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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.7 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 65 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by CamWheeler on 9/24/2022 & rated 90 points: "90th" Joint Birthday: Almond, caramel, apricot and pear on the nose. Duller in colour than the 71 Coutet Cuvee Madame but it still has depth and that classic Yquem spice throughout. Good but maybe a lesser bottle of this. (1436 views) | | | Tasted by smcg on 11/27/2021 & rated 94 points: Rich, balanced, a great aged Yquem. Some points subtracted for short finish and lacking the complexity of some other vntages (2893 views) | | | Tasted by jwalkuro on 11/15/2021 & rated 96 points: Golden orange color.
Orange peel, beeswax, layered honey cookies.
Nice acidity.
It’s a little worse than 01 vintage. (2716 views) | | | Tasted by Montesquieu on 5/8/2021 & rated 93 points: Still going strong at (almost) 50. Honey in color and taste. Relatively short length for Yquem, in my experience. Better after dinner than with first course foie gras, having benefitted from two hours of open bottle and a bit of warmth. Grateful to have experienced this wine from my birth year. (3377 views) | | | Tasted by hprphf on 10/26/2019 & rated 93 points: Zachy's 2019/10 - 2 (Le Bernardin Prive): Nice brewed fruit, beer-like almost, good acidity on finish. 93 (4968 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 7/23/2019 & rated 93 points: Golden honey notes, some honeysuckle, and soil tones. Drying somewhat but very rewarding and a good end to the meal. 93-94 (4245 views) | | | Tasted by CMN on 7/17/2019: Visually the wine appeared to be a translucent brown, similar to a cola in which ice had melted. The nose was funky, pineapple, botrytis, honey and perfume. Complex palate of molasses, honey, botrytis, orange marmalade with a distinctly bitter finish.
Bottle seemed a bit advanced for 48 years, but still a treat. (3062 views) | | | Tasted by sdr on 2/2/2019 & rated 96 points: 1961 in Florida (Cafe Maxx, Pompano Beach, Florida): The ‘71 Château d’Yquem may be even more gorgeous out of halves than seven-fifties, at least if this bottle is any indication. Fabulous balance, not too sweet, not too acidic, not too bold. This is not one of those top heavy crème brûlée versions. The botrytis is beautifully integrated. Not at all cloying, it’s positively regal and persuasive. There’s more tangerine peel and burnt lemon than oak and cream. More proof that Yquem is more interesting at age 48 than ten or twenty. (3984 views) | | | Tasted by sdr on 11/16/2018 & rated 94 points: 1971 Bordeaux (3030 Ocean, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): This bottle was in the lush, hyper-rich style, dripping with botrytis and honey. Adequate acidity, thick and viscous yet surprisingly not so much as to discourage a second glass. Terrific finale to a most interesting tasting of 1971 Bordeaux. (3694 views) | | | Tasted by sdr on 12/16/2017 & rated 93 points: Lafite Vertical - More Hope than Substance? (Valentino's Cucina, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): A behemoth of a Sauternes, this bottle of ‘71 Yquem was so heavy it seemed as the bottle was too slight to contain it. Groaning with botrytis, crème brûlée and tangerine peel, it’s great if you want power rather than finesse. For me, too top heavy, though. Other bottles have been better balanced. Still, mighty impressive. (3520 views) | | | Tasted by JonnyG on 12/2/2016 & rated 96 points: From a 750, low shoulder. A stunning specimen, dark copper colored in the bottle, with amazing aromatics of petrol, beeswax, citrus and botrytis. Powerful and viscous in the mouth. Complex, layered waves of concentrated and ripe flavors: honey, burnt orange peel, brown sugar and tropical fruit. Impressive acidity made the wine quite vibrant. Lingering finish, haunting in fact. (4446 views) | | | Tasted by sdr on 10/26/2016 & rated 98 points: From a bottle I purchased over 30 years ago from a local shop (Mayhue’s), the ullage was very top shoulder, the color alarmingly dark, almost mahogany. Yet this proved to be one of the most impressive Yquems I have ever tasted from any vintage and most reminiscent of the '59. Almost as thick as olive oil, it seems to leave the bottle reluctantly. Incredibly massive in flavor intensity as well, the usual orange marmalade, peach, honey, nutmeg and pineapple balanced by razor acidity. Lingers on the palate and on the mind. (4604 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 9/7/2016 & rated 92 points: Rich honey, mango, apricot, and a hint of orange peel, without an overriding sweetness or intensity. Some old paper notes and a slight dryness although still good acid, that can come with maturity. Slightly more advanced than the best bottles. 92-93 (4295 views) | | | Tasted by rossi.wine on 7/23/2016 & rated 98 points: Fairly dark golden/copper, almost amber in colour. Sensational nose - super expressive and changing all the time. Burnt sugar, orange zest, apricot jam, almonds, saffron, orange marmalade... Lots of concentration and richness of fruit, but never cloying or heavy. Zesty oranges, dried fruit, creme caramel. Fantastic acidity, lots of power with all components being perfectly well balanced. Incredibly long and lingering. Very complete and a wonderful match with foie gras. Drink or keep. 97-99 (4929 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 5/2/2016 & rated 94 points: Richly honeyed with the raw sweetness mellowed by time, hints of tangerine and apricot, floral notes. (3782 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 3/30/2016 & rated 92 points: Moderate and receding sweetness with honey and dried mango flavors. Enough acidity to keep it fresh, but this bottle was a few years past peak at this point. (2800 views) | | | Tasted by OenophilistMN on 3/11/2016 & rated 95 points: From Art's cellar. Wine was golden brown like brown sugar. Apricot, orange peel, botrytis and a little benzene in the nose. Wine was very thick and unctuous in the mouth. The flavors were like eating a heavily-sweetened crostata, except you were drinking it. Very long finish and wine was no where near surrendering. Could last another 10 years or so. (1505 views) | | | Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 12/15/2015: The 1971 Chateau d’Yquem was a beauty. Complex aromatics of toffee, orange blossom, lavender and dried apricot. It was rich and sweet with good viscosity and outstanding depth. For all of its sweetness it finished with real precision and energy. Drinking absolutely in its prime. (3189 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 12/11/2015 & rated 93 points: This is a full-bodied Yquem in the opulent style of say the '83. Exotic and intense with ripe fruit and lots of botrytis. It is very sweet at this point and quite dense so I think it needs more time to soften and show the wonderful mineral side of Yquem which is somewhat covered up at this point. 93+ (2845 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 12/7/2015 & rated 92 points: I found this lacking the nuance of other bottles. Quite sweet, strong botrytis, with varied floral notes. Delineation of fruit was not up to other examples. Youthful, so requires more time. Served with creme brulee and rum poached pears. 92+ (2558 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 10/22/2015 & rated 95 points: Probably close to fully mature, the butterscotch, caramel, apricot, orange, honey, custard and pineapple bouquet is more than enticing. Great concentration of flavor, and a sweet, vibrant, honeyed, brown sugar, candied orange rind, honeyed tropical fruit finish that really lingers, seals the deal. (3540 views) | | | Tasted by AtoZ on 6/4/2015: from magnum. This lacked a wow factor for me. Lovely sauternes but not all that special to me. (2718 views) | | | Tasted by tinybubbles on 3/13/2015 & rated 95 points: Apricot, pear, sweet dark honey, and sappy honeysuckle. This under-rated vintage has a lot to offer and is in its drinking window. This will last, although unlikely to further develop significantly, and would drink over the next five years. (2889 views) | | | Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 3/10/2015: To finish off a fabulous night Matty G put on two Yquem that came out of the cellar of Peter and Margaret Lehmann. The 1971 Chateau d’Yquem was sweet, rich and textured. It had notes of coconut, mandarin peel, honey and apricot. It was quite luscious and exotic and had excellent length and a fresh finish. (2917 views) | | | Tasted by DWSome221 on 12/25/2013 & rated 94 points: Syrupy texture with nose of apricots and caramel. Golden raisin, date, apple, and orange notes. This was something special. (5225 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Château d'Yquem Producer website - Read more about Chateau d’Yquem
Château d’Yquem had been in the hands of Lur Saluces family from 1785 to 1997. After several years of legal controversies, caused by disagreements within Lur Saluces family, mode giant LVMH (Louis Vutton, Moët Hennesy and Château Cheval Blanc) gained majority of shares in d’Yquem in 1997, when Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces sold his shares to LVMH. He did however continue as manager of d’Yquem, according to agreement with the new owner. This changed radically in May 2004, when he retired and was replaced him with Pierre Lurton, already manager at Cheval Blanc. The latest vintages of d'Yquem conform very convincing, that Pierre Lurton has greatly succeeded to maintain d'Yquem's fantastic quality.
This property is beautifully placed at hilltop in Sauternes commune, with its 103 ha big vineyard (clay and gravel on the surface and lime stones in the subsoil), planted with 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The average age of vines is 27 years and the yield does not exceed 10 hl/ha. The wine matures for 3.5 years in new barrels. Neither chaptalisation nor other techniques, which increase sugar content in grape must, are allowed. D’Yquem is one of the very few properties in the district, to use both semi-botrytised and fully botrytised grapes for the wine, in order to have enough acidity to balance sweetness.
D’Yquem is made without any compromises and consideration whatsoever about production costs - pickers are on constant alert for 1.5-2 months, and do many picking rounds in the vineyard. Often, the amount of these rounds is double or triple, compared to how many rounds other classified properties perform in the district. Here, we have the king of Sauternes & Barsac, world’s most expensive and most demanded dessert wine, which has an enormous keeping potential (50 years+). At its best, this wine possesses a purely exceptional botrytis, enormous concentration and such a nuance-richness, which makes you speechless.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanSauternes Le Grand Crus Classés de Sauternes et Barsac 1855 (Crus Classés de Sauternes et Barsac) - Read more about Sauternes, Barsac and its wines
– Read more about the 1855 Sauternes Barsac Classification
Forty kilometres south of Bordeaux, Sauternes is an AOC that includes together 5 communes, including Barsac. For centuries, humans have been patiently learning to master this region's climate, soils and grape varieties. But Mother Nature did a good job laying the foundation. The Sauternes terroir is distinguished by a geological predisposition to gravel and pebbles that cover limestone streaked with veins of clay. In the communes of Fargues and Sauternes, a layer of hardpan (iron-oxide cemented sand) in which vines flourish can be found. The vineyards at the highest elevations and farthest from the river have the best terroirs and produce the majority of the Crus Classés, including the monumental Château Yquem.Sauternes wines are made from Sémillon (80% of vines planted) and Sauvignon (15%) grapes. A bit of Muscadelle occasionally is used to give the wines an untamed touch. Sauternes have an "aged gold" colour that is denser and darker than other dessert wines. When they age, they develop a stunning amber colour. The nose has aromas of flowers and fruit that melt together to create a bouquet of remarkable complexity and balance. The primary aromas include almond, quince, mango, pineapple, stewed peach, dried apricot and passion fruit. There are also floral notes, with touches of linden, acacia, mimosa and honeysuckle. And as is typical with Sémillon, there are also notes of beeswax, almond and hazelnut. In the mouth, Sauternes wines have a powerful style that is viscous but extremely elegant. Its strong sweetness is captivating. Finally, its aromatic finish is something that simply must be experienced.
2013 Vintage Notes:
"the extractive ratios in th[is] year are in the phenomenal range and there's ripeness/botrytis to cover two treks around the globe [...] so appealing is the immediacy of the wines. Many can be enjoyed now for their sheer joy and delicious nature. [Some] should also age" - Jon Rimmerman
2014 Vintage Notes:
"a golden vintage for Sauternes. It may not have the depth or weight of 2010, but it has some of the richness. What has set 2014 apart is the intense lime and lemon flavors that cut into any overblown cloying character and allow both the fruit and the honeyed noble rot to sing." - Wine Enthusiast |
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