but none the worse for it, apporachable now and a very enjoyable wine.
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11/16/2006 - WineForRob wrote:
Had at Cowboy Cioa with dessert and it is not my style. Sweet apricot flavor with medicine finish. Won't put a score since I can't base it on anything.
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10/16/2006 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 90 Points
Heavyweight Sauternes despite its youth. On day one the fruit is fresh and honeyed with a very suave texture and a viscous mouthfeel. A week after opening, the the fruit turns darker and the honeyed botrytis influence takes up more of the foreground. It also leaves a heavier footprint and comes off a bit less refined. A lot of flavor comes from the botrytis itself with the wine not tasting especially sweet by Sauternes standards. I think it is better suited to serve with an appropriate food course than as a dessert wine or after-dinner drink.
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9/22/2006 - mdefreitas wrote: 92 Points
Dinner Party at Home w/ Pinots & d'Yquem (Milford): Much better than expected. Not the weight of the 88/89/01, but very well balanced.
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8/2/2006 - kstoddard wrote:
Something was very off with this wine. Too bad.
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3/24/2006 - Arbitrage wrote: 96 Points
Citrus, pear, apricots. Layers of flavors that embodies your palette in utter bliss.
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3/11/2006 - Winetex wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at the Wine Cask (The Wine Cask, Santa Barbara, CA): Orange, apricot marmelade flavors with some acidity. Given its relative youth it seemed more ready to drink I would have expected. Possibly a little low on acid? but still great wine. The question is just how long to age these.
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12/22/2005 - psmith wrote: 94 Points
Orange marmalade, candied apricot, and lemon cream pie on the nose. A weighty palate with a cotton candy spongy texture. Pure and very clean, with good length in the flavor and acidity. Great concentration but, like the last time I had this, just a bit cloying.
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10/28/2005 - burningstarIV wrote: 97 Points
I know it is young, but so am I. No regrets about opening this one. Perfect balance and a lightness that escapes all other producers. I was glad to share this with people whom, despite limited wine experience, were able to derive real pleasure from the experience. WOTN. 50+5+12+20+10=97
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10/12/2005 - psmith wrote:
DRC Tasting at Classics Restaurant: A forward, fat d'Yquem. Marmalade and candied apricot nose. A spongy "cotton candy" mouthfeel with intense fruit, good concentration, but slightly deficient in the acidic backbone. A solid wine, but a very mediocre d"Yquem. ***
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10/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Medium yellow color. Medium tight botrytis nose. Tigh palate of yellow fruit dominated by botrytis and acidity. 10/05
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4/9/2005 - beachbum wrote: 95 Points
Tasting at Wine and Cheese Show - The highlights: I had just a small pour, but the orangy yellow hue was evident. The nose was creamy citrus flavors, with a hint of the oak. Taste is the classic sweet yquem, big, I got pineapples, and oranges. The slightest hints of cream brule show through. Nice to taste now, seemless and elegant with decent acids, but you know there is so much more complexity to come. After i fiished the wine I walked around the show and just smelled the my glass for about 15 minutes and the caramel notes were just unreal. Yup, need some for the cellar in 30 years.
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12/22/2004 - RossM wrote: 94 Points
Bright golden in color. At first whiff candied citrus peel vaults from the glass. This is followed by ripe candied apricot, honey and slight pear. Wow. The acid is right in balance if not slightly on the low side. With a little time, these candied notes blow off to express a greater purity of fruit. Seamless. This is a rare treat. The spicy mouthfeel last for 20+ seconds and is mouthcoating. On the finish I find hints of mild vanilla, sweet biscuits and the slightest hint of smoke.
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11/16/2004 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 96 Points
1997 Yquem, Sauternes/Barsac, Bordeaux, France
Golden yellow in color. Strong scents of apricot, honey, and roasted sugar. Thick, dense and oily in texture with gobs of ripe fruit. Very intense and vanilla-fused in flavor with wonderful complexity of sweetness, balanced out by fresh, ripe acid. Firmly built with lots of stuffing for long keeping - however, I would not hesitate opening up a bottle, the wine is great right now. Long aftertaste. Great!
96 points
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7/14/2004 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 97 Points
from ½ bottle;. Rich, yellow, honey-like colour. Very intense bouquet on notes of vanilla, créme brulée, roasted almonds and honey. Large bodied with dazzling purity and freshness, coupled with superb intensity and concentration of flavour. Well structured with excellent balance and harmony and a long, long smooth and velvet-like aftertaste. I like this wine as is now. Maybe it'll get better with time. But I loved it for drinking right now...
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10/2/2003 - R2-D2 wrote: 97 Points
The Alice in Wonderland of the wine world. You fall into the rabbit hole and want to stay there.
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