This is masterful. Big and bold but not overly sweet, this shows apricots and vanilla with some exoticism. Only moderate acidity but tons of extract. Really complex with superb balance. Obviously, still a baby.
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Small Tasting & Dinner with Friends: Half bottle. Light golden yellow color. Aromas of pear nectar, honey, orange blossom and stone fruit. Rich, but with plenty of acidity to keep things fresh. Apricot, peach, pear and spice flavors with a long finish. Balanced. Lovely. 94+ pts. (R&D)
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Paired beautifully with some Humboldt fog. This was a PnP from a 375 and it was delicious from the moment it was opened, just singing. It was even better on day two.
Apricot, pineapple, rich honeyed orange peel, incredible lightness alongside the sweetness. Balance as only Yquem consistently delivers. Coming into its own with decades ahead.
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Sauternes Chinese Banquet Dinner: Opened 24 hours in advance. Yellow color. Rich, spicy, lush, and moderately sweet with exquisite balance. Still very young but a powerhouse and delicious now. The biggest wine of the tasting. Should live forever.
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All Sauternes, All Night (R & G Lounge, SF): Double decanted 24 hours in advance. Still a bit tightly wound upon first pour, and progressively shows more and more over the course of 3 hours in glass. Complex aromatics, steely, with a slug of vanilla oak, super rich and powerful but everything is in balance. Viscous as all get-out, almost motor-oil like, yet juxtaposed with the light caress on the palate. As the night wears on, it shows less unctuous apricot jam, and shows more bright pear, with super refined inner-mouth aromatics. The finish is super long, minutes long. Some spicy botrytis that complements the slightly spicy beef & scallop in XO sauce. 93ish to start the night, but ends up in the 96-97 range. I imagine this will be superb in another .... 25 years?
Day 3: no change - still a bit tight. Day 4: with just 3-4 oz left, this has finally started to relax a bit, less showy, and just showing an easy finesse that was lacking on day 2. 97
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All-sauternes dinner; 12/2/2023-12/3/2023 (R&G Lounge, San Francisco): Opened 24 hours prior to tasting and double-decanted. Youthful, a bit of vanilla and oak, tropical fruit; palate is full bodied, rich was but also elegance, some pineapple, lovely complexity; long finish. Really lovely Yquem, still in its youth. In my opinion not quite at the level of ‘01 and it needs decades, but it will eventually be great. 97
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100-rated 2009 Bordeaux dinner: Tonight's event featured eight 100-point-professinally-rated (by Parker and/or Dunnuck) 2009 Bordeaux reds plus Yquem. The reds: Montrose, Pontet-Canet, Leoville Poyferre, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Smith Haut Lafitte, Clinet, Clos Fortet, and Troplong Mondot. All were purchased upon release, properly cellared, and decanted 3 hours before consumption over another 2-3 hours. In general, IMO and by consensus, none of the reds drank close to perfection. Did they on release? No idea. Will they in time? No idea. I rated them in a relatively tight band of 93-97 tonight. If I owned them, I'd wait on all and gamble on tertiary development. None had material tertiary flavors now. I would hold and gamble on their getting better with it than without. WOTN was unquestionably the d'Yquem. Unlike the reds, it was immortal and perfect.
The 2009 Yquem is absolute perfection in my opinion. Colossal complexity that dances and romances the tongue for a minute+. Beeswax, orange peel, honeysuckle, nectar. A legendary vintage. Don't hesitate to enjoy this now, as I believe it delivers its full potential today. Monumental.
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PNP. Golden color. Apricot, pineapple upside down cake, honeysuckle, and candied tangerine. Super smoother, sweet, rich, ripe, viscous,…
I’d Rather Be Drinking Wine was kind enough to open this to conclude a great dinner party. The theme of the party was “You’re going to open THAT bottle?”. Among the best Sauternes I’ve ever had.
Open THAT Bottle! (Jason's House): I really cannot add anything to my previous notes. Suffice to say it is classic 2009 Yquem, and I love it! Like virtually all Yquems, it strikes that uncanny balance between sweetness and acidity. IMO, 2009 and 2001 are the best representations of this! Easy 98!
OK...brief summary....Honeyed stone fruits with enough acidity to ensure it is no where near cloying. A wine you can easily drink and it will seduce you and make you forget it is even a sweet wine!
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Not 100 because I think I drank it too young. When I envision what a Sauternes should be it’s this. Undeniable sweetness but balanced so well with crisp acidity. Notes of mint and honeycomb, a faint taste of the botrytis. Thick and powerful mouthfeel. Nose was present as soon as the cork was pulled
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Last H/B. The colour and nose seemed darker and more aged than the palate, which is still very primary. Gobs of concentrated apricot marmelade, tangerine, quince and honey with a long finish. Slight alcoholic heat. Guessing 750s are too young still. This was 95+.
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Paired with baked apple and cinnamon tart. This half bottle was not quite as divine as one last year but still in the zone. Concentrated mint and pineapple. Not as sweet as expected with some savory notes and musk with a long finish that became more clipped and shortened after the first glass. 95-96
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Ironically, William Kelly had this as his wine of the tasting, beating the 2009 first growth reds! It is spectacular; stunning richness, but such great freshness, making it taste much less sweet than expected. Little secondary character at this stage, but will be a wine for the ages. Brilliant and oh-so-drinkable now.
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Arizona Dreaming! (Guiseppe's in Scottsdale): Yquem in great vintage.....need I really say more? Same as previous notes....always a pleasure to drink! Honeyed stone fruit, impeccable balance and a wine that begs you to take another sip! Love this wine!
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Viscous, sweet start and then quite mellow, and then BOOM come the flavors, peaches, apricot, honey almost straight from bees hive. Finish continues for minutes. This was a great finishing wine.
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No poker night (Jason and Mariellen's house): Drank a small glass over 45 minutes. Orange marmalade, marshmallow, spice, canteloupe, slight tropical fruit. This is so balanced and elegant, it oozes class.
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P: Ripe, honeyed yellow fruits, a pleasantly spiced honey, subtle but bitter minerals, and an energetic acidity that is fighting its way to keep freshness in the wine.
This delivers flavors like a swift but heavy punch. Not sweet nor heavy at all but has the perks of both attributes. The acidity seemed to play a major support role for the fruits in this, it doesn't quite break ground but it's there supporting the fruit, preventing it from collapsing in on itself. I wish I had more time to spend with this but this was too tasty. This should benefit with some time in the glass. What a treat.
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Sorry, Not Sorry! No Poker on Poker Night! (Jason's House): I feel like a broken record....once again impeccable balance and a solid 98 points....still my benchmark Sauternes and can't imagine anything better! Full of orange creamsicle, honeyed stone fruits and apricot jam with a hint of citrus and spice. Just the right amount of acidity to balance the sweetness....always a treat! 98, yet again!
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In a near tragedy I over chilled this. I tried to let it open and come up to temperature but it was very muted until the bottle was almost empty. Bergamot, sandalwood, creme brulee. More acidity than other Sauternes I've had gave this plenty of lift and an electric balance of elements. Tasted very young, I'll try to hold onto my other bottle for the better part of a decade. 97-100 pts.
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I started drinking this from a 375ml several months ago through a Coravin. Just little sips each time. Uncorked the rest last night. This is nectar of the gods. I have a few bottles of this left from a case of 24. I will try to wait a bit.
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Bright gold. This was pure, liquid Manuka honey with marzipan, vanilla, citrus, pineapple and all kinds of other tropical notes on the nose and carrying through to the palate. Rich, viscous but with excellent lift and never overly sweet or cloying. Pure class. So enjoyable now but with the stuffing to cellar and improve for decades. Wow.
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Has the classic Yquem coconut ice note, along with ripe peach and apricot. It is full and sweet and generous. Acidity is only moderate but the finish is bright and energetic. Length of flavour is terrific. Starting to drink really well.
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Young, rich, opulent, silky, fresh, vibrant, full, and deep, with enough blazing acidity to allow all the layers of vanilla and honey-coated orange and yellow tropical fruits to bathe your palate again and again with this stunning, sweet treat. OK, so this is still obviously young, and primary, but it is such a delicious experience now, that it was impossible to put my glass down. Patience might be a virtue. But there are times when patience is over rated.
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2022 Athens Wine Event (CTC , Athens): Tasted blind. Went for 2001 Mr K … Liquid gold is what we can say here and really we should leave the TN there. Or as Nicol said what more would you be looking for in a wine. As always the Boss says it right. 98
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10x 100 Pts with the Wine Advocate Team: This is another fantastic success for Yquem. Despite being young already highly complex, perfectly delineated, and the weightlessness no other Sauternes achieves that consistently. 97 pts today, with more tertiary complexity the 100 pts will be reachable - an understandable call Perotti-Brown and Martin. William Kelley, who presented the wine, sees this even ahead of the 2001 (I’m not sure about that but it‘s splitting hairs). This was the second crowd favorite beside the Cheval Blanc 2009 (incidentally my #1 and #2 too). 97/98 pts
TN: Intense, saffron, peach, apricot, spices nose. Super precise and fresh. On the palate this is so nicely layered, intense, super precise, with so much quince, hints of apricot, loads of saffron, herbs, crushed rocks. The highlight, as always, is the unbelievable weightless which just Yquem can achieve. Superb acidity. Long lasting finish.
Decanting: This was sitting in the glass for some at least 60 minutes which seemed fine.
Tasted at the Matter of Taste Zurich 1,000 Points Masterclass. William Kelley said in his view this was the best Yquem since 1967. I can’t say I disagree much, flicking through my notes I never scored an Yquem higher in 1967-2009, although I did have equally amazing experiences with 1983, 2000 and 2001.
Tasting note: Dried fruit and even some fresher apricots, saffron, honey, chestnut and spices are just a few of the layers in an amazingly intense bouquet. Creamy texture with sufficient acidity to carry it. Incredibly dense with a beautiful structure and mind-blowingly soft. What would have been needed for that extra 1 or 2 points for me was a splash of extra freshness.
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WWC - GA (FWC): Tasted blind - wow - fantastic nose of carmel; beautiful gold in the glass, and perfect amount of carmel and sweet on the palate. Not too sweet. It was my first Yquem - I called a late harvest viognier...An amazing wine, that will only get better with time.
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The 2009 Château d’Yquem is probably the closest thing to ambrosia in existence. On the nose, apricot, honey, spiced peaches, and a hint of “rubber hose” (reminded me of Riesling “petrol”).
The palate is absurdly complex for a young Sauternes. Orange marmalade, grilled pineapple, peach cobbler, even guava. Literally the perfect amount of acidity too.
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If this is representative (bottle was pristine) I do not understand the glorious reviews. By Yquem standards this is a mediocre wine with good sweetness, moderate acidity but a complete lack of fruit intensity. orange rind, butterscotch, honey
My first time trying this….out of 375. If this is representative (bottle was pristine) I do not understand the glorious reviews. By Yquem standards this is a mediocre wine with good sweetness, moderate acidity but a complete lack of fruit intensity. orange rind, butterscotch, honey notes create an interesting flavor profile, but where’s the grand cru fruit? Where’s the balance? Where’s the exuberance? It reminds me of a poor man’s 89
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Showcase your palate; 10/26/2021-10/28/2021 (zoom): It doesn't get too much better than this. Perfectly smooth and balanced, lovely stone fruit, honey and almost indescribable. Really an amazing treat. Thank you Jason for sharing this one!!
Zooming Discovery Mission: What can I say....this wine is very consistent! Still the best, and most balanced, Sauternes I have experienced. Honeyed stone fruit perfectly balanced with lively acidity, rich, creamy texture, long finish that has you craving another sip.....life is good! 98 points (my highest score)....don't see ever getting anything better, but one can always hope!
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Don't know that I've ever given a 99 before! Jason gave us a bonus bottle tonight....poured from a 375. Immediate sense of orange marmalade on the nose....I didn't get the mint that others here have alluded to. Hints of honey, but the texture in the mouth belies this, there's no syrupy or weighty component. This wine appears structurally seamless...from start to finish. There are no voids, no dropoffs. I came very close to giving it 100. Eternally grateful, Jason!
addendum: placed back into small bottle re-capped and put in the cellar. 2nd night just as good as the 1st. Jimbo shares the same 99 score!
A small glass but totally left an impression on my wife and I. Nose of mint (!). Palate of harmonious white fruit and butterscotch. Finish of at least 30 seconds, maybe more. Seems young still but so well balanced and fresh. 97+
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bright young gold color, massive nose of brown sugar, honey-laden orange peel, marmalade and marzipan, on the palate a blazing white chocolate note powerfully splashed over a pool of rich honeyed fruit as deep as the ocean yet also in its way as lean and elegant as a greyhound at full sprint, where the 2015 remains tantalizingly poised at all points- the 2009 dares to be electrically flamboyant despite having all of the quiet power and complexity of its equally compelling younger sibling, with an hour of airing this showed the fully array of Yquem at its finest- honey, marmalade, treacle, white chocolate, marzipan and orange peel, and with a decadence reminiscent of the great trio of 1988-1990, for the moment my restraint-loving palate gives a slight edge to the 2015- but the glorious comparisons of these two great vintages will surely inspire much delight and spirited debate for decades to come, as good as it gets.
***(**), 2025-2100+
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Gosh, this is a wine to stop you in your tracks. Deeply golden and bright, the nose introduces a heady mix of cinder toffee, caramel, honey and marzipan, but is absolutely nothing compared to the palate, which is riot of tropical fruit, lemon curd, yoghurt and honeycomb, with acidity that just pings on to infinity. It's barely getting going, development wise - you feel that this could just live forever. Exceptional.
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Outstanding. Incredible power, balance, length, texture. Luscious yet so easy to drink. Tropical, coconut, honey, caramel… A nose like the sweetest, ripest tropical fruit ever… Really an amazing wine.
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What a gorgeous and incredible young Yquem! The fruit is so fresh, vibrant and precise. Sure it will develop more complexity but it already shows signs of being the finest Yquem I have tasted.
PnP from a .375L ... I just can't imagine this wine ever scoring less than 98 points! Balance is impeccable with the acidity keeping the sweetness in perfect check! Also, the flavor profile on this Sauternes is other-worldly! It is creamy tropical fruit (mango and papaya) with some orange/apricot/peach...with a hint of caramel and toffee. One person at the tasting commented that if he were stranded on an island with only one case of wine, it would be this one! I really need to let some of these bottles age, but it is so hard because they drink so perfect! My highest score--98 points!
Jason Goes Nuts & Guys Ride Again (Jason's, St. Paul, MN): Medium gold color. From 375ml. Pick your superlatives here; gorgeous, sublime, peach and tropical fruits, great acid, so lively and bright, orange cream, vibrant, fantastic balance. Outstanding and pitch perfect. What a way to end a special evening.
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The Return of Guys Night Out!: This was a .375 and PnP. This wine is simply amazing and confirms my judgement as being the best Sauternes I have ever tasted, including the legendary 2001. I love this Sauternes, and again, it shows impeccable balance between sweetness and acidity, so as to come across as creamy fruit, wrapped in citrus, wrapped in caramel, and followed by a long, delicious finish. Love this wine! As close to perfection as I have had! Enthusiastic 98 (my highest score)!!
Profound clover honey, bitter orange, frangipane, almond, pineapple. Crispy sugar palate so fresh, impactful, rich but balanced. Resounding. Astonishing. An Yquem which should be enjoyable at every stage of its life. 99-100?
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From half bottle. Tasted blind and despite always thinking I'll spot the Yquem when I taste it, I didn't. Almost a Rosé-like in colour. I couldn't spot the signature saffron initially but then it did pop up once revealed and I knew what I was looking for. A cascade of sweet spices, licorice, maybe a whiff of anise, candid fruit, apricot, orange peel with more and more layers coming to the fore with aeration in the glass. A perfectly harmonious palate with a creamy texture, crisp acidity, countless flavour dimensions culminating in a finish that felt endless.
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First d’Yquem. Notes of orange peel, Carmel, honey and citrus. Paired with buffalo wings, blue cheese and brûlée mango cake. Unbelievable complexity paired with an unending finish makes for a great wine.
Very sweet...too sweet for my liking. It wasn’t a dry wine as I expected. I just wanted a dry white wine to pair it with the frozen fish-sticks. It was the only wine standing alone in the cave of my boss, so I guess it wasn’t something important. Again, very very sweet!
Golden straw color. Medium bodied with great (high) acidity. Aromas of ripe white peach, marmalade and grassy plains. I could really sense the “wine” of a semillion here. Long finish. A honeyed sweetness on the palate with flavors that matched the aromas. Long long finish. So. Damn. Good. Highest recommendation. I will say probably drinking too young tonight.
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Tørka frukter, fiken og aprikos, blomster, safran. I munnen søte epler, vanilje, klementin, tørka frukter, fløtekaramell - og samtidig lett og frisk. Intens hele veien i munnen, men bygger seg opp og vokser langt inn i ettersmaken som varer og varer. Utrolig flott og kompleks vin!
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Wine Advocate 1000-point dinner in NYC (Gabriel Kreuther): I'm definitely not a fan of dessert wines so take my rating with a gram of sugar. These are usually beautifully balanced but this seemed heavy on the sugar to me, overpowering its light body. Perhaps too young.
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"Single" Bottle SLDS @ Glass: Lemon, orange, pear, and apricots on the nose. Sweet and unctuous on the palate, this shows off its obvious youth, with power and great length, but fairly superficial depth at this point. I'm sure this will rise up with time.
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Still just a baby as you would expect, yet it is impossible not to be blown by the juxtaposition between the insanely concentrated levels of ripe and over ripe, honey drenched tropical fruit and the bracing acidity that gives the wine life. Everything here is off the hook. This is so good today, I wish I had a bottle tonight. But if I had the wine in my cellar, as tempting as it might be, I'd wait at least 1 more decade, or better yet, 2 before I started thinking about popping a cork.
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Classic Sauternes, but this was infanticide from start to finish. Honey and candied nuts. Viscous. Powerful. Botrytis is noticeable. Went ok with the apple bread pudding with Brandy sauce but would have gone much better with a bleu cheese honey and pecan danish or coffee cake. Excellent Sauternes. Understand why it was so highly rated.
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Not only was this unbelievably delicious, but I cannot even imagine a wine getting any better than this....if this is not perfection, I am not sure what is. This 2009 Yquem struck the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, between fruit and minerality, and with just the right amount of oakiness to give the wine character, while lurking in the background. The wine showed no heat, and it was forever changing in the glass. I could easily sit with a bottle of this and enjoy it on a long evening while contemplating how good life can be! I had a three ounce pour (maybe closer to 4 because it was my birthday) and wish I could have taken more time to see how it evolves, but it was just too damn good!
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Jason turns 60 (Tilia): I don't know how to describe this wine. Obviously you get all the Sauternes flavors, this one just crushes it. The palate is so lively, with multitudes of flavors that dance across your tongue. It is explosive. Apricot, spice, botrytis. Probably because of it's youth, it does seem quite sweet, maybe a touch syrupy, yet in a good way. In my mind, this bested a 2001 Coutet Cuvee Madame I had a few years ago. At that time, I couldn't imagine a Sauternes being better than the 2001 Cuvee Madame. Well, this Yquem was. 99-100.
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PnP - This wine sets my benchmark for Sauternes, Barsacs, or any other sweet wine. This is hands down the best Sauternes I have had tasted, even better, IMO, than the legendary 2001 (which I have only had on one occasion, and hope future bottles will surpass this 2009--which would definitely be a treat!). For now, the 2009 reigns supreme in my book. It has a complex and changing nose, a superb balance of sweetness and acidity, and a super-long finish. On the palate it is crisp fruit, leaning more toward pineapple, Granny Smith apple, with pear, mango and dried apricot all present. It is one of those wines that continually has you taking another sip, until you realize it is gone. I can say I would have liked to evaluate this wine over hours of drinking, but it was just too good, and, sorry to say, I was just too impatient! Glad I have a few of these in my cellar, as I am sure we will be seeing each other again!
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Jason's Big 6-0 Bash (Tilia, Mpls): Light gold color. PNP, drank a glass over 40 minutes. Aluring, captivating, seductive - insert your adjective here. Maybe the word is spellbinding. Wow, the nose is explosive, tangerine, peach, pineapple, brown sugar, white flowers and spices. The palate is simply penetrating. This has such intensity and presence, yet it has the class and elegance that defines d'Yquem. The palate is so bright and lively with a lighter medium bodied with the most impeccable balance, peach, mandarin orange, hints of tropical fruits, honeysuckle, and sublime spices with an incredibly long finish. A complete wine that I can only imagine being better by adding a little more age. Still, I love drinking Sauternes in what I consider their first sweet spot at ten years of age. Jason, thanks for opening and sharing this.
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2009 Bordeaux 10 years in the bottle 2-day horizontal; 6/23/2019-6/24/2019 (Fribourg): Part of a grand Bordeaux 2009 tasting spanning 2 days that revealed 1) a right bank struggling with overripe fruit and overwhelming tannins, 2) wide spreak between top performers and laggards, 3) left bank, and especially Margaux, outshone the right bank cousins, 4) Top wines: Palmer, Margaux, Cheval Blanc, Vieux Chateau Certan.
Tasting note: Once more multi-layered complexity. Orange zest, a bit of saffron, fruit ranges from citric to tropical, some spices, lemon tart. Not quite as majestic as the 2015 but nevertheless shines next to the other wannabe‘s.
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Our anniversary year. Unctuous perfection, so smooth and refined. Perfect balance. Enjoyed with 10th anniversary dinner at Willows in on Lummi Island. So fun!
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A: deep gold. Leggy! N: pronounced nose. Honey, tapioca, ginger, Orange blossom, pineapple, dried apricots, mango, toast, vanilla, creme brulee, lemon curd. A very gentle touch of green bean or asparagus lingers. P: Dry, medium (+) acid, full body, pronounced intensity, long finish and I am guessing medium (+) alcohol though has quite a burn. C: BLIC? Ticks ....2 full ticks and 2 half ticks. Could be even more complex with time and acidity is verging on medium. This is developing. Hold on to it for now and very good quality will soon edge closer to outstanding. Wish the acidity was higher!
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I should feel guilty about drinking this after a mere ten years but it’s simply so beautiful already I can’t be too upset.
Pale straw gold in the glass, much paler than the 2015s I’ve seen, and a beautiful nose with layers of boytris, honeycomb, plum, apricot, quince, yuzu, toffee, and so much more. Perfectly balanced palate with lemony sweetness and just a faint hint of oxidation with a finish that goes on for a full minute.
I’m giving this a 99 because, gun to my head, I would prefer the more complex and aged essenzia I previous gave a 100 to, but 25 years down the line I could very well see this improving beyond that.
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Outrageous. Literally. This 375ml has been open, recorked, and sitting in my cellar under refrigeration for 60 days. We drank the rest of it tonight for my daughters birthday and it was stellar. Honeyed apricots, perfect texture, acidity and weight. I can’t wait to drink this wine in 20 years, hopefully. Highest recommendation.
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This brought up the end of a wonderful ficofi dinner which featured a DRC 04 echezeaux and a 99 Lafite. And what a fitting end to the evening. The nose, the balance on the palate. The flavors! Absolutely beautiful
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Catching up with Axel (Freds, Oxford Street, Sydney): From Coravin. Caramel, cream, slight vanilla, muscovado sugar, apricot jam. Juicy, fleshy, fresh, slight candied apricot and a touch of orange marmalade but, overall, this is a little flat for me compared to previous tastings.
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Small Rhone Tasting w/Aussie Ringer (R&D's): From 375ml, courtesy of our hosts. Light golden yellow color. Apricot, peach, pear liqueur, stone and spice notes. Tropical- banana, then peach and botrytis spice. Long finish. Rich, but bright too. Lingers on the palate for well over a minute.
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Amazing! Smooth rich and powerful. Flavors of apricots, honey, and poached pears. Extremely well balanced, but fills your mouth with flavor. Easily has many years to be enjoyed.
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Chateau d'Yquem Tutored Tasting (The Wine Emporium, Wine Education Centre): The 2009 Yquem is a stunning wine of rich green golden colour and a 'forever' nose of preserved peaches, apricot and cumquat jam, poached vanilla pears, pineapple tarte tatin, leatherwood honey and creme caramel. The palate is a treat of the same flavours but with a lovely silky elegance framing the richness and giving poise and length to the beautiful finish. This a great Yquem that stands out clearly in tonight's company.
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Had at a spectacular WINEBID.com tasting event. Total of 39 wines tasted with an unbelievable lineup ! Bravo to Sterling Roig.
HOLY COW! Viscous, sweet start and then quite mellow, and then BOOM come the flavors, peaches, apricot, honey almost straight from bees hive. Finish continues for minutes. Another possible WOTN and just great finishing wine.
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WineBid Tasting Event (Mandarin Oriental): Wow this wine. Even thinking back I can still picture it. The finish just lingers for ages. Light and airy and white peach and lily of the valley and apricots. The more you shift it in your mouth, the more different profiles come through. And that finish. Great wine.
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Fantastic wine! Great nose, great body, outstanding finish. Taste lingers for >20 seconds. First bottle I tried - significant step up from other high-quality sauternes and ice wines, especially length of finish is remarkable. If only these small bottles were bigger...
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Super tropical nose of passionfruit, guava and honeydew. There are dried apricots, lavender and blossom notes too. It has terrific volume and intensity and for all of its sweet lusciousness there’s energy and balance. It drives on and on once swallowed and despite being very young is an incredibly delicious and sensual Yquem.
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66x Parker 100-Pointers from Bordeaux 1947-2010 tasted blind (Switzerland): Served with the Cheese and charcutery buffet at the end of the tasting. Medium yellow, quite light color for a Sauternes. Nose of apple, quince, lychee, tropical fruit. This is very fresh and airy, very different to the 2001 which was more unctuous and smoky. A ballerina of a Sauternes. Very nice.
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working with wine 2016 seminar 2 - sweet wines (Hilton Hotel, Sydney): More muted, sweet slice over muted apricot, orange and slight cherry. With agitation more meaty notes. The mouth, though, belies the nose. It's juicy, fleshy, vibrant and sweet. Preposterously harmonious with a cornucopia of flavours including orange marmalade, vanilla cream, custard, apricot compote and sweet spice. Carries exceedingly long, broad on the mid palate. tear jerkingly good and still young.
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Disappointed with this bottle tonight. Not a lot of depth that normal Yquem offers...the bottle was not as chilled as it needed to be but had opened a 2009 at the same time & temp and was surprised how much better the 2009 was overall...
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Mini vertical of 2011, 2009, 2007, 2005. Compared to the 2011 this had more dried fruit on the nose and was more concentrated and "sticky", but by no means heavy or cloying. Spicy, layered, complex. Incredibly well integrated acidity. Really powerful on the palate. Enormous finish. Goes on and on and on. 98-100
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First Growths, Yquem, 100+Madeira (John V.'s): What a wild tasting. This almost got overlooked between the first growths and the Madeira's. But Wow. I kept going back to it. From a 375. Just a perfect wine IMO. So much better than a recent 05 or 10. Light golden in color. The nose has honey, floral notes, pineapple and citrus. Viscous. Sweet not cloying. The palate matches the nose with such a great persistence. An incredibly long finish. Wow. Perhaps not quite the 2001 but it would be great to drink them side by side to see.
2014 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/14/2014-10/21/2014 (New York City, NY): Medium gold, highly concentrated and showing impressive intensity on the nose and palate, this is exceptional Sauternes even by Yquem's standards. The wine is packed with honey, apricots, coconut, crème brûlée and citrus. Viscous and nicely botryized, it is very sweet; however, the sweetness is perfectly balanced by fresh acidity. It accordingly retains a degree of vibrancy on the palate which persists through layer after layer of sweet fruit. Perhaps most impressive is this wine's finish, which seems to last forever. Truly a masterpiece, this will gain complexity with a few years in the cellar. Overall, it is at least a 50-year wine. Drink 2020-2060.
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NY Wine Experience 2014 (Marriot Marquis): wow. this was special. such an alluring nose of honeysuckle and the sweetest grapefruit. The palate was light on entry but the finish was haunting and lasted forever. just an amalgam of the freshest apricots, honey, and wild flowers.
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Stunning levels of concentration, ripe, very, ripe, extremely ripe and over ripe tropical fruits, vanilla, coconut, flowers, honey and spice. Silky textures and a sweet, honeyed finish that does not want to quit.
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Perfect half bottle. Clean, pure "gold". Young. Wonderful bouquet of pineapple, coconut, acacia, botrytis, spices and spring flowers. When I just opened the bottle there were even some banana. Many layers here.
In the mouth this wine knock me out! Wow!! Rich, full body, complex, fine minerals, very sweet, but with an acidity that makes it fresh. The sweetness coats the whole mouth, but thanks to the acidity it gets another dimension and makes it really enjoyable to drink. Long lovely finish! Leave a taste of honey, pineapple and coconut for up to 60 sec. I just love this wine :-) I bet this wine will age beautifully over this century.
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The 2009 Château d’Yquem was no less powerful or long compared with the 2010 and also crammed with a riot of tropical fruit aromas and flavours. The lower acid feel made for a wine that had a sweeter more honeyed taste. Despite the ripeness and richness it is a fresh wine.
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An exquisite, beautifully-balanced and well-proportioned offering from Yquem. The nose has typical Sauternes notes, overlaid with a powerful and unusual note resembling a kind of rare ether, which awakens flavor receptors deep in the olfactory nerves with palpable color, and a gorgeous cleansing. piercing intensity. On the palate, this wine is virtually flawless,with no harsh notes at all, and a hint of crème brulée unusual for such a young Sauternes. This Yquem is in my view rivalled in recent years only by the 2007, and surpassed only by the magnificent and legendary 2001. Absolutely stunning.
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Thick, rich and intense, with powerful, fresh, sweet, pure waves of ripe and over ripe tropical fruit drenched in honey, nuts, crème brulee, vanilla, orange and honeysuckle, the wine coats your tongue, mouth and palate with sweetness, yet there is the right amount of acidity to give it lift. This stunning vintage of Chateau d’Yquem should outlive anyone reading this tasting note!
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Ginger, very spicy, banana, very mineral and shows bright acidity, already quire polished. 96-98 pnts. Pierre mentioned that 2001 had 150 mg of residual sugar and 2009 155 mg.
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4/1/2024 - rc@ughey wrote: 95 Points
This is masterful. Big and bold but not overly sweet, this shows apricots and vanilla with some exoticism. Only moderate acidity but tons of extract. Really complex with superb balance. Obviously, still a baby.
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3/16/2024 - Topper wrote: 95 Points
Starting to darken. Not as sweet as most vintages with something of a savory character. Deep and a little brooding. Could be an immortal wine.
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3/9/2024 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Small Tasting & Dinner with Friends: Half bottle. Light golden yellow color. Aromas of pear nectar, honey, orange blossom and stone fruit. Rich, but with plenty of acidity to keep things fresh. Apricot, peach, pear and spice flavors with a long finish. Balanced. Lovely. 94+ pts. (R&D)
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12/8/2023 - gblacave wrote: 96 Points
Paired beautifully with some Humboldt fog. This was a PnP from a 375 and it was delicious from the moment it was opened, just singing. It was even better on day two.
Apricot, pineapple, rich honeyed orange peel, incredible lightness alongside the sweetness. Balance as only Yquem consistently delivers. Coming into its own with decades ahead.
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12/3/2023 - drwine2001 wrote:
Sauternes Chinese Banquet Dinner: Opened 24 hours in advance. Yellow color. Rich, spicy, lush, and moderately sweet with exquisite balance. Still very young but a powerhouse and delicious now. The biggest wine of the tasting. Should live forever.
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12/3/2023 - ohne_musik wrote: 96 Points
All Sauternes, All Night (R & G Lounge, SF): Double decanted 24 hours in advance. Still a bit tightly wound upon first pour, and progressively shows more and more over the course of 3 hours in glass. Complex aromatics, steely, with a slug of vanilla oak, super rich and powerful but everything is in balance. Viscous as all get-out, almost motor-oil like, yet juxtaposed with the light caress on the palate. As the night wears on, it shows less unctuous apricot jam, and shows more bright pear, with super refined inner-mouth aromatics. The finish is super long, minutes long. Some spicy botrytis that complements the slightly spicy beef & scallop in XO sauce. 93ish to start the night, but ends up in the 96-97 range. I imagine this will be superb in another .... 25 years?
Day 3: no change - still a bit tight.
Day 4: with just 3-4 oz left, this has finally started to relax a bit, less showy, and just showing an easy finesse that was lacking on day 2. 97
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12/3/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 97 Points
All-sauternes dinner; 12/2/2023-12/3/2023 (R&G Lounge, San Francisco): Opened 24 hours prior to tasting and double-decanted. Youthful, a bit of vanilla and oak, tropical fruit; palate is full bodied, rich was but also elegance, some pineapple, lovely complexity; long finish. Really lovely Yquem, still in its youth. In my opinion not quite at the level of ‘01 and it needs decades, but it will eventually be great. 97
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11/4/2023 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 100 Points
100-rated 2009 Bordeaux dinner: Tonight's event featured eight 100-point-professinally-rated (by Parker and/or Dunnuck) 2009 Bordeaux reds plus Yquem. The reds: Montrose, Pontet-Canet, Leoville Poyferre, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Smith Haut Lafitte, Clinet, Clos Fortet, and Troplong Mondot. All were purchased upon release, properly cellared, and decanted 3 hours before consumption over another 2-3 hours. In general, IMO and by consensus, none of the reds drank close to perfection. Did they on release? No idea. Will they in time? No idea. I rated them in a relatively tight band of 93-97 tonight. If I owned them, I'd wait on all and gamble on tertiary development. None had material tertiary flavors now. I would hold and gamble on their getting better with it than without. WOTN was unquestionably the d'Yquem. Unlike the reds, it was immortal and perfect.
The 2009 Yquem is absolute perfection in my opinion. Colossal complexity that dances and romances the tongue for a minute+. Beeswax, orange peel, honeysuckle, nectar. A legendary vintage. Don't hesitate to enjoy this now, as I believe it delivers its full potential today. Monumental.
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7/26/2023 - galewskj wrote: 98 Points
Open that bottle - Joe chooses 2008 Abreu Madrona (Jason's house): This is about as good as Sauternes gets. A dazzling nose. Honeyed, pineapple, apricot, and so much more.
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7/26/2023 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 96 Points
PNP. Golden color. Apricot, pineapple upside down cake, honeysuckle, and candied tangerine. Super smoother, sweet, rich, ripe, viscous,…
I’d Rather Be Drinking Wine was kind enough to open this to conclude a great dinner party. The theme of the party was “You’re going to open THAT bottle?”. Among the best Sauternes I’ve ever had.
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7/26/2023 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Open THAT Bottle! (Jason's House): I really cannot add anything to my previous notes. Suffice to say it is classic 2009 Yquem, and I love it! Like virtually all Yquems, it strikes that uncanny balance between sweetness and acidity. IMO, 2009 and 2001 are the best representations of this! Easy 98!
OK...brief summary....Honeyed stone fruits with enough acidity to ensure it is no where near cloying. A wine you can easily drink and it will seduce you and make you forget it is even a sweet wine!
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7/25/2023 - J+B_Wines Likes this wine: 99 Points
Not 100 because I think I drank it too young. When I envision what a Sauternes should be it’s this. Undeniable sweetness but balanced so well with crisp acidity. Notes of mint and honeycomb, a faint taste of the botrytis. Thick and powerful mouthfeel. Nose was present as soon as the cork was pulled
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4/23/2023 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine: 95 Points
Last H/B. The colour and nose seemed darker and more aged than the palate, which is still very primary. Gobs of concentrated apricot marmelade, tangerine, quince and honey with a long finish. Slight alcoholic heat. Guessing 750s are too young still. This was 95+.
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4/16/2023 - galewskj wrote: flawed
Open that bottle - Dan chooses 1994 Harlan (My house): Corked, regrettably.
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4/13/2023 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine wrote: flawed
Open THAT Bottle - Special Edition (Joe's Bistro): Corked.....that sucked!
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3/25/2023 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine: 95 Points
Paired with baked apple and cinnamon tart. This half bottle was not quite as divine as one last year but still in the zone. Concentrated mint and pineapple. Not as sweet as expected with some savory notes and musk with a long finish that became more clipped and shortened after the first glass. 95-96
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3/2/2023 - Oddbod wrote: 98 Points
Ironically, William Kelly had this as his wine of the tasting, beating the 2009 first growth reds! It is spectacular; stunning richness, but such great freshness, making it taste much less sweet than expected. Little secondary character at this stage, but will be a wine for the ages. Brilliant and oh-so-drinkable now.
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2/15/2023 - englishman's claret wrote:
Two oxidized halves bought from Gordon's. Ouch.
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1/12/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine:
Grateful to have a chance to try this one again. This time from a magnum. Such a special vintage and just absolutely luxurious texture and flavors
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12/7/2022 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Arizona Dreaming! (Guiseppe's in Scottsdale): Yquem in great vintage.....need I really say more? Same as previous notes....always a pleasure to drink! Honeyed stone fruit, impeccable balance and a wine that begs you to take another sip! Love this wine!
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11/30/2022 - tomoem Likes this wine: 98 Points
St Martin day 3.
Viscous, sweet start and then quite mellow, and then BOOM come the flavors, peaches, apricot, honey almost straight from bees hive. Finish continues for minutes. This was a great finishing wine.
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11/13/2022 - galewskj wrote: 98 Points
No poker night (Jason and Mariellen's house): Drank a small glass over 45 minutes. Orange marmalade, marshmallow, spice, canteloupe, slight tropical fruit. This is so balanced and elegant, it oozes class.
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11/12/2022 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 99 Points
Wine weekend in the Twin Cities; 11/10/2022-11/12/2022 (Where the frosty air is refreshing.. kind of): N: White melons and soft, meaty pears (the soft and creamy fleshed pears, not the crisp ones), and subtle light honey notes. There's a scent of a clean meadow, a clean river stream, some honeyed wax, and ripe (and juicier than usual) apricots without its skin.
P: Ripe, honeyed yellow fruits, a pleasantly spiced honey, subtle but bitter minerals, and an energetic acidity that is fighting its way to keep freshness in the wine.
This delivers flavors like a swift but heavy punch. Not sweet nor heavy at all but has the perks of both attributes. The acidity seemed to play a major support role for the fruits in this, it doesn't quite break ground but it's there supporting the fruit, preventing it from collapsing in on itself. I wish I had more time to spend with this but this was too tasty. This should benefit with some time in the glass. What a treat.
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11/12/2022 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Sorry, Not Sorry! No Poker on Poker Night! (Jason's House): I feel like a broken record....once again impeccable balance and a solid 98 points....still my benchmark Sauternes and can't imagine anything better! Full of orange creamsicle, honeyed stone fruits and apricot jam with a hint of citrus and spice. Just the right amount of acidity to balance the sweetness....always a treat! 98, yet again!
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11/6/2022 - Portland Seth Likes this wine: 97 Points
In a near tragedy I over chilled this. I tried to let it open and come up to temperature but it was very muted until the bottle was almost empty. Bergamot, sandalwood, creme brulee. More acidity than other Sauternes I've had gave this plenty of lift and an electric balance of elements. Tasted very young, I'll try to hold onto my other bottle for the better part of a decade. 97-100 pts.
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10/30/2022 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 98 Points
I started drinking this from a 375ml several months ago through a Coravin. Just little sips each time. Uncorked the rest last night. This is nectar of the gods. I have a few bottles of this left from a case of 24. I will try to wait a bit.
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8/25/2022 - hkbob Likes this wine: 98 Points
Bright gold. This was pure, liquid Manuka honey with marzipan, vanilla, citrus, pineapple and all kinds of other tropical notes on the nose and carrying through to the palate. Rich, viscous but with excellent lift and never overly sweet or cloying. Pure class. So enjoyable now but with the stuffing to cellar and improve for decades. Wow.
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7/26/2022 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Has the classic Yquem coconut ice note, along with ripe peach and apricot. It is full and sweet and generous. Acidity is only moderate but the finish is bright and energetic. Length of flavour is terrific. Starting to drink really well.
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7/7/2022 - vetty wrote: 94 Points
Good but not impressive. Aroma of ornage, honey, and ripen fruits, dark fruits
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7/5/2022 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 94 Points
Still young. Would benefit from a several hour decant. Balance and finish are good but will improve. Revisit 2025
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7/5/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Young, rich, opulent, silky, fresh, vibrant, full, and deep, with enough blazing acidity to allow all the layers of vanilla and honey-coated orange and yellow tropical fruits to bathe your palate again and again with this stunning, sweet treat. OK, so this is still obviously young, and primary, but it is such a delicious experience now, that it was impossible to put my glass down. Patience might be a virtue. But there are times when patience is over rated.
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6/5/2022 - CCGCCG Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wine group dinner at Vernick. Amazing way to end the night
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5/20/2022 - Papies wrote: 98 Points
2022 Athens Wine Event (CTC , Athens): Tasted blind. Went for 2001 Mr K …
Liquid gold is what we can say here and really we should leave the TN there. Or as Nicol said what more would you be looking for in a wine. As always the Boss says it right. 98
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4/3/2022 - Cailles wrote: 97 Points
10x 100 Pts with the Wine Advocate Team: This is another fantastic success for Yquem. Despite being young already highly complex, perfectly delineated, and the weightlessness no other Sauternes achieves that consistently. 97 pts today, with more tertiary complexity the 100 pts will be reachable - an understandable call Perotti-Brown and Martin. William Kelley, who presented the wine, sees this even ahead of the 2001 (I’m not sure about that but it‘s splitting hairs). This was the second crowd favorite beside the Cheval Blanc 2009 (incidentally my #1 and #2 too). 97/98 pts
TN: Intense, saffron, peach, apricot, spices nose. Super precise and fresh. On the palate this is so nicely layered, intense, super precise, with so much quince, hints of apricot, loads of saffron, herbs, crushed rocks. The highlight, as always, is the unbelievable weightless which just Yquem can achieve. Superb acidity. Long lasting finish.
Decanting: This was sitting in the glass for some at least 60 minutes which seemed fine.
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4/2/2022 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tasted at the Matter of Taste Zurich 1,000 Points Masterclass. William Kelley said in his view this was the best Yquem since 1967. I can’t say I disagree much, flicking through my notes I never scored an Yquem higher in 1967-2009, although I did have equally amazing experiences with 1983, 2000 and 2001.
Tasting note:
Dried fruit and even some fresher apricots, saffron, honey, chestnut and spices are just a few of the layers in an amazingly intense bouquet. Creamy texture with sufficient acidity to carry it. Incredibly dense with a beautiful structure and mind-blowingly soft. What would have been needed for that extra 1 or 2 points for me was a splash of extra freshness.
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1/26/2022 - Gregmonroe Likes this wine:
WWC - GA (FWC): Tasted blind - wow - fantastic nose of carmel; beautiful gold in the glass, and perfect amount of carmel and sweet on the palate. Not too sweet. It was my first Yquem - I called a late harvest viognier...An amazing wine, that will only get better with time.
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1/23/2022 - AndrewWill Likes this wine: 98 Points
The 2009 Château d’Yquem is probably the closest thing to ambrosia in existence. On the nose, apricot, honey, spiced peaches, and a hint of “rubber hose” (reminded me of Riesling “petrol”).
The palate is absurdly complex for a young Sauternes. Orange marmalade, grilled pineapple, peach cobbler, even guava. Literally the perfect amount of acidity too.
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12/10/2021 - amet60 wrote: 95 Points
If this is representative (bottle was pristine) I do not understand the glorious reviews. By Yquem standards this is a mediocre wine with good sweetness, moderate acidity but a complete lack of fruit intensity. orange rind, butterscotch, honey
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12/6/2021 - kr522 wrote: 92 Points
My first time trying this….out of 375. If this is representative (bottle was pristine) I do not understand the glorious reviews. By Yquem standards this is a mediocre wine with good sweetness, moderate acidity but a complete lack of fruit intensity. orange rind, butterscotch, honey notes create an interesting flavor profile, but where’s the grand cru fruit? Where’s the balance? Where’s the exuberance? It reminds me of a poor man’s 89
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11/6/2021 - GiWineDoc Likes this wine: 94 Points
All the traditional notes of honey, mild citrus, dried raisin. Body too thin at this point. Will check back in 5 years or so
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10/28/2021 - Decanting Queen wrote: 98 Points
Showcase your palate; 10/26/2021-10/28/2021 (zoom): It doesn't get too much better than this. Perfectly smooth and balanced, lovely stone fruit, honey and almost indescribable.
Really an amazing treat. Thank you Jason for sharing this one!!
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10/26/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Zooming Discovery Mission: What can I say....this wine is very consistent! Still the best, and most balanced, Sauternes I have experienced. Honeyed stone fruit perfectly balanced with lively acidity, rich, creamy texture, long finish that has you craving another sip.....life is good! 98 points (my highest score)....don't see ever getting anything better, but one can always hope!
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10/26/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 99 Points
Don't know that I've ever given a 99 before! Jason gave us a bonus bottle tonight....poured from a 375. Immediate sense of orange marmalade on the nose....I didn't get the mint that others here have alluded to. Hints of honey, but the texture in the mouth belies this, there's no syrupy or weighty component. This wine appears structurally
seamless...from start to finish. There are no voids, no dropoffs. I came very close to giving it 100. Eternally grateful, Jason!
addendum: placed back into small bottle re-capped and put in the cellar. 2nd night just as good as the 1st. Jimbo shares the same 99 score!
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10/23/2021 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine: 97 Points
A small glass but totally left an impression on my wife and I. Nose of mint (!). Palate of harmonious white fruit and butterscotch. Finish of at least 30 seconds, maybe more. Seems young still but so well balanced and fresh. 97+
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10/2/2021 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
from half bottle
bright young gold color, massive nose of brown sugar, honey-laden orange peel, marmalade and marzipan, on the palate a blazing white chocolate note powerfully splashed over a pool of rich honeyed fruit as deep as the ocean yet also in its way as lean and elegant as a greyhound at full sprint, where the 2015 remains tantalizingly poised at all points- the 2009 dares to be electrically flamboyant despite having all of the quiet power and complexity of its equally compelling younger sibling, with an hour of airing this showed the fully array of Yquem at its finest- honey, marmalade, treacle, white chocolate, marzipan and orange peel, and with a decadence reminiscent of the great trio of 1988-1990, for the moment my restraint-loving palate gives a slight edge to the 2015- but the glorious comparisons of these two great vintages will surely inspire much delight and spirited debate for decades to come, as good as it gets.
***(**), 2025-2100+
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9/29/2021 - gtilley wrote:
Gosh, this is a wine to stop you in your tracks. Deeply golden and bright, the nose introduces a heady mix of cinder toffee, caramel, honey and marzipan, but is absolutely nothing compared to the palate, which is riot of tropical fruit, lemon curd, yoghurt and honeycomb, with acidity that just pings on to infinity. It's barely getting going, development wise - you feel that this could just live forever. Exceptional.
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9/19/2021 - Madera16 Likes this wine:
Outstanding. Incredible power, balance, length, texture. Luscious yet so easy to drink. Tropical, coconut, honey, caramel… A nose like the sweetest, ripest tropical fruit ever… Really an amazing wine.
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8/8/2021 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
What a gorgeous and incredible young Yquem! The fruit is so fresh, vibrant and precise. Sure it will develop more complexity but it already shows signs of being the finest Yquem I have tasted.
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8/1/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
PnP from a .375L ... I just can't imagine this wine ever scoring less than 98 points! Balance is impeccable with the acidity keeping the sweetness in perfect check! Also, the flavor profile on this Sauternes is other-worldly! It is creamy tropical fruit (mango and papaya) with some orange/apricot/peach...with a hint of caramel and toffee. One person at the tasting commented that if he were stranded on an island with only one case of wine, it would be this one! I really need to let some of these bottles age, but it is so hard because they drink so perfect! My highest score--98 points!
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6/24/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 98 Points
Jason Goes Nuts & Guys Ride Again (Jason's, St. Paul, MN): Medium gold color. From 375ml. Pick your superlatives here; gorgeous, sublime, peach and tropical fruits, great acid, so lively and bright, orange cream, vibrant, fantastic balance. Outstanding and pitch perfect. What a way to end a special evening.
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6/24/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
The Return of Guys Night Out!: This was a .375 and PnP. This wine is simply amazing and confirms my judgement as being the best Sauternes I have ever tasted, including the legendary 2001. I love this Sauternes, and again, it shows impeccable balance between sweetness and acidity, so as to come across as creamy fruit, wrapped in citrus, wrapped in caramel, and followed by a long, delicious finish. Love this wine! As close to perfection as I have had! Enthusiastic 98 (my highest score)!!
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6/7/2021 - thuglasyee Likes this wine: 99 Points
Astonishingly perfect wine. Mead, elderflower, beautiful honey texture that coats the tongue with a soprano core of acidity. Incredibly long finish.
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4/30/2021 - steinersing wrote: 96 Points
archetypical young Sauterne.
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4/4/2021 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 99 Points
If not perfect, then near perfect.
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2/19/2021 - englishman's claret wrote: 99 Points
Profound clover honey, bitter orange, frangipane, almond, pineapple. Crispy sugar palate so fresh, impactful, rich but balanced. Resounding. Astonishing. An Yquem which should be enjoyable at every stage of its life. 99-100?
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1/2/2021 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 98 Points
We drank with a homemade Meyer’s Lemon Tart and the tastes of tartness and sweetness were quite extraordinary and perfectly matched. Wow.
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12/31/2020 - Biskuit Likes this wine: 99 Points
Dang near perfect.
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11/17/2020 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 98 Points
From half bottle. Tasted blind and despite always thinking I'll spot the Yquem when I taste it, I didn't. Almost a Rosé-like in colour. I couldn't spot the signature saffron initially but then it did pop up once revealed and I knew what I was looking for. A cascade of sweet spices, licorice, maybe a whiff of anise, candid fruit, apricot, orange peel with more and more layers coming to the fore with aeration in the glass. A perfectly harmonious palate with a creamy texture, crisp acidity, countless flavour dimensions culminating in a finish that felt endless.
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11/5/2020 - LB88 wrote: 96 Points
Similar to my previous tasting note but just so good I had to award an additional point. I must stock this in my cellar!
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10/23/2020 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 96 Points
Consistently ethereal and complete in its wondrous balance of sun, sky, soil and the breath of angels.
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10/10/2020 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank over several weeks. Cannot capture its essence in words. Truly amazing.
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8/16/2020 - TXRDW wrote: 100 Points
First d’Yquem. Notes of orange peel, Carmel, honey and citrus. Paired with buffalo wings, blue cheese and brûlée mango cake. Unbelievable complexity paired with an unending finish makes for a great wine.
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6/14/2020 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 99 Points
Out of this world. 375s just miss something somehow with texture. SHB 100
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5/20/2020 - PAOK Wines Brussels Does not like this wine: 53 Points
Very sweet...too sweet for my liking. It wasn’t a dry wine as I expected. I just wanted a dry white wine to pair it with the frozen fish-sticks. It was the only wine standing alone in the cave of my boss, so I guess it wasn’t something important. Again, very very sweet!
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4/23/2020 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 98 Points
Golden straw color. Medium bodied with great (high) acidity. Aromas of ripe white peach, marmalade and grassy plains. I could really sense the “wine” of a semillion here. Long finish. A honeyed sweetness on the palate with flavors that matched the aromas. Long long finish. So. Damn. Good. Highest recommendation. I will say probably drinking too young tonight.
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12/24/2019 - daghaug Likes this wine:
Tørka frukter, fiken og aprikos, blomster, safran. I munnen søte epler, vanilje, klementin, tørka frukter, fløtekaramell - og samtidig lett og frisk. Intens hele veien i munnen, men bygger seg opp og vokser langt inn i ettersmaken som varer og varer. Utrolig flott og kompleks vin!
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12/8/2019 - TRough Likes this wine: 93 Points
From Mag
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12/8/2019 - kstoddard Likes this wine: 95 Points
G7 Christmas Party: From magnum
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11/22/2019 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wine Advocate 1000-point dinner in NYC (Gabriel Kreuther): I'm definitely not a fan of dessert wines so take my rating with a gram of sugar. These are usually beautifully balanced but this seemed heavy on the sugar to me, overpowering its light body. Perhaps too young.
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11/9/2019 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
"Single" Bottle SLDS @ Glass: Lemon, orange, pear, and apricots on the nose. Sweet and unctuous on the palate, this shows off its obvious youth, with power and great length, but fairly superficial depth at this point. I'm sure this will rise up with time.
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10/24/2019 - steinersing wrote: 95 Points
young but very drinkable already
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9/20/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Still just a baby as you would expect, yet it is impossible not to be blown by the juxtaposition between the insanely concentrated levels of ripe and over ripe, honey drenched tropical fruit and the bracing acidity that gives the wine life. Everything here is off the hook. This is so good today, I wish I had a bottle tonight. But if I had the wine in my cellar, as tempting as it might be, I'd wait at least 1 more decade, or better yet, 2 before I started thinking about popping a cork.
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8/2/2019 - mflesh wrote: 96 Points
Classic Sauternes, but this was infanticide from start to finish. Honey and candied nuts. Viscous. Powerful. Botrytis is noticeable. Went ok with the apple bread pudding with Brandy sauce but would have gone much better with a bleu cheese honey and pecan danish or coffee cake. Excellent Sauternes. Understand why it was so highly rated.
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7/15/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine: 100 Points
Not only was this unbelievably delicious, but I cannot even imagine a wine getting any better than this....if this is not perfection, I am not sure what is. This 2009 Yquem struck the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, between fruit and minerality, and with just the right amount of oakiness to give the wine character, while lurking in the background. The wine showed no heat, and it was forever changing in the glass. I could easily sit with a bottle of this and enjoy it on a long evening while contemplating how good life can be! I had a three ounce pour (maybe closer to 4 because it was my birthday) and wish I could have taken more time to see how it evolves, but it was just too damn good!
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7/14/2019 - galewskj wrote: 99 Points
Jason turns 60 (Tilia): I don't know how to describe this wine. Obviously you get all the Sauternes flavors, this one just crushes it. The palate is so lively, with multitudes of flavors that dance across your tongue. It is explosive. Apricot, spice, botrytis. Probably because of it's youth, it does seem quite sweet, maybe a touch syrupy, yet in a good way. In my mind, this bested a 2001 Coutet Cuvee Madame I had a few years ago. At that time, I couldn't imagine a Sauternes being better than the 2001 Cuvee Madame. Well, this Yquem was. 99-100.
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7/11/2019 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 98 Points
PnP - This wine sets my benchmark for Sauternes, Barsacs, or any other sweet wine. This is hands down the best Sauternes I have had tasted, even better, IMO, than the legendary 2001 (which I have only had on one occasion, and hope future bottles will surpass this 2009--which would definitely be a treat!). For now, the 2009 reigns supreme in my book. It has a complex and changing nose, a superb balance of sweetness and acidity, and a super-long finish. On the palate it is crisp fruit, leaning more toward pineapple, Granny Smith apple, with pear, mango and dried apricot all present. It is one of those wines that continually has you taking another sip, until you realize it is gone. I can say I would have liked to evaluate this wine over hours of drinking, but it was just too good, and, sorry to say, I was just too impatient! Glad I have a few of these in my cellar, as I am sure we will be seeing each other again!
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7/11/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 99 Points
Jason's Big 6-0 Bash (Tilia, Mpls): Light gold color. PNP, drank a glass over 40 minutes. Aluring, captivating, seductive - insert your adjective here. Maybe the word is spellbinding. Wow, the nose is explosive, tangerine, peach, pineapple, brown sugar, white flowers and spices. The palate is simply penetrating. This has such intensity and presence, yet it has the class and elegance that defines d'Yquem. The palate is so bright and lively with a lighter medium bodied with the most impeccable balance, peach, mandarin orange, hints of tropical fruits, honeysuckle, and sublime spices with an incredibly long finish. A complete wine that I can only imagine being better by adding a little more age. Still, I love drinking Sauternes in what I consider their first sweet spot at ten years of age. Jason, thanks for opening and sharing this.
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6/24/2019 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 97 Points
2009 Bordeaux 10 years in the bottle 2-day horizontal; 6/23/2019-6/24/2019 (Fribourg): Part of a grand Bordeaux 2009 tasting spanning 2 days that revealed 1) a right bank struggling with overripe fruit and overwhelming tannins, 2) wide spreak between top performers and laggards, 3) left bank, and especially Margaux, outshone the right bank cousins, 4) Top wines: Palmer, Margaux, Cheval Blanc, Vieux Chateau Certan.
Tasting note:
Once more multi-layered complexity. Orange zest, a bit of saffron, fruit ranges from citric to tropical, some spices, lemon tart. Not quite as majestic as the 2015 but nevertheless shines next to the other wannabe‘s.
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5/31/2019 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 98 Points
Our anniversary year. Unctuous perfection, so smooth and refined. Perfect balance. Enjoyed with 10th anniversary dinner at Willows in on Lummi Island. So fun!
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4/2/2019 - Heynetty Likes this wine: 92 Points
A: deep gold. Leggy!
N: pronounced nose. Honey, tapioca, ginger, Orange blossom, pineapple, dried apricots, mango, toast, vanilla, creme brulee, lemon curd. A very gentle touch of green bean or asparagus lingers.
P: Dry, medium (+) acid, full body, pronounced intensity, long finish and I am guessing medium (+) alcohol though has quite a burn.
C: BLIC? Ticks ....2 full ticks and 2 half ticks. Could be even more complex with time and acidity is verging on medium. This is developing. Hold on to it for now and very good quality will soon edge closer to outstanding. Wish the acidity was higher!
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4/1/2019 - bubnos Likes this wine: 99 Points
I should feel guilty about drinking this after a mere ten years but it’s simply so beautiful already I can’t be too upset.
Pale straw gold in the glass, much paler than the 2015s I’ve seen, and a beautiful nose with layers of boytris, honeycomb, plum, apricot, quince, yuzu, toffee, and so much more. Perfectly balanced palate with lemony sweetness and just a faint hint of oxidation with a finish that goes on for a full minute.
I’m giving this a 99 because, gun to my head, I would prefer the more complex and aged essenzia I previous gave a 100 to, but 25 years down the line I could very well see this improving beyond that.
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1/31/2019 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 99 Points
Outrageous. Literally. This 375ml has been open, recorked, and sitting in my cellar under refrigeration for 60 days. We drank the rest of it tonight for my daughters birthday and it was stellar. Honeyed apricots, perfect texture, acidity and weight. I can’t wait to drink this wine in 20 years, hopefully. Highest recommendation.
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1/29/2019 - LB88 wrote: 95 Points
This brought up the end of a wonderful ficofi dinner which featured a DRC 04 echezeaux and a 99 Lafite. And what a fitting end to the evening. The nose, the balance on the palate. The flavors! Absolutely beautiful
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11/12/2018 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Bright gold,
Nose somewhat restrained
Big and sweet but a bit restrained on the palate as well. Hold.
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11/11/2018 - chatters wrote:
Catching up with Axel (Freds, Oxford Street, Sydney): From Coravin. Caramel, cream, slight vanilla, muscovado sugar, apricot jam. Juicy, fleshy, fresh, slight candied apricot and a touch of orange marmalade but, overall, this is a little flat for me compared to previous tastings.
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11/11/2018 - Nutty08 Likes this wine:
Yves's Memorial; 11/10/2018-11/11/2018 (MO): Wow. HUGE wine. Big, flamboyant, but great balance, fresh, and very deep. So young, hard to say what the future holds.
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11/2/2018 - AllRed wrote: 97 Points
Small Rhone Tasting w/Aussie Ringer (R&D's): From 375ml, courtesy of our hosts. Light golden yellow color. Apricot, peach, pear liqueur, stone and spice notes. Tropical- banana, then peach and botrytis spice. Long finish. Rich, but bright too. Lingers on the palate for well over a minute.
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10/24/2018 - ScubaSommelier Likes this wine: 99 Points
Amazing! Smooth rich and powerful. Flavors of apricots, honey, and poached pears. Extremely well balanced, but fills your mouth with flavor. Easily has many years to be enjoyed.
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8/30/2018 - drjb Likes this wine: 99 Points
Chateau d'Yquem Tutored Tasting (The Wine Emporium, Wine Education Centre): The 2009 Yquem is a stunning wine of rich green golden colour and a 'forever' nose of preserved peaches, apricot and cumquat jam, poached vanilla pears, pineapple tarte tatin, leatherwood honey and creme caramel. The palate is a treat of the same flavours but with a lovely silky elegance framing the richness and giving poise and length to the beautiful finish. This a great Yquem that stands out clearly in tonight's company.
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1/18/2018 - tomoem Likes this wine: 97 Points
Had at a spectacular WINEBID.com tasting event. Total of 39 wines tasted with an unbelievable lineup ! Bravo to Sterling Roig.
HOLY COW! Viscous, sweet start and then quite mellow, and then BOOM come the flavors, peaches, apricot, honey almost straight from bees hive. Finish continues for minutes. Another possible WOTN and just great finishing wine.
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1/18/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
WineBid Tasting Event (Mandarin Oriental): Wow this wine. Even thinking back I can still picture it. The finish just lingers for ages. Light and airy and white peach and lily of the valley and apricots. The more you shift it in your mouth, the more different profiles come through. And that finish. Great wine.
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12/25/2017 - HolyMoly Likes this wine: 98 Points
Fantastic wine!
Great nose, great body, outstanding finish.
Taste lingers for >20 seconds.
First bottle I tried - significant step up from other high-quality sauternes and ice wines, especially length of finish is remarkable.
If only these small bottles were bigger...
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8/19/2017 - signotim Likes this wine: 98 Points
Magic...
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6/12/2017 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Super tropical nose of passionfruit, guava and honeydew. There are dried apricots, lavender and blossom notes too. It has terrific volume and intensity and for all of its sweet lusciousness there’s energy and balance. It drives on and on once swallowed and despite being very young is an incredibly delicious and sensual Yquem.
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2/17/2017 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Enjoyed the relative lightness... and super tropical, exotic vintage.
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9/16/2016 - Collector1855 wrote: 98 Points
66x Parker 100-Pointers from Bordeaux 1947-2010 tasted blind (Switzerland): Served with the Cheese and charcutery buffet at the end of the tasting. Medium yellow, quite light color for a Sauternes. Nose of apple, quince, lychee, tropical fruit. This is very fresh and airy, very different to the 2001 which was more unctuous and smoky. A ballerina of a Sauternes. Very nice.
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7/19/2016 - chatters wrote:
working with wine 2016 seminar 2 - sweet wines (Hilton Hotel, Sydney): More muted, sweet slice over muted apricot, orange and slight cherry. With agitation more meaty notes. The mouth, though, belies the nose. It's juicy, fleshy, vibrant and sweet. Preposterously harmonious with a cornucopia of flavours including orange marmalade, vanilla cream, custard, apricot compote and sweet spice. Carries exceedingly long, broad on the mid palate. tear jerkingly good and still young.
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7/17/2016 - rbc1978 wrote: 92 Points
Disappointed with this bottle tonight. Not a lot of depth that normal Yquem offers...the bottle was not as chilled as it needed to be but had opened a 2009 at the same time & temp and was surprised how much better the 2009 was overall...
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11/7/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 99 Points
Mini vertical of 2011, 2009, 2007, 2005. Compared to the 2011 this had more dried fruit on the nose and was more concentrated and "sticky", but by no means heavy or cloying. Spicy, layered, complex. Incredibly well integrated acidity. Really powerful on the palate. Enormous finish. Goes on and on and on. 98-100
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4/22/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 100 Points
First Growths, Yquem, 100+Madeira (John V.'s): What a wild tasting. This almost got overlooked between the first growths and the Madeira's. But Wow. I kept going back to it. From a 375. Just a perfect wine IMO. So much better than a recent 05 or 10. Light golden in color. The nose has honey, floral notes, pineapple and citrus. Viscous. Sweet not cloying. The palate matches the nose with such a great persistence. An incredibly long finish. Wow. Perhaps not quite the 2001 but it would be great to drink them side by side to see.
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10/17/2014 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 99 Points
2014 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/14/2014-10/21/2014 (New York City, NY): Medium gold, highly concentrated and showing impressive intensity on the nose and palate, this is exceptional Sauternes even by Yquem's standards. The wine is packed with honey, apricots, coconut, crème brûlée and citrus. Viscous and nicely botryized, it is very sweet; however, the sweetness is perfectly balanced by fresh acidity. It accordingly retains a degree of vibrancy on the palate which persists through layer after layer of sweet fruit. Perhaps most impressive is this wine's finish, which seems to last forever. Truly a masterpiece, this will gain complexity with a few years in the cellar. Overall, it is at least a 50-year wine. Drink 2020-2060.
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10/17/2014 - lolo66 wrote: 97 Points
NY Wine Experience 2014 (Marriot Marquis): wow. this was special. such an alluring nose of honeysuckle and the sweetest grapefruit. The palate was light on entry but the finish was haunting and lasted forever. just an amalgam of the freshest apricots, honey, and wild flowers.
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10/5/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Stunning levels of concentration, ripe, very, ripe, extremely ripe and over ripe tropical fruits, vanilla, coconut, flowers, honey and spice. Silky textures and a sweet, honeyed finish that does not want to quit.
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3/29/2014 - Tenuta Stefan Likes this wine: 98 Points
Perfect half bottle.
Clean, pure "gold". Young.
Wonderful bouquet of pineapple, coconut, acacia, botrytis, spices and spring flowers. When I just opened the bottle there were even some banana. Many layers here.
In the mouth this wine knock me out! Wow!!
Rich, full body, complex, fine minerals, very sweet, but with an acidity that makes it fresh. The sweetness coats the whole mouth, but thanks to the acidity it gets another dimension and makes it really enjoyable to drink.
Long lovely finish! Leave a taste of honey, pineapple and coconut for up to 60 sec.
I just love this wine :-)
I bet this wine will age beautifully over this century.
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3/18/2014 - JGerbasIII Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Overpriced, lacked in depth. Medium long Finish.
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2/11/2014 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
The 2009 Château d’Yquem was no less powerful or long compared with the 2010 and also crammed with a riot of tropical fruit aromas and flavours. The lower acid feel made for a wine that had a sweeter more honeyed taste. Despite the ripeness and richness it is a fresh wine.
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12/16/2013 - pacificoast wrote: 98 Points
An exquisite, beautifully-balanced and well-proportioned offering from Yquem. The nose has typical Sauternes notes, overlaid with a powerful and unusual note resembling a kind of rare ether, which awakens flavor receptors deep in the olfactory nerves with palpable color, and a gorgeous cleansing. piercing intensity. On the palate, this wine is virtually flawless,with no harsh notes at all, and a hint of crème brulée unusual for such a young Sauternes. This Yquem is in my view rivalled in recent years only by the 2007, and surpassed only by the magnificent and legendary 2001. Absolutely stunning.
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3/22/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Thick, rich and intense, with powerful, fresh, sweet, pure waves of ripe and over ripe tropical fruit drenched in honey, nuts, crème brulee, vanilla, orange and honeysuckle, the wine coats your tongue, mouth and palate with sweetness, yet there is the right amount of acidity to give it lift. This stunning vintage of Chateau d’Yquem should outlive anyone reading this tasting note!
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4/1/2010 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Ginger, very spicy, banana, very mineral and shows bright acidity, already quire polished. 96-98 pnts. Pierre mentioned that 2001 had 150 mg of residual sugar and 2009 155 mg.
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