February 2, 2024 - JD Friday Wine Group - GA Host (Dinner) (City Club FW - Oak Bar): Tasted blind - beautiful gold in the glass, no signs of age; honey, sweet apricot, white stone fruit. Delicious, and paired so well with the creme brulee. Called a 2005-2010 d'Yquem.
November 10, 2023 - Tasted from Imperial, which the somm said had been open in the cellar for several days with no argon or other preservative. It was as delicious as ever -- all caramelly syrupy richness -- but I imagined that there was a bit less of the amazing brightness and freshness that makes Yquem special. I scored it 95, but I'm not going to record that score because I expect it lost a point or two due to that bottle condition.
Tasted in a wine pairing; the final glass on the top-end wine pairing (which I had gotten) was a not-Yquem Sauternes (1990 Gilette CdT), and I could see the mid-tier pairing was getting this 2010 Yquem. The somm tried to say that the Gilette was more rare and unusual (true) and I pointed out that it wasn't Yquem (also true). He poured some Yquem and all was good.
July 7, 2023 - From 750 mL opened 3 hours prior to tasting (not decanted)
light gold color, intense honeysuckle on the nose, cream, sweet oranges, on the palate white chocolate mousse and treacle notes dominate a rather large scale of fruit that is currently in hibernation, very fine length, sleek, substantial, while d'Yquem does improve with age I find it rare to see it shutting down to this extent during its younger years, but despite its reluctance- the grand scale of this particular vintage is evident and in the fullness of time this promises to be an important vintage.
(*****), 2030++
February 15, 2023 - What a beautiful mirabelle-flavored Yquem, clean and crisp for all its tremendous depth. Very impressive if not in a league apart from the other young Yquems on show.
February 5, 2023 - At a vertical of Yquem, this was one of the lighter vintages. Pretty wine on its own. Can drink now with a light dessert.
January 26, 2023 - Tastiest Yquem of the evening (out of 6). Spicy, perfect, banana caramel.
Rankings for the night:
1. 1946 (best overall)
2. 2010 (most delicious)
3. 1967 (most interesting)
4. 2015
5. 2005
6. 1976 (likely flawed)
July 10, 2022 - Apricot, honey. Complex and elegant.
May 15, 2022 - There's dessert wines and then there is Chateau d'Yquem. Head and shoulders above the rest it is the only Supérieur Premier Cru in the region. This botrytised wine was still very young but we got exactly what we wanted out of it-
Deep gold colored. Honey, apricot, lemon marmalade, orange preserves, white blossom, nuts, super sweet with medium (+) acidity. Full bodied. Youthful, long finish. 96 points
A pretty basic write up, but when you are sipping this stunner with chocolate lava cake it's hard to divert too much attention to making assessments. An amazing wine to savor with friends for the next 30 years or so. I have to agree with the pros, this is at least a 96 point wine that gets 5 stars.
https://wp.me/p125DB-2GC
April 26, 2022 - En-Primeur campaign for the 2021 vintage; 4/25/2022-4/29/2022 (Bordeaux): From magnum
All the botrytis you’d ever want with a lick of good quality oak. In the mouth more of the same with apricot, marmalade, oak, crème brulee and richness. All in balance but still manages to provide a synergistic outcome. Wonderful
April 5, 2022 - Leaning to, but not quite at the orange side of the style range, the wine serves up its floral, spice, candied orange, apricot, roasted nut, pineapple, vanilla and creme brulee nose. There is richness, intensity, opulence, sweetness and freshness. The wine is youthful, yet approachable, honeyed, but not cloying, balanced and vibrant. You can enjoy this today, in a decade, or in 50 years your kids can toast you.