Mystery wine evening (@Private location): *** only for my memory, no detailed note or rating *** Glass: Spiegelau Definition Bordeaux Tasted double blind, decanted. From 0,75 bottle. Probably not the best bottle, nose not that expressive. On the palate classic Yquem elegance and length, but not the usual tension. Nevertheless very joyful 👍
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened at Noble Rot Mayfair. End of dinner wine and served from Coravin.
I've always been perplexed by this wine - I just don't think it's as good as what a lot of people say, or at least it's inconsistent, because I've had this wine a few times now and it's always varied. Beautiful toffee colour now, and classic Yquem nose, but I found the palate to be somewhat lacking, and it's definitely not as rich or unctuous as say the 2001. Clear step down for me... but then again you could just say I'm being incredibly picky.
With this in mind, this is not worth the price. Seek out good vintage 90s Yquem (thinking 96, 97 etc.) which has much better value and will perform just as well. Still, always a treat, and this note needs to be taken in context of what is still a very good wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The d'Yquem did double-duty at a milestone birthday dinner at the Inn at Little Washington, paired with first the foie gras course and then again with desert. Absolutely stunning, the sweetness balanced perfectly by that incredible d'Yquem acidity. Tied with the '89 Montrose for my wine of the night. Wines: Krug Grande Cuvée NV; 2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru; 2010 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru; 2009 d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs; 1989 Chateau Montrose; and 1988 Chateau d'Yquem (750 ml).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jon's 50th Birthday Dinner: PnP from 375. Always one of my favorites and this did not disappoint. Stunning melange of vanilla, honey, apricot and tropical fruits. Supreme length and depth with a finish that goes on and on.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Usual kaleidoscope of flavor just came off a tad thin. Or seemed past its prime. Although this was a 375ml which was re-bottled from a 6 liter. Certainly drinkable and a nice wine but started to fall apart the longer it was in the glass, not a good sign for a Sauterne that was PnP!
I'm sure there are better bottles out there.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My 6th bottle of the case and I think it was the best. Gorgeous caramelised apricot and pineapple/ tropical fruit. Really bright acidity so this doesn’t taste cloying or honeyed. Fab colour and nose too
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Packed with flavor and mouthfeel. A viscous blend of citrus, apricot, spices, sweet, sour, and acid. Sweetness level not too high anymore but strongly felt. Did a slow-ox for a few hours after initial tasting which helped open it up. Excellent!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
For me Was too much on the acid side than the sugar side I agree that the wine is less on botrytis and strong Its more light for me than many of younger
some find walnuts I find more dry grape but largely less than stronger sauternes
Balanced yep and no I would prefer less acid more sugar But yquem can be like that especially years like that I agree will stay young like 20years more without problem with this acidity Color was not to dark for this bottle
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good vintages of Yquem (Chicago, IL): From half-bottle. Fresh, but overall showing quite lean relative to the other two vintages in the trilogy. More mineral and racy, with acidity being a key player here; the botrytis plays a backseat role here. This definitely feels more stern and less exuberant and expressive; it ticks the boxes but doesn't really go very much beyond that.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Finished off our Bucket List wine dinner in RB with this fabulous sauternes. I'm sure I've had this vintage b4 but I don't recall it being in such a stellar and memorable condition--might very well be the best I've ever had, & I've had many! Absolutely perfect on this occasion: Wonderfully aromatic nose of honeysuckle and botrytis, silky smooth, elegant, yet rich palate, intensely concentrated and integrated elements including luscious white and yellow fruits, with just the right touch of acidity and grace. This wine is in the perfect spot right now, and seems absolutely ageless. I'm praying I have a few more bottles in storage! What a great bottle of wine, and what a great way to finish off a night full of fabulous wines. (see my other notes from this evening of all-time greats...). Superb!!!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Served blind from a half bottle, this wine was light for a Sauterne and gorgeously balanced. It was rich and long. This will last for at least a decade or two and may well improve.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
’88, ‘89 and ‘90 are probably my favorite consecutive trio of Yquem vintages and 88 starts this trio in fine fashion, absolutely perfect tonight and infinitely aromatic in its layered, complex and intensely forward bouquet. The palate is wonderfully rich, silky, racy and viscous with the most perfect balance of primary and secondary character. Still so young! But in an incredible spot.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The color had not changed during the past 14 years I've had this in the cellar. A honeyed richness that envelops but not hides the overripe apricots, peaches and melon flavor. Not too high in glycerin. Wonderful balance with a 40 second finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
D'Yquem never disappoints and while this was not as good as 1989 & 1990 from past experience, this was still a pleasure to drink with good acidity and intensity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rogue night at Mato in Hong Kong. P&P with friends.
Last wine of the line-up, and what a way to go. Delicious, unctious, timeless Yquem. Didn't take any more notes than that for this wine apart from it being very very good, and better than the last time I had it many years ago when I first found myself doubting the scores for this vintage. The hype is indeed real.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over the past few days at Copake. Nose of orange peel and apricots. Darker in color than I expected of this bottle. Wonderful freshness, and bright acidity up front. Molasses, orange marmalade and apricot fruit are prominent. Also notes of creme brulee, mango and honey. I got a taste of burnt fruit as the wine opened up over time, and I did not find the wine to be overly sweet; more bittersweet actually. Perfect acidity level, great concentration, not particularly unctuous and certainly not cloying. Really tasty sweetie! Went really well with my Stilton cheese as I watched the NFL playoffs yesterday.
Stored in a cold cellar since release. Beginning to develop greater complexity. Wait of seven years was worthwhile! The colour is verging on deep gold but not quite there. Tones of restrained barley sugar, slightly burnt orange and botrytis. Still improving. Many decades of life remaining.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My first d'yquem! Wowza, medium+ alcohol (with respect to other dessert wines), lower acidity than the comparable premium botrytis wines that I've had before (Tokaji, Moselle, and Alsace). Honey and stone fruit predominate with orange peel and ginger notes underneath.
Dark amber, color (clean, but bordered on cloudy), a tartrate crystal or two.
Overall, my impression was that it was one of the best dessert wines I've had to date. IMHO not as good as the 2001 Sine Qua Non-Sémillon Mr. K The Straw Man I tried last year. And yet, undeniably profound. At this point in my life, I'd be willing to pay up to $200 for a half bottle.
Drink up in the next 5 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
[Ramen Wine Tasting Night 12/21/22] Honey, burnt sugar and crème brûlée, apricot and marmalade jam, slight rubber (dissipated after 5 min), aromatic citrus nose. Palate with a great acid balance to the sugar, dried apricots and stone fruit, sweet orange marmalade. Not cloying, high intensity of flavors, long finish, no hint of heat. Perfectly balanced Yquem with all of the nuances of its age and vintage. The best one I’ve had yet and just really beautiful right now. Usually I can’t drink that much of Sauternes/Yquem, but between the five of us we killed this full 750ml bottle with no trouble.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
4th of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, still improving, fab weight and balance, love the citric notes in these 88s but proper full throttle, unctuous Sauternes, massively complex with an endless finish, 40+ years. VFI (19.5).
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Out of an imperial. Majestic. Six hedonistic litres of unbridled generosity and joy. Divine intervention somehow brought me and these 4000 terrific grapes together on a Monday night. Boom.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep golden hue with delicate nose of honey, peach, rich amber syrup, orange, and apricot nectar. Long with surging palate with good sweetness and great acidic balance; very long finish. Cruising
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
from half bottle Had this a few times. This was too dark, pretty madeirized on the nose. A little more correct when tasting, but still too much burnt coffee and oxidized flavors. Oh well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Toasty rye bread with brown sugar marmalade generously spread across greet you on the nose. Looking deeper, the age starts to show in candied orange peels and dried fruits (apricot, mango, pineapple). The palate serves the same set of dried fruits with cuts of fresh orchard fruits like nectarines, apricots and pears. A hint of lime blossom tea with spices add warmth. A fresh spray of quince/lemon juice adds a young vibrancy that stays with it in the first hour of drinking - I wonder how much of this is from the great storage as indicated by the near-perfect cork.
As the bottle opens 4 hours into the night, a warmth envelops it. Drinking at room temperature, baking spices integrate with a dipper full of heather honey that envelops your mouth like a warm, expansive hug. It is a 34 year old bottle after all - it has run out of energy at 10 pm, but retains a calming, motherly warmth through the endless finish.
This was a divine experience with a casual afternoon cake tasting. Pandan and coconut tiramisu emphasized the depth of the dried orchard fruits. Vietnamese coffee cake brought out heather honey. Cake truffles brought out the darker cask influence through a nice cup of mocha. Orange chocolate cake highlighted the dried citrus fruits. With slightly savory cakes like shiso fromage raspberry mousse and basil green apple, the gentle sweet spices pop out more on the palate. Coconut ice cream with pineapple upside down cake show you how deep and expansive the sweetness can run against even the most decadent of desserts. This is one of the most fun pairings I've had in as long as I can remember.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lafite Rothschild vertical (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Hedosnistic nose displaying intense yellow fruit, peach cobbler, apricot tart, mango, pinepalle, strong botrytis, crème brulee, saffron, candied ginger, candied orange peel and steely mineral. Exceptoanl concentration, layers upon layers of intense sweet yellow fruit, unctuous and rich but also showing perfect balance and precision, perfect amount of acidity and strong steely mineral and a seamless long concentrated yellow fruit driven finish with honey and saffron at the end. Absolutely delicious yet also profound.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gorgeous nose of petrol, honey, apricot, and orange jam. Not as crisp or racy as the top vintages but deep concentration, expansive mouth feel and a long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It’s been 4 years since my last bottle and this is developing nicely. This was decanted for 2 hours and could have used another 2. Full bodied with nice balance. This is entering its prime drinking window and should stay here for 5 decades. Revisit 2025
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Château d'Yquem dinner with Sandrine Garbay (Restaurant Zoldering, Amsterdam, NL): Direct from the Château. Harvested in November. Unusually deep colour for a 1988. The characteristic acidity of the vintage shows, but the spicy, tobacco character is deeper and darker than I remember from previous vintages, lovely note of Cognac, hint of currants on the finish. There are better bottles.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
February foie (Chicago, IL): From half-bottle. Bright, fresh, but perhaps what I would consider to be a hypothetical blend of the 1990 and 1989. Distinct notes of orange marmalade here, with the botrytis clearly not as prominent as the 1989 but without the same racy freshness of the 1990. There's a bitter orange flavour on the finish that is lovely and counterweights the sweetness. Outstanding, but I think this may be the weakest of the legendary trilogy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not rated. The sheer class of this wine was noticeable under a layer of mild but unpleasant mustiness. What a pity, knowing how sublime this wine can be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cellared since release, fill into neck, cork moist half way up. Pop and pour. Light to medium gold. Rich, forward and complex nose with tons of things going on: peaches, pears, apricots, citrus, sweet flowers, honey and caramel. This is a big palate-coating Yquem, terrifically well balanced and concentrated with complex flavors and a long finish. We open one of these every few years and they keep getting better. Still my favorite of the 88/89/90 trio. Outstanding.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I mean, this showed so beautifully tonight and again has me flip-flopping over which of this ‘88, ‘89, ‘90 trio is the best. Frankly they are all great but different in style. This ‘88 is the most ready of the three and certainly the most elegant and complex at this point. Always the best way to end a great wine dinner!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle showed much better than my previous one, this time the cork was in excellent condition. Deep amber color, lots of classic dried apricot, perfect balance and acidity, and a finish that went on and on. Good to the last drop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
White flowers and a very light nose of botrytis. Golden yellow, does not look aged at all. The balance of acidity and sweetness was impeccable, I would say the best Sauternes that I have tried to date. Excellent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
17x Bordeaux 1982-1990 (+ 2 Martha’s): Three 80s Sauternes side-by-side. Unsurprisingly, the young-ish Yquem (97+ pts) from the very successful 1988 vintage stole the show thanks to a perfect balance between concentration, sweetness and freshness, in combination with a high complexity and superb precision. The Doisy Vedrines 1989 (94 pts) delivered well with a good freshness to keep the very ripe fruit profile in check. Still young here too. The Rieussec 1983 (89 pts) was lacking balance with a bit too much sweetness and it had some wet cardboard aromas instead of pure saffron. Yet, all in all these three showed me again, that I should cellar and drink more Sauternes.
TN: Expressive nose full of saffron, quince, citrus and spices. A step up from the others, intense, precise and inviting. Monumental on the palate with lots of concentration and a hyper pixelated aroma profile with saffron, quince, apple, citrus, lemon, a potpourri of spices and more aromas with every sip. Superbly fresh and creamy, extreme length, very harmonious: this Yquem is on its way to become a legend.
Decanting: Not decanted, good from the go but air would not hurt.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bordeaux 1982-1990 tasting (Restaurant Essen'z, Brugg): Bordeaux 1982-1980 tasting of selected wines, including a couple of pirates. All wines were decanted for at least 2-3 hours, tasted in flights of 2 and single-blind. While not a representative sample, I would venture the following observations: 1/ First growths in 1988 should not be underestimated for the hedonistic pleasure they offer, 2/ 1990 first growths have not yet passed through their closed stage, 3/ you’ll find stand-out second tier wines from 1982. 4/ Highlights were Palmer 89 and Gruaud Larose 82 (96 each).
Tasting note: Toffee, caramel, honey, even peppery spiciness, saffron, marzipan, fudge, candid fruit – so far so amazing. On the palate soft, creamy and with a lighter touch. This became apparent in the flight with Rieussec 83 and Doisy-Védrines 89 which came across more clumsy in comparison.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
after a couple of less-than-stellar showings, the last two times I've tried this have been much better, and in particular last night this was ON. full blown power and precision, we were enchanted. I'm happy to see the power because I've always considered 88 a more refined and balanced vintage, and i'd begun to worry that it was losing fruit. in this format perhaps there's a little variation, but most of my experiences have been great
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had for dessert at Dana's wine dinner last nite. As always, this wine showed wonderfully. Waxy aroma at first, but that blew off over time to reveal a generous nose of white fruit, petrol, and that lovely botrytis aroma. Medium body, sweet but not unctuously so, very elegant and soft, not at all cloying. There's apricot, nectarines, honey, caramel and even some toffee. Rather mellow and gentle on the ever-so-long finish, which is a reflection of this wine's age and solid vintage. Delicious wine, still showing great. Long way to go!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A very elegant Yquem that’s beautifully delineated and with complex notes of burnt orange and minerals. This seems fully mature although the color suggests more development ahead. For whatever reason, I now prefer the ’89 & ’90 over the ’88 and that wasn’t the case 5-10 years ago. 93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
On pulling this out of its resting place in the cellar, I was kinda shocked by the bourbon brown color. Yes I know Sauternes can go there but last time I looked at this (been awhile!) it was the same bright golden yellow of some '01s and '02s I have. Flavor: great with the tart but for my tastes too aged. I enjoy the panoply of tart fruits in younger Sauternes and this was all toffee and brulee.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
SLDS New Year (Quay, Sydney): Apricot, ginger, orange peel and apples on the nose. Tangy with sweet fruit supporting. Good lightness and vibrancy to it. Straight up delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2nd of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, previously VF+ in 09 - old gold, unctuous; apricot, slightly caramelised peaches, butterscotch, complex and classy, just enough citrus though less than expected in an 88; full, rich and mouth coating, long and vv persistent, classy and complex but would benefit from more citrus notes to sharpen flavours, mature but still a baby for Yquem. VF (18.5).........PS a quarter bottle was left for three weeks and was still in fine form if anything more nuanced if less sweet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Casual BBQ Wines: Grassy, lemon, toast and orange peel. Really lovely on the palate, fresh, perks up the tastebuds. Long, very fresh and immensely delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Both Shades of Corton (My home - Chicago IL): Leftovers from several days earlier, this was almost just as enjoyable, perhaps just slightly less bright. Not ultra sweet, but so balanced and enjoyable with good+ length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At the moment I sipped it it was beautiful. I swirled in my mouth and while we drank copious amounts of great wines, this wine brought about a clarity for the night. Hitting on all cylinders and a second glass sent me home. Wow. 6 days later I still have vivid memories of the wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Last Dance Magnum Dinner (The Krengels - Bannockburn IL): Tasted from two nearly identical bottles. Mostly sweet apricot with earth in a complex combination, very texturally complex as well. Not as sweet as many vintages of d’Yquem, but so bright and intriguing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Evening with friends (@Private location, Solingen): Glass: Sophienwald From half bottle. Decanted for about 1,5h. Clear, deep amber color. Nose was not very complex and intense, though I was a bit disappointed until I had my first sip. On the palate it is for sure Yquem. Elegance, power, balance, complexity without being fat or cloying. Very long and lingering. Wonderful Yquem that could age for some more decades, but makes so much joy to drink now! 94-95
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
#2 of 12. This bottle was a little darker than two years ago. Oh that nose, filled with apricots, orange rind, caramel and butterscotch. Intense palate of apricots and peaches with hints of citrus. Richly textured balanced with good acidity leading to its persistent finish. I could sip on this all night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Half bottle. Dark amber color. Wow. A little oxidative on first opening. But 20 minutes later it was on its game. Viscous full body with Medium acidity it was palate pleasing. Aroma of ripe orange and honey, but on the palate more of a ripe apricot and acacia. It was a mind bender. Long long finish. Adorable. Highly recommended. Drinking a 2009 next
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious drink, from 375ml, but came across as slightly fatter with less balance/tension than in the past. Much more like the 89 tonight, which is still not a bad thing
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just a fabulous wine from the moment the wine hit the glass. The explosive nose, with its coconut, butterscotch, creme brulee, candied orange, flowers, vanilla bean, and honeyed tropical fruit got you to stop, stare and take another sniff. Rich, lush, opulent, intensely concentrated, velvet-textured apricots, yellow tropical fruits and a gallon of honey that was perfectly braced with a wall of acidity that hung on for well over 60 seconds in the finish. This has entered the start of secondary development and could easily go 100 years. As a guess, the next marker comes in with another 20 yeas of age.
Wine Flock Champagne Gala (Park Ridge CC): A spectacular Sauternes with an intense and haunting perfume. Sweet but so light and elegant across the palate. Long, complex finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I’ve had this wine many times, and it ranks among my very favorite vintages (with 67 and 75). This time out of 375ml, I would agree with JM’s note and description, stunning complexity and dimension, except on this occasion the length wasn’t quite at the level I’ve experienced in the past. Still incredible
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasting with Olivier Bernstein (Bourbon Steak, Washington D.C.): Unbelievably expressive nose displaying opulent concentrated yellow fruit, dry apricot, apricot tart, mango, dry peach, pineapple, really strong botrytis, cream brulee, spicy spices and candied ginger. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of opulent yellow fruit, dense and oily yet beautifully balanced and weightless, medium acidity and a long rich yellow fruit driven finish with botrytis and candied ginger at the end. Although drinking perfectly, this remains very youthful and can improve for at least two more decades.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is monumental and really coming along nicely, though decades to go. From 375, perfect storage, cork half soaked and deep amber color to the wine. Soaring aromas of caramel, butterscotch, botrytis, orange rind, Earl Grey, and lanolin. The fruit is presenting a darker flavor profile and this follows through to the palate. Speaking of the palate...wow, just wow! Amazing delineation and wave after wave of sheer brilliance cascade down the throat. Similar flavors to the nose, there is a searing intensity on the tongue that goes on and on and is not soon forgotten. This is a breathtaking Yquem. One point short of the triple digit as it does not have the insane burn on the tongue that the 2001 currently possesses, but I am really just quibbling here. Brilliant!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Penetrating lemon, acacia nose. Beautiful presence on the palate; light-footed but with lots of impact. The 88 seems aromatically a little simple for Yquem, but I love its slightly finer than usual silhouette.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: Pineapple, butterscotch, caramel, key lime, short bread. Palate: Honey, honeycomb, dried apricot, orange, hint of baking spices at the end. Bright and balanced acidity at the end, no cloying sweetness. Brilliant pairing with custard and I assume many dishes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second time trying the 1988 d’Yquem and it consistently shows impressive energy and generous botrytis aromas. Concentrated array of ripe pipeapples, luscious apricots, exotic yet elegant spices that I adore from Chateau d’Yquem. Full bodied yet acidity is racy and bright, great balance. Still young and hasn’t developed enough complexity to be at its peak, good potential. (93-94/100)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Special Burgundy Dinner (DC/Silver Spring MD): Strong apple, apricot, cream and vanilla on the nose. Sweet fruits, some vanilla cream, light bitter note. Rather bracing acidity. Very little tertiary movement. This might last forever. 93 now, but will get better once it starts to get mature notes.
Note, i should have opened this earlier. I forgot and only opened it about 1/2 hr before serving. Maybe a decant needed as well?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2019 Palmerathon: What a delight the 1988 Yquem is, half for its gorgeous fresh expressiveness and half to think that it's exactly these qualities that will give it the longevity and freshness of the 1928. Typical Yquem notes, lots of fresh tropical fruit, acacia, marcona almond, parchment, and mineral. Gorgeous palate saturation and acidity. Lots of vigor and zip. 96+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep golden with orange and slightly amber hue. Not with blockbuster intensity, but elegant and complex it delivers scents of beeswax, honey, mandarine, burnt sugar, dried apricots and flowery notes. On the palate as well elegant, but also with more punch than the intensity of scents suggests and with enough acidity to keep the balance. Long finish. 5/14/19/10. This bottle was kept under perfect conditions since release. The cork was soaked to more than 50%. So if you want to cellar this for many more years or decades, one should have a close look at the corks or better recork the bottles. -2040+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Oh, what a shame! I’ve been saving this for a special occasion and then it’s corked. Damn, how disappointing and frustrating (and what an expensive waste). Another big argument for screw-caps.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lovely stuff. More mature than the '89/'90 and quite complex already with classic minerality and lots of spice notes on the finish. Still young but drinking nicely now with notes of butterscotch, yellow fruits and clove-like spices. 94+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The bottle was opened two days before, I was flashed and speechless. Impresssive light and filigree. No oxidation signs, no dried fruits, no vanilla no honey and raisin notes. Citrus, orange peel, white peach. For the next 30 years. 99+
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From regular bottle that had been purchased and cellared since release. Opened about an hour before service; the cork was sound and the fill was into the neck. A deep amber-golden color, with notes of tropical white fruits, honey and candied oranges, with hints of apricots and ginger. Medium to full-bodied, with unreal levels of concentration, great depth, and tremendous sense of expansiveness on the palate; all framed with beautiful acidity, lending impressive delineation and precision on the never-ending finish. What a treat!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
30 years old and still a baby, even though the color is starting to darken a little bit. Monumentally structured; you can safely bequeath this to your grandchildren. Excellent today, one of the better vintages I have had the privilege of tasting: better than 1985 or 1986, not as good as 1990 or the unbelievable 1975. Honeycomb, sweet florals, touch of clove and anise on the nose -- still seems a bit reticent. Apricots, crème brulee, honey, candied pineapple on the tongue. While it's not as searingly intense as many Yquems, it is still a gem and unmistakably Yquem. Score: 95. Relative to expectations: +
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great balance and color. Initially paired with epoisses that brought out the sweetness in the wine. Then had with macarons which brought out the perfect mineral/lemon characteristics. Drinking well now and can sit for another decade or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Gorgeous color, amber defined. Butterscotch is the first aftertaste that jumps off the palette. Medium viscosity. Apricot as an additional tone that combines well with the umami experience in the mouth. Some fade of flavours over time of drinking but elegant. Agreement that it's not the strongest of vintages but it's still Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautifully complex if a little lighter than other vintages. Classic Yquem minerals which I simply can't describe but know very well. Just lovely flavors of orange rind, caramel and butterscotch. Should continue to improve and I believe this to be turning into a very elegant and complex version of this great wine without the power of the strongest vintages. 94+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Jordan's Fine Wine Dinner (Boka - Chicago IL): Seemed even older than 30 yo, coming across as almost demi-sec. Nutty with rich peach and moderate/good weight and length. 90 points?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had this at the Charleston off-line for Burgundy night.
This was part of the desert flight that also included a 1936 Cave de Rivesaltes
This was a beautiful wine and a really nice d'Yguem. Light gold color and paired beautifully with the desert courses with complex, never ending flavors of peach, apricot, honey, caramel and creme brulet. Really in a nice spot now after 20 years.
I don't always search out desert wines, but this was a real treat that paired beautifully with the desert of Caramelized Peach soup with green cardamom and Pain D'Epices Bread Pudding with sourwood honeyed apricots.
A great way to finish a spectacular night
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Charleston Offlineorama IV; 9/27/2018-10/1/2018 (Charleston, NC (various locations)): Final flight at Burg Thurs dinner - served alongside '36 Cave de Rivesaltes. Paired with Caramelized Peach soup w/ green cardamom and Pain D'Epices Bread Pudding with sourwood honeyed apricots. Hot DAMN!!! - this is just gorgeous!!! Color is a deep clear apricot gold. Nose is rich and full of honeysuckle and apricots. On the palate, satiny and viscous layers of apricot, honeysuckle, fresh honeycomb, meyer lemon acidity - just dances across the tongue - coaxing you to finish your glass faster than prudence should allow. WOTN for me - but Salon '96 was pretty special too.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Charleston IV - Return of the Collectible; 9/27/2018-9/30/2018 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): Yum yum yum. This is one of the more intense style d'Yquem. It's a quite a mouthful and the acidity kicks in more to the mid or back palate. It feels almost in the slutty wine category. Perfect pairing with a peach soup where it felt like the wine was a better impression of a peach than the peach itself. Also a touch of ginger and maybe some light spice notes and caramel.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pulled this one from the cellar to bring to Blanco's WH wine dinner/overnight. I've had this wine before--though not recently--and notes are consistent. This wine continues to rock! Darkening amber color, wonderfully fragrant, aromatic nose, and extreme elegance, intensity of flavor, complexity and length on the palate, this Sauternes just gives you everything one could ever ask for in a dessert wine. Bushels of apricots, honey, marmalade, beeswax, tropical fruit, bananas are all combined into a beautifully elegant elixir that is just awesome. Yet, there's plenty of acidity to complement the very ripe, but mid-level, far-from-overwhelming sweetness. It's just a perfect wine. Though clearly singing today, this wine will easily go another 10 years, if not more. Bravo!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Complex nose of oranges, honey, hazelnuts, and sweet melon. Fantastic balance with good acidity on the palate with flavors of baked apple, honey, candies, and citrus. Long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A tasting at home with friends (At home - Haarlem): Day 1: caramel (not too) lovely acidity, lots of botrytis; 95 points Day 2: slightly waxy, botrytis (bitters) in the bouquet, a bit shy; 94 P Day 3: more balance; still the load of botrytis, less shy, very refined; 95 points. I have to admit that the recently tasted '99 showed a bit more expressiveness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Having had the 1989 and 1990 recently, this one reminded me more of 1989 in style. Very nice and open nose of botrytis, glue, beeswax, honey and apricots. On the palate is it less sweet than 1990, but with good balance (as always in Yquem). Very nice to drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 375. Surprisingly advanced, this had a rather deep core to it and a nice finish. But less complexity than I recalled. More from the dark tropical fruit and wild honey side of Yquem. 93+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
#1 of 12. Medium golden color, nose of apricots, orange rind, caramel and butterscotch. Intense youthful palate of apricots and peaches, smothered in honey with hints of citrus. Mouth coating and richly textured yet good acidity gives balance and freshness. Long persistent finish. I could sip on this all night. Clearly 10-20 years left in the wine even in 375ml format. Had the 1989 recently and this is a clear step up in my opinion. Need to pop a 1990 soon to complete the comparison of 88/89/90
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Yquem just flat out rocks and the 88 is my favorite from the 88/89/90 trio, just as DBG has stated earlier, I agree. Simply sublime nose that radiates with nuance after nuance. Apricot, lanolin, orange rind, slight hint of lemon, botrytis, caramel, and butterscotch. The palate not only coats your mouth, it paints every crevice with sheer delight. The complexity of this wine befuddles the mind...wow! As with every great Yquem, there is this searing intensity that burns a landing strip on your tongue, simply unmatched. From 375 and in between moderate to dark amber in color. 99 Pts
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sarasota reunion: Krug, Carillon, LLC, Lynch, Yquem (Michael’s on East, Sarasota): Cellared since release, fill into neck, cork moist half way up. Light gold, peaches/pears/apricots with honey and just a hint of caramel, a big palate coating Yquem, well balanced with a long finish. Still on the upswing if that’s possible. And yes, my favorite of the 88/89/90 trio. These heights weren't reached again at Yquem until 2001. Outstanding.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
St. Vincent (Indianapolis): Very nice - the flavours are classic Yquem, bursting with ripe apricot, orange marmalade, honey, and botrytis spice, and there's a slightly burnished, mature quality to the nose. Immensely rich and powerful with palate-staining intensity and impressive length, but I'm left wanting just a touch more acidity to take this from outstanding to truly, truly great for my tastes.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a well-cellared 750 cc bottle, this medium amber wine offers everything that could be asked of a Sauternes. Intensely aromatic and flavorful, it is a rich elixer that is effusive of apricots, pineapples, maraschino cherries, caramel, honey, vanilla and bananas. The wine's ripe fruit flavors and sweetness are beautifully offset by its refreshing acidity. Impressively dense and mouth-coating on the mid-palate, it proceeds to a finish that goes on and on. It just doesn't get much better than this! Although spectacular now, well-cellared bottles will last for several more decades. Drink now-2050.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Absolutely exceptional. Nose had an intense alcoholic aroma (like a good nail varnish) but this settled down once it was open for a while and gave way to a good toasty aroma. The palate is unbelievably rich with apricot, pear, tropical fruit, and honeysuckle. The finish is extraordinary. We opened and drank it with foie gras torchon, which was the perfect pairing. Then kept it on ice until dessert—a not-too-sweet cheesecake with white chocolate and a brûléed crust. Just amazing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a 375ml. This is perhaps the best Sauternes I have ever had. The richness was balanced by such wonderful acidity. No better way to finish dinnner. In a perfect spot right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Saturday lunch with Eddie (Masseria, DC): Powerful nose displaying ripe tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, apricot, botrytis, lanoline, crème burlee and candied ginger. Incredible concentration, dense and oily yet perfectly precise and weightless, layers upon layers of ripe yellow fruit, bright acidity and a long opulent sweet yellow fruit and ginger driven finish that resonates. This has to be the most concentrated Yquem of the 80s.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
TG dinner ME +1, CB, PT, kids... 1st of night...wonderful showing...apricot, honey, great nose and texture '98 Vogue Musigny VV (opened late) '89 Jabouet La Chapelle (corked) '90 Angelus (best of night) '97 Gaja costa Russi '90 Pegau Cuvée Réservée
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
OCTOBER REVOLUTION CENTENARY TASTING. 375. Light golden colour. Lovely, delicate nose, honeyed, slightly spicy, a touch floral, though a trifle muted. Delicious, harmonious flavours; somewhat spicy, very elegant fruit; though the sweetness is a little too much for its acidity at this point in its development, which seems to be at a slightly dulled, in-between stage: has been and no doubt will again be markedly better; though not a prayer of ever reaching the level of the 1975 drunk with it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A really excellent Y’quem. Focused and elegant. Classic profile of honeysuckle. More light and delicate and not quite as concentrated as the 1990. I think I like this better than the 1990.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brought to CT Seattle Bordeaux tasting, it showed well but not as exceptionally as I expected given its pedigree. Cork was very dry; unusually so. Flavors were a bit muted. Finished the bottle 6 days later, still very solid with lots of apricot, blood orange, and nuttiness through out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted blind. Not rating a score as i think it's slightly oxidized. Even so the amazing acidity and balance shows the pedigree of a great Sauterne. a bit of oily/waxiness on the palate, but just lacks a bit of omph, probably due to the slight oxidation. pity as it doesn't rise to the heights of what it could be... but it was great to drink nonetheless
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Yquem dinner (Chicago, IL): From half-bottle. This was probably the most "ordinary" of the trilogy. Of course, that's not saying much, given the quality of those three vintages. But this was the most archetypically Yquem of the three. Honeyed, rounded, and full, with all of the profile as expected, and a heap of density and concentration as well. A bit young, but certainly accessible now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A beautiful showing for this wine tonight. Medium-bodied and very pure and smooth and not overly sweet but filled with vineyard typicity. Lovely elegant honeyed texture with real Yquem minerality and excellent depth of subdued tropical fruit flavors. Finishes very complex and long. A great vintage here that should peak in about 10 years. 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Did I love this even more when it was younger? Something is gained, but something is lost. The harmony, caramel depth and acidity overall resolve into a dark winter's night of the soul, but very sweet. Are there ripe pineapple and mango notes? Maybe... but does the flan texture and tone carry the day? Also, maybe... still.. the acid raciness may be slightly muted, but remains assertive. There are grain flavors with the sweetness, no treacle, but still, a darkness that penetrates the tongue and the soul. Beautiful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stunning - beautiful golden yellow with a honey drenched bouquet and a vibrant palate combining richness and freshness. A magical wine that is delicious to drink now but suggests an ageless quality - exceptional.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This keeps getting better and better. I won't be around when this hits full maturity, whenever that is, but I'm digging it right now. With gobs of honey drenched pineapples, apricots and tropical fruit, the wine is dense. But the acidity cuts right through. The spicy character, opulent mouthfeel and incredible length are something to experience, at least twice, because it's that good.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
What a treat w a generous cheese course at Aureole..... Glad to see the photo and comments regarding dark colour as our bottle was almost scotch like. Great rich smoky and candied yellow fruits followed by a never ending yellow brick road of sugar, honey/maple and burnt plank. Thank you Jay!!!
From 750: Beginning to turn caramel colored. Highly extracted and packed with flavor. A little bit goes a long way. Caramel and apricot notes dominate the flavor profile. Slight metallic character evident on the palate is a slight distraction. Enough acidity present to balance the sugar. Climens remains my favorite wine of this type.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Holiday Dinner - Champ, Burg, Bordeaux, Rhone and etc. (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): Beautifully balanced complex nose displaying mango, pineapple, haagen daz peach sorbet, strong lanoline, honey, spicy spices, crème brulee and candied ginger. Exceptional concentration, dense and oily yet weightless and airy, beautiful balance and an incredibly long clean finish that resonates. It is a very youthful example that is drinking magnificently. It is fascinating to compare to the 01 which is even bigger and more intense. Perhaps without the 01, I may rate this a point or two higher.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 375: generally one of my favorite vintages and after around 6 bottles from the same batch this one was strangely advanced. Not really oxidized but definitely more along the development curve of something from the mid 70's. Good cork and no noticeable flaws or off flavors. The intensity, structure and ripeness all here and we enjoyed the bottle so if this is an indication of where this is going this wine will age well, although i never had any doubts to start with.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1980s Bordeaux at Riverbend (Oregon): Lovely wine. Has the lemony marmalade but freshness and verve of a great Sauternes. No hint of oxidation or cloying character here...just sublime elegance. Has many years of life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At 50th. Deep golden center, yellow rim, viscous. Intense nose of botrytis, marmalade, roasted stone fruits, toasted almonds. Sweet, but not cloying, dense mixture of orchard and tropical fruit, good balancing acidity still, toasted nuts (subtle), touch of citrus, spices (clove and coriander), amazing length (minutes not seconds). Fantastic Sauterne. Drinking well now but would clearly last another 10 or more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Holy Frickin' Moleeo.... Is that how you spell that? Who cares? This is stunning juice! The caramel, butterscotch, Cointreau, cooked apricot, honey, molasses, coffee, vanilla and floral aromas are off the charts. Rich, intense, concentrated, bright and bursting with acidity, the wine is the perfect mix of sweetness, freshness, and purity of fruit. The finish takes on a honeyed, ripe and over ripe pineapple sensation that sticks with you for 60 seconds or longer. This wine is a deal sealer.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of orange marmalade, honey, and mold (not a pleasant mold note; rather a harsh, bitter blue-cheese mold note). Palate shows moderate sweetness and acidity (nothing too exciting structure-wise) and flavours of honey, apricot, orange marmalade, camphor, and jasmine. Other tasters mostly agree that this is corked. I can't see any TCA, but there is a hint of oxidation, and although the wine is quite drinkable and pleasant, it doesn't show the power and complexity that a good bottle of Yquem is capable of.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not the greatest bottle although I couldn't taste that it was flawed it wasn't quite right, the somm thought it faulty. It didn't have the cut and drive that a good Yquem should have, it was more about butterscotch and candied nuts, the luck of the draw I guess with unknown provenance. Not rated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
À mon sens, on frôle la perfection. La couleur est absolument exceptionnelle, et le faisait paraître plus vieux que son "jeune" âge. Puis, juste en sentant le bouchon, j'ai eu l'impression qu'il sentait meilleur que tous les autres Sauternes que j'ai goûté! Il y avait une telle complexité qui est difficile à décrire. J'avais l'impression de manger un morceau de gâteau au caramel, et les saveurs s'éternisent en bouche. C'est une vin d'une longueur incroyable, mais surtout, qui réécrit la définition d'équilibre.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a 375ml bottle. Deep copper hue and a lovely, but slightly muted nose, showing tropical fruits, apricots, and a little coconut, but a bit more reserved than I was expecting, even as I followed this along for a few hours. On the palate is where it shows its breed, with a lithe, featherweight touch conveying tremendous intensity and layers of fruits, honey, and spice in way only Yquem can.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Glass: Riedel Sommelier Sauternes Drunk between 10 and 13 deg. Celsius. Clear, medium amber color. Very fine and elegant nose with aromas of honey, dried apricots, fig, other dried fruits and from far behind some nail polish. Creamy mouthfeel, completely coating the mouth with silky and complex aromas of honey, dried fruits, perfectly integrated oak, some walnut, herbs and spices. It has an almost perfect balance of sweetness and acidity which never makes it too fat. Very long finish, all aromas linger for minutes on the tongue. If it goes above 12-13 degrees it gets quite alcoholic, so I assume the optimal drinking temperature will be between 10-12 degree. This wine is almost immortal and will certainly develop. Will it get any better? I don’t know, but I will try my next bottle in about 10 years from now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Chateau d'Yquem is more than the waves of concentrated, perfectly ripe, honeyed, tropical fruit. It's freshness that goes along with the experience, keeping the wine uplifted and expansive. That combination is impossible to find in other sweet wines. Every sniff, sip and taste was a treat. Still young, this intensely concentrated wine should last 100 years!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The last three wines of an unforgettable evening with a complete Clos du Mesnil tasting are worthy to close the night. Yquem 88, 75, 01 from Magnum.
Getting in perfect shape right now, will live at least two more decades, powerful, dates, figes, honey, dried apricot, coconut, fresh acidity, great, 98
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Occasional dinner group; TOP Bordeaux 1988: In the bouquet apricots, orange peel, tangerine and butterscotch. Same on the palate, ripe pineapple and honey as well. Beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness. Beautiful and complex wine, but to be completely honest; just a little bit more impressive than Rieussec 1988 which stood beside it.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sauternes tasting: Amber, gold colour. On bouquet, treacle, crème brûlée, honey, toffee, smoke and pineapple were descriptors. A good hit of sugar on entry. Several tasters noted the greater intensity, freshness and acid of the d'Yquem as compared with the 1988 Rieussec. A mouthfilling and viscous wine with flavours of orange, honey, grapefruit, marmalade and, according to AM 'a touch of astringency on the back' (meant as a positive). Good volume with a lot of sweet fruit. Well poised with a long finish. It was very good but it did not show it's d'Yquem class on the night, scoring below the Climens and the Coutet. I thought it was much improved the next night showing orange rind and white peach on bouquet and beautiful balance and acidity on palate. It had lovely texture with the orange marmalade flavours and spices coming to the fore. Therefore my score is a little higher than the Group consensus. N/A = 0 Bronze = 0 Silver = 5 Gold = 17 WOTN = 0
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Going from strength to strength, 1988 Yquem continues to pick up more nuance and darker complexity. Light copper in color, from 375, this is a beauty. Soaring from the glass are aromas of caramel, botrytis, crème brulee, orange rind, honey, and lush apricot. The palate follows suit with even more intensity, and adding a multitude of tea choices to complement the fruit. A lithe, acidic lift cuts through everything. As with any fine Sauternes, I vehemently recommend opening this at least 24 hours in advance, no matter the format. The difference is profound. 99 Pts
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
With a beautiful, yellow, copper, orange, gold hue, the nose screams with loud enough to taste it around the block, with its white peach, pineapple, caramel, creme brulee, apricot, honey, candied orange peel and tropical fruits. Rich, fat, dense and beyond luscious, the wine marries sweetness with blistering acidity, keeping everything lifted, with just the prefect amount of tension. The finish is pure, sweet, fresh and built to age for longer than most people reading this note. I've tasted this wine a lot over the years and this is the best showing yet for this majestic elixir. If you're young enough to wait, this is only going to get better and better with more time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Yet Another 60th Birthday Dinner (The Hills of Northern California): Half bottle. Light golden color. Soaring nose of utter refinement and complexity-honeyed, high tones, orange, apricot, and lord knows what else. Unbelievably fresh fruit, perfect weight, poise, balance, and length. If I seem at a loss to better describe individual components, it is only because everything is so beautifully tied together. Hardly the biggest, sweetest, or most concentrated example of Yquem, but absolutely stunning and the epitome of elegance. I'd imagine that from larger formats, it could easily remain at this lofty level for another 20 years. While I tend to prefer stickies from other regions, the acidity, (relative) lightness, and lift are tremendously inspiring here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Intensely driven by ripe stone fruit, herbal freshness, ginger and some licorice all in a smooth, harmonious and sophisticated package- not missing power.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bordeaux in Bern (Bern, Switzerland): Heavenly as always. Deep color. Mouthwatering acidity. Apple cider, honey, tangerine, tropical fruit. I dare say this might have benefited from significant decanting. It was not as forthcoming as we hoped for. It was certainly a rather awesome wine but not the "religious experience" that one hopes for with a great Yquem.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
chez Bruce, 1st growth, Saint emilion. Rarely do I get to the sweets! This was lovely, apricots, sugar barley, almonds and a touch of brulee. Balanced in the only way Yquem can be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
St Emillion First Growths (Chez Bruce, London): 2 halves. Mid gold. Sweet. Lots of barley sugar up front. Not quite the shape or freshness though. Very good, but I prefer the 88 Climens. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stored in cold cellar since release. Cork broke but perfect condition. Surprisingly deep amber gold. Rich, intense, balanced but lacked the complexity of true greatness. Will this come in time?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A beautiful golden amber in the glass, the nose was all dried apricot, marmalade and Marzipan. Tasting confirmed this, with a near perfect texture which was neither cloying nor unctuous. The finish lasted an incredible 15 seconds and left smiles around the table. Highly recommended and hard to overstate the enjoyment factor. Merry Christmas all!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mostly Baroli gathering at Aggio (Aggio restaurant, Baltimore): Served slightly too cold for my palate, intense yellow fruits, apricots, crème brulee, lemon candy and sweet spices. Excellent concentration, exceptional density yet incredibly light and airy. Once again the texture of D’Yquem is very unique. Intense yet perfectly balanced D’Yquem.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The "full monty", 88 Yquem has taken another step toward maturity, though with ages to go. This bottle was darker in color and darker in flavor than bottles from a few years ago. Great bottles of Yquem never cease to amaze me, the velvet fist, if you will. Aromas of Earl Grey, wet stones, candied crème brulee, orange rinds, apricot, and deep honeyed botrytis. On the palate, this is nothing short of amazing. Insane intensity, yet so light on its feet. I know that the previous sentence is so often used to describe Yquem, yet every time that I experience it I just sit and stare at the glass, and wonder how the hell they did that! What else can I say...? Thank God that all of my Yquem is not stored at home, otherwise there would be nothing but empty bottles and a trail of tears. 99 Pts
Mahogany color with typical botrytis bouquet and flavor, but not at all unctuous, and actually a bit watery, with little finesse, depth, or pizzaz. Too much hype for this wine, and too much emphasis on aging. Dessert wines are probably most delicious when young. I likeed it a little.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had the fantastic opportunity to taste the 1988, 1989, 1990 tonight, all three very good vintages of d'Yquem that are valued similarly in the marketplace. This '88 was nicely tropical with some pineapple and mango, along with some creme brulee. Slightly less nuanced for me vs the 1989 or 1990. Thank you, Jamie!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
drank it 28/05/2011 together with four different blue cheeses, fruit compott, panna cotta and mousse chocolat. Nearly a perfect wine, still 20-30 years to live. dried fruits like peaches, apricots, honey , nuts, decent, elegant, perfect to panna cotta, 98-99
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bordeaux 1988 Horizontal Tasting: Tasted blind: Golden in color. Nose is a bit soapy and alcohol is quite present. Nice sweetness, not to fat, kind of honey liquor. Good structure and long. Good Sauternes but for my not (yet?) a great d'Yquem. Drink now over the next decades...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
With an orange glow in its hue, this rich, fat, sweet, intense, flavorful wine serves up layer after layer of pure, honeyed, tropical sweetness. Drink this now, or seal it in a time capsule for your grandchildren.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
In it's prime - pure nectar. And the food pairing was brilliant with Fourmet d'Ambert ice Cream and Cloudberry sauce and cookie crumbles. Although my vote was for the other wine in the pairing - the Cuvée Madame from Chateau Coutet.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Most tasters consistently rate Yquem higher. Maybe I just don't get it. Significant carmelilzation evident in the color and on the palate. Gobs of unctious fruit present, but a little cloying. Could use more acidity for my tastes . I also prefer my sauterne younger. (Yes, I know, another contrarian opinion)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank at Antigua. I've been drinking an '88 each of the past few years & this tasting is consistent with my previous CT notes: Overtly generous nose of honeysuckle, apricot, honey and oranges. Color seems a bit darker amber hue than I recall. Loads of honey, marmalade, burnt sugar & apricots here. Also detected lemon meringue for the first time. Peter noticed lime which, after he mentioned it, became quite apparent to me as well. (Lime is added for aging purposes I've been told). Such a wonderfully balanced. elegant wine that seems so impossibly younger than it is--really, it's still a baby, though a fabulously elegant wine to drink currently. Great stuff! Finished the bottle 1 nite later and still glowing. What a great bottle of wine
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pale amber colour. High-toned on the nose, with a good hit of acetone. Aromas of orange peel and a light hint of brown spice and burnt sugar as well. The palate feels a little bit off-kilter, particularly because of some very prominent bitter notes. On the other hand, marmalade notes dominate the semi-sweet palate. Slightly hot, but a very, very long finish. Second day: my own damn fault for not reading my previous tasting note (especially since this is from a full bottle). This is much, much better on the second day, with a lot of the offensive high-toned notes dissipating away, leaving the classic marmalade core behind with a hint of sweet corn. The palate has also loosened up significantly, with the bitter notes fading into the background as well. Ticked the score up two notches.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big Bordeaux Event VI (Kevin's House (Minneapolis)): Wonderful showing with apricots, honeysuckles, golden delicious apples, spices and stones. Long and powerful finish. Should age for a very long time. Excellent but expensive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big Bordeaux VI: Margaux; 11/2/2013-11/3/2013 (Kevin's house): A quick decant. Lots of honeysuckle, apicots, peaches, and spice. Tons going on. Great botrytis complexity and spice. Great acidity. The mouthfeel is rich and filling, but it never turns cloying or over the top. This is the first time I've ever had an Yquem and it was the best Sauternes I've ever had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big Bordeaux VI: Stars of Margaux including '85 & '95 Margaux, '85 & '96 Palmer, Plus 1988 d'Yquem & More (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Deep amber color. Popped and splash decanted for 15 minutes. Served at 57 degrees, 2oz pour. Wow, what a splendid wine. Amazingly floral nose with honey fruits, pineapple, nectarine, apricot, incredible amounts of botrytis spice, crème brule, tangerine. The palate is fully bodied and beautifully textured taking on considerably more creaminess and density as it warmed in the glass, honey, honeysuckle, tangerine, cream, pineapple, apricot, and generous botrytis which carries through to an extremely long 90 second finish. Simply a glorious wine. 96+ to 97 points. This was overall WOTN.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The best bottle so far. Real complexity beginning to show along with classic Sauterne flavours. Previous 2 bottle were in comparison a touch dumb. Not a wine to hurry to drink: patience will be rewarded provided you have time in hand.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of almonds and honey. The palate is just stupid. Burnt orange rind, caramel, honey and spices. Amazingly long finish. At this stage, I like it better than the 01, though the comparison is unfair.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bring something really good dinner – FGs, Pomerol, Y’quem, Leroy, Vogue, Dujac and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Absolutely stunning showing, as Adam mentioned, this may be the spiciest D’Yquem since 1975. Intense yellow fruits, perfectly ripe apricots, pineapple, crème brulee, lemon curd and spicy spices. Unctuous palate yet airy, magically evaporating as it hits the palate. The beautiful acidity and strong presence of botrytis perfectly counter balance the intense sweet yellow fruits resulting in intense yet perfectly balanced wine. It also helps that this bottle was a very youthful example. The perfect way to end the evening.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: Lytton Springs Zinfandel vertical (C's): From 750ml. Deep yellow/gold color- looks much younger than some 2001s I have seen. Aromas of baked apricot, ripe Methley plums, honey, orange blossoms, marmalade and tropical fruit. Amazingly rich, viscous texture that coats the palate. Flavors of apricot, honey, pineapple, marmalade, tropical fruits and spices. A long finish that lingers for well over a minute. 97+ pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Honey, flowers, pineapple, apricot, orange and tropical fruits slathered in honey, along with rich textures and mouthful of perfectly ripe, sweet, ripe, honeyed fruit and fruits. This is drinking great today and is only going to get better over the next several decades. This could be favorite vintage of the famous trio, 1988, 1989 and 1990.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Château d'Yquem with AuZone (AuZone, Stockholm): Colour: rather deep golden yellow Nose: flowery, honey, elegant, spice, caramel, ripe citrus, herbs, liquorice, complex and mature nose. Developed in the glass. Palate: large concentration, dried apricot, saffron, caramel and fudge, high acidity, noticeably spicy but with milder spice notes than several of the other vintages, flowers. Enormously long aftertaste with spice and dried fruit. Overall impression: mild and elegant but still with enormous power and balance. Could develop more, 97 p.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purchased in 2003, temp controlled storage since. The cork was wet along the edges and there was black sticky goo on the outer end, indicating leakage and possibly heat exposure in the past. But the fill was well into the neck and the color was medium gold/orange, like other perfect bottles, so I had hope. Opened 5 hours before serving and an ounce poured out to check its status - Yes! All is well! If anything, this is even better than the 375 we opened 10 days ago. Identical profile but turned up just a notch - maybe because of the preceding wines on the evening? Intense complex nose of citrus, pineapple, honey and spice. Deep lush creamy fruit balanced perfectly by crisp acidity, complex flavors changing on the palate from moment to moment, with a long slow fade into a long rich finish. This wine will last for decades. Extraordinary.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pristine fill and cork - 375ml bottle. Medium gold/orange color. Intense complex nose of citrus, pineapple, honey, spice. Killer balance between sweet creamy fruit and crisp acidity, complex flavors constantly changing on the palate and fading slowly into a long rich finish, this wine will last forever. Extraordinary.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner with Kent (Bella Trattoria, San Francisco): From a half. Tasted blind side by side with the 1989 Yquem, and I could pick this out as the 1988. (I had never tried the 1988 before but had tried the 1989.) The color on this is exactly the same as the 1989: golden-orange. Nose is superb with young, fresh fruit, nice spice; palate has fabulous acidic tension with slight tingle that comes with high acid, youthful sweetness, full body but fresh, light (but concentrated), fruity; finish is long, clean. This is a superb, still quite young, Yquem showing a lot of primary fruit and great balance between sweetness and acidity. This has much improvement ahead but was fantastic now and is showing character. As usual, Yquem strikes a great balance between richness and lightness. 96-98+ (97++) Day 2: The nose on this wine is ever so slightly more reticent than the very forward 1989. Today the 88 has developed a more pronounced baking spice nose. The palate on this is silly good, and it has an excitement and a tension that the 89 lacks, though the 89 is certainly drinking very well now. Superb.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium-dark amber in color. Thick and rich. Strong sweetness, honey + apricots. Strong wood (ie forest, not barrel) flavor underneath the sweetness. Had a shortened, mildly tart finish--not typical of d'yquem.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark gold in color with a nose of oranges, honey, pineapple, apricots and even mango in there. Reminded me of some older d'Yquem I have had. Palate was a lovely combination of honey, apricots, jam, even some sweet figs and some nutty tinges at the end. Beautiful wine with a rich acidity which complements the sweetness well. Still has years to go
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
With a blast of coconut, pineapple, flowers, spice, orange, apricot and honey drenched, tropical fruit, the wine continues adding complexity. The finish couples decadent honeyed fruit with freshness and acidity.. Thick, rich, dense and incredibly lush, this is sweet hedonism at its best.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped, poured, consumed over two hours. A brilliant, classic d'Yquem. Power without weight. That rare thing; an intense yet beguiling dessert wine. Continually evolved in glass revealing more and more nuance. Still seems young and years away from maturity, but certainly very enjoyable now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Golden, brassy. Nose is very rich and lifted with apricots, orange, orange marmelade, grass. Very intense flavour with apricot, toasted grain, honey. It is intense and very sweet and viscous but not heavy. Extremely long, tangy finish. Truly beautiful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #073; Sauternes (By MM): Dark golden yellow. The bouquet is quite mature with nutty flavors and also tangerine. On the palate complex and also in the start some impressions of nuts. Caramel, currants and sweet licorice. A bit fat. Beautiful acidity beside the sweetness. This bottle was much more evolved that the one I had in 2008, so also with d'Yquem you have to be lucky with the bottle. Still an impressive wine!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank at wine dinner at home last nite--note: I did not decant the wine this time, but no harm done. This is the 2nd time I've had this wine in the past year, and it continues to amaze. The color is still not as dark as I would expect, though it is a beautiful golden hue, like liquid gold. Extremely aromatic nose of honey, apricots, creme brulee and orange marmalade. On the palate, the wine tastes just like it smells: Tons and tons of honeyed apricots, marmalade, pineapples and oranges just continue to attack but in an oh-so-pleasant manner--and I mean that in a good way. The wine is fairly sweet, though in no way cloying, and its sweetness does not interfere with the very prodigious fruit, and with a very satisfactory level of acidity. This wine is so refined, yet so unbelievably unctuous, creamy and has just a wonderful mouthfeel. It truly is a wonderful wine that I look forward to enjoying again and again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
KYD #1.4: Extremely intense almond, clementine, vanilla nose with a lovely creamy touch to it. Concentrated caramel flavors on the palate with a lot of orange peel but also different spices and coffee. A very complex and concentrated wine that is truly a great experience!! Simply insane :-)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1988 Yquem - Purchased at full price and worth every single penny! What to say? I've had the 01 a number of times and still believe that it is the better wine, but not by much - and I actually enjoyed the 88 more. Huge nose of botrytised fruit, honey, caramel, pinapple, creme brulee, lemon, tea leaves, and creamy lanolin. The palate mirrors this and is a step by step education in how complex Yquem can become. This was simply magnificent. My one point deduction was that it did not have the tongue searing intensity of the 01 - and I am really just nitpicking here. An absolutely brilliant Yquem!! 99 Pts
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 750: Drinking at peak now, and beginning to darken, showing complexity. Notes of orange zest and brown sugar come to mind. Enough acidity present to keep this sweet concentrated wine from being cloying.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enjoyed a half-bottle of this at Le Bernardin to finish the meal. In the glass, gold at the rim shifting to a pale orange-caramel color at the center. On the nose, a mix of marmalade and an almost cognac-like alcoholic burst. On the palate, like drinking orange/apricot/pineapple/honeysuckle syrup. Such an unctuous, viscous, creamy mouthfeel, with a long finish, and just lick your teeth a few seconds later and bang, all of the flavors are back. I'm not sure this bottle lived up to the accolades, but we're just splitting hairs at this point. A remarkable, hedonistic dessert wine and a delightful way to close out the evening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted blind from a half bottle, this wine had a deep yellow center with clear rims. The medium intensity nose offered custard, pear, honey, and soil.
In the mouth, this wine was quite rich and yet not a all heavy. It also had excellent acidity and great length. It still seems a bit young and should continue to develop.
As this was tasted blind, I am not sure how much decanter time this had. While certainly enjoyable, I would give this another 10-20 years in the bottle or extended decanting. It should pick up a couple points in the future.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Honeyed, smoky, pina colada scented nose, powerful wine full bodied, layers of highly concentrated juice with a long, long, finish. Still has a lots of time to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enough said, this is just perfect. I know 2001 Yquem is better, but since I do not have it alongside this excellent bottle, I score it as it is. Again: perfect.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow! Opened this for a friend who was moving out of town. Wonderful as always. Beautiful color, long legs, wonderfully long finish. Dried apricot flavors, marmalade, has a long way to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hairy crab dinner chez Thomas: Deep gold/amber colour, plush and rich with a viscosity and creaminess that is more Kracher than Yquem. Honeyed notes of orange peel, marmalade. Mature, complex, very sweet indeed
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank bottle at dinner party at the Lunardis. Decanted the wine before drinking. A very rich golden color, although not as dark as I had expected. A beautiful nose of apricots and oranges overwhelmed immediately upon first sniff. Beautifully balanced, great acidity, lovely perpetual nose, extremely elegant wine. Got better and better in the glass over the 2 hrs or so that we enjoyed the wine. A great wine with still a long way to go...Glad I have many more. This wine is really in a class by itself!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had two 375 ml's and both were excellent. This is a deep golden orange viscous wine that has hints of marmalade and honey with just a mild sort of grassy wheatiness to it. So good. Want more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
1988 Château d'Yquem, from a 750 ml....dark yellow in the glass with "long legs"....remarkably this floats gently over the palate with candied orange, honeysuckle and lychee....quite remarkable....years from a possible peak
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep golden color. A wow nose of orange / apricot marmelade. Rich, fat, but balanced wonderfully with good acidity. Great depth. No hurry to drink the next one. A classic d'Yquem!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A happy ending at BP in Naples. Dark gold to almost amber in color. Rich ripe peach and apricot nose. Palate was luscious, nice in fat in the mouth without being cloying. A densely packed wine featuring sweet dried apricot, pears, and peach quality. Mouth coating and ripe. Good balance, but in need of just a bit more brightness. A yummy treat. Just short of greatness, perhaps this 375ml explains slightly missing the mark of perfection.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had this following a remarkable tasting event of brilliant French burgundies and CDPs. Golden amber in the glass, this wine is showing elements of aging. The nose immediately impresses with waves of honey, apricot, hint of citrus. Tasting it confirms the nose - a wonderful, silky smooth expression of the same flavors from the aroma coats the palate. The wine has an excellent balance of acidity. Interestingly, I had this alongside the 1983 and preferred this vintage - smoother, a little richer and more full bodies than the older sibling.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bright gold color. Intoxicating nose of honeyed apricots, fresh pineapple, caramel. The midpalate on this was incredible. Highly viscous, very complex flavors of honeyed tropical fruits but not sugary at all. A taut acidic spine throughout kept the balance extraordinary. This is still painfully young, and must be a well kept example. Mama mia!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The Greatest Pig Roast Ever?? (Chicagoland): From 750ml. Golden color. Honeyed tropical fruit and apricot on the nose. Vanilla creme brulee aromas. Very rich and expansive on the palate. Wonderful fruit and very good acidity. Extremely long finish. Easily the best of the 88 Sauternes flight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Birthday Bash with Pig (Chicagoland): Honey and citrus notes. Tropical fruits. Great combo of viscous and full bodied, and balancing structure. Really nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a half-bottle with a half-saturated cork. Amber colour. Pulled out of the fridge, which was much too cold for this, and so the nose took a while to come around. When it did, it was remarkably complex with notes of candied oranges, burnt sugar, licorice, and anise. On the palate, again remarkable complexity, with the same candied citrus and burnt sugar notes, as well as a beautifully luscious texture, well-balanced acidity, and a palate-numbing apricot-tinged finish that is so long it's painful. Serve at cellar temperature and decant for at least an hour or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A generous gift from one of the guests on the other table, this was, of course, lovely, but I'm not sure there's such a gulf between the Yquem and the other top sauternes, at least not in '88
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consumed with friends (BY/MY) -- all 10 of us loved this wine. It is ready now and will improve with time. A beautiful burnt-orange color. Paired superbly with caramel fudge, cookies, candied oranges (thanks BY!)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
99 - Tasted among other Yquem's over the holidays. Even next to the 1967, 1989 and 2001, the 1988 was absolutely outstanding. Beautiful amber color, but no brown edges. Still youthful but offering rich honeyed apricots, creamy, viscous with a slight floral overtone to the deep fruit. Nearly perfect balance but enough acidity to carry this still young beauty. A finish that lingers for an eternity, with every reason to immerse one's senses in a small taste, savor, then discuss the wine, the joy in life and your exceptional good fortune for the opportunity to experience such a masterpiece with people you care about.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At a post New Year's celebration, we found a well priced half bottle on a local list. Gold/amber color. Almost explosive aromas of apricot, candied orange peel, white flower, honey and hazelnuts. Pleasing interplay between sweet and tart (someone said like dried apricots, which we all found apt). Very fresh and youthful. Incredibly rich and viscous, but not cloying, wave upon wave of flavor making it hard to swallow, ever. A wine for long term olfactory memory bank. I generally prefer riesling and chenin blanc as dessert wine, but I am very willing to be seduced by other vintages of this grand wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First ever Yquem. Lived up to all expectations. Colour was pure ambre. a wine as opposed to the other Sauternes that we have had which are almost too sweet
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Endless aromatics of ripe pineapples, nectarines, peaches, flowers, spices, vanilla, coconut and more all drenched and dripping honey. Wave after wave of luxurious fruit flows across your palate. This wine is incredibly concentrated. Very dense and full bodied with ample acidity keeping everything in balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Yquem "great years" tasting (Seinpost (Scheveningen, The Netherlands)): I guess this "only" gets 99 out of 100 because it was tasted alongside the other-worldly 2001. One of the last bottles in an impressive line-up of d'Yquem: 55, 67, 71, 75, 76, 86, 88, 89, 90, 97, 99, 01. 1988 was my number 3, right after 2001 and 1967. Just great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1988 Château d'Yquem (Frankrijk, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes) Kleur: Vol goudgeel Aroma / bouquet: Weelderig bouquet met uitgesproken maar verfijnde Botrytistonen, maar tegelijkertijd maakt deze wijn ook een zoet-kruidige indruk. Het hout is wat duidelijker waarneembaar, ook tonen van kaneel, honing. Smaak / Afdronk: Ook deze jaargang onderscheidt zich in ultieme kwaliteit door het zwoele zoet te combineren met voldoende frisheid en zuur. Enorme concentratie en lengte. Wat mij betreft iets krachtiger en meer 'stoer' dan de 89'er. Algemeen / potentieel: Voor mij één van de koningen van de middag. Proeverij van de jaren 67, 71, 75, 76, 86, 88, 89, 90, 97, 99, 01 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 15 + Smaak / Afdronk: 20 + Algemeen / potentieel: 10 = 100/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very disappointed. This wine has been glorious in the past. Hopefully it was just this bottle (375). Had a 1990 at the same time and it was absolutely wonderful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From 750ml. Beautiful golden color. Very powerful Classic Yquem aromas. Honeyed pineapple with white flowers and some lemon curd. Rich texture and mouthfeel. Outstanding acidity with a finish that never seems to end. A fantastic example of d'Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
For me, this 20 years old is the best d'Yquem I've ever tasted. Delicate, dramatic, heart-breaker aftertaste. Obviously better than 1990 and 1997. I wanna rate it 100/100 but I have to try my 1955, 1967, 1976 and 1989 first.
Anyway, I said to myself....it must be 1995 for Latour and 1988 for d'Yquem....
Drink beautifully now and then...................99-100/100....................
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A great Yquem, slightly better than the '86 we had recently. Intoxicating nose with honey, pineapple, vanilla, white flowers...list could go on and on. Full body, sweet but good acidity with a long finish. This is still very young and has a few decades of life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not so many notes because of the beautiful dinner and conversation. Full bodied, complex and surprisingly elegant at the same time. Perfect now, but d’Yquem 1988 can be for your grand children.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1988 Château d'Yquem (Frankrijk, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes) Kleur: Tussen donker goudgeel en lichtbruin. Aroma / bouquet: Overweldigend qua intensiteit en complexiteit: Zoete aroma's als honing, caramel, rozijnen, sinaasappel, gedroogde pruimen en dadels. Tevens een zoete kruidigheid: kaneel, cederhout, sigarenkistjes. Beetje rokerig ook. Van-de-sokkend-blazend 'pourriture noble'-karakter. Smaak / Afdronk: Dit is eten èn drinken tegelijkertijd. Ook in de mond veel concentratie en complexiteit. Letterlijk dik-sap, mondgevoel gaat richting stroperig. Prachtig rijp maar tevens nog voldoende zuren om het 'drinkbaar' en verwerkbaar te houden. Enorm lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Tsjah… 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 96/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3rd time in the past year, always an outstanding wine. The sweetness is toned down, deep marmalade hints of ripe pineapple and honey. Fully integrated-still has 20++yrs to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow - first Yquem I've ever had - lasted on the tongue for an age. Hard to score as I don't have any reference point and it was tasted among some crazy good wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
great roundness of flavor. under lying creme brulee mid pallet peach and apricot liquer.. really good.. this was sipped while waiting for a 75" Latour to open up... (which it had a hard time doing)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Reassuringly fine; it's the balance rather than the mass that is compelling with ths lovely Yquem. Still too early for maximum development but there's lots of pleasure to be had right now, especially from half bottles like this. Not as sweet as most Yquems and not as powerful or overwhelming either. It will increase in complexity over the next twenty years, I'm sure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bob Muraro brought it to accompany our cheese course. The 1989 Climens was preferred by all. Seems young, and probably will show more with time. I frankly think that Yque is not worth its exalted status and price. In my opinion, Rieussec is as consistent and good as Yquem, at a fraction of the price!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted February 15,2008 at Lake Louise Post Hotel Yquem tasting. With 13.5% alcohol, 123g of sugar and 3.8 acidity. The bouquet on this wine was vey oily and the balance seemed off on this wine which came over with a very strong alcohol taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Raid the Cellar Party at BWB. Almost perfect. Quite frankly, one of the best d'Yquems I've drunk this young. Much better in my opinion to the 89 or 90. This had tons of acidity, bright and fresh. The caramel, honey, and brown sugar notes all added extra dimension and with Bananas Foster it was a marraige made in heaven.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Incredible balance. Nose was honey, orange peel and nutty. Palate was similar with a long (45 seconds?) finish. Amazing wine. Not sure any wine is worth $250+ but this came pretty close! :-) I like these both young and old. No other sauternes is in the same class.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle was brought by Barry as a finale to a wonderful dinner at Four Seasons Palm Beach. Remarkably, still pale yellow. Lovely scent of mixed citrus, with botrytis playing a background role on both nose and palate. Poised as Kristi Yamaguchi en pointe; lithe and elegant. Yet I did not get the depth of flavor I expected from Yquem in a superb vintage, perhaps due to its youth. Tasted blind, I would have guessed a top Barsac such as Climens, but that's hardly a criticism.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasting Group Dinner (Craig's House): Initially showing a lot of kerosene/diesel on the nose, this quickly settled down into a honeyed, nutty, deliciously balanced, classic Yquem. Gorgeous focus and precision. Better than the half-bottle we opened last month.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner w/ Brad & Chris (Restaurant Alma & Brad's House, Minneapolis): From 375ml. The first bottle was badly oxidized, but the second showed a nice mixture of apples, honey, apricots, and almonds. Not a blockbuster showing, but a tasty way to end our evening. Thanks Brad.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
New Year's Eve dinner at Cafe Ponte. Still a baby. Shows a brilliant future but hasn't yet exposed all it's complexitites yet. My score is based on future potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A great wine that still hasn't developed the thickness and complexity of its nearby vintages. Nonetheless, a great wine that will age effortlessly forever.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still young, but showing a lot of complexity on the nose. Bananas, pineapple and peaches exploded from the glass, but the alcohol dominated for some tasters. Viscous but light on the palate, the mouthfeel and the finish demonstrated this wine's pedigree. 50+5+13+20+9=97
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I think that with a half hour in the decanter this could have been a 99+ wine. A wonderful with the Terrene of Foie gras at lunch today at the French Laundry. Huge boquet of apricots and lemon/orange citrus is a promise that is delightfully fullfilled on the pallette. Perfectly balanced with the perfect amount of acid (like no other Sauternes is) with a long pear finish. Absolutely delicious!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still a baby - recommend waiting about a decade. But a gorgeous Yquem that showed better acidity than the 89 on this night. I still vote for the 90 as the best of the 3. Drank a small lef-over glass on the second night - showed almost identical to the prior night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1982-83-89 Bordeaux at Masa's in San Francisco: Beautiful contrast with the 1989, this wine is much lighter in color, with much subtler aromas of peach and apricot and botrytis. In the mouth, also less powerful and sweet, but also apparently more structured and complex. The crisp acidity really seems to draw out the nuances of this wine, which shows impeccable balance and breeding. Great stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bright straw color. Orange peel and pineapple with more botrytis on the nose than the ‘89. Great acidity with a palate gripping viscosity. This also seems much younger than the ‘89. This is still a baby and needs at least another 7-10 years in the cellar and should age effortlessly for another 20 years. Truly remarkable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Institution of Civil Engineers - Château d'Yquem: Intense gold. Kerosene and wax, then delicate fruit, a complexity of oranges and apricots. Luscious in the mouth, a veritable fruit salad, liquid honey, very complex and long.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hugh’s bottle. After a sip of this glorious wine at Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts Chicago 2004, I bought 16 halves from Premier Cru. Stunningly good. Very ‘88, very pure. Medium sweet. Marvelous texture. Young but already enjoyable. Reserved yet profound. Clearly has decades of life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark yellow. Scents of orange peel, abricot, tree bark, and honey. Superb density and viscousity in the mouth, with an incredibly intense, sweet core of fruit. Botrytis sweetness in large amounts, kept in check by a ripe laser beam of acid with no heavy tendencies. I have always loved this wine and managed to guess what it was. There are so many nuances to be identified, so much elegance, and in spite of the incredible thickness an sweetness, this wine doesn't cloy at all. A favourite.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Apricot, little glue, and beautiful botrytis in the bouquet. Oak, orange peel, figs, yellow ripe fruits and good oak in the taste. Good acidity as well. Great!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark yellow. Notes of marcipan and shoe polish. Well structured and a beam of acid and structure keeps the freshness present. Great concentration and direction of the sweetness here. Not cloying the palate. Nice and creamy aftertaste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Golden brown turning amber. Abricot, walnuts, and honey coming out of the glass. Very dense and fat, but still very fresh and not grossly sweet. Superb balance here and every measure of style and elegance one could wish for. Surreal length of aftertaste. A classic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ivy: Beautiful deep gold-yellow; nose of honeycomb, ripe apricots, wet fresh wood; liquid pearl drops in the mouth; had less of the pungent resin aroma of other sauternes; still tasted for hours after.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very, very dark yellow, golden colour. A scent of plums and apple. A deep, searing taste, full of honey and apple notes. Also maybe a whiff of gas-station (!). You know, Union 76 on a Friday afternoon pumping super-unleaded! Very thick. Extremely complex. Very harmonic, and although sweet and chocolaty, still fresh and gutsy. To me, a revelation. Other taster's found it a bit lacking......but of course, I knew what i was.......!! I rated it 95 pts, but as low as 90 pts was given...Hey it's all blind-tasting and I was the only prejudice person at the table!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
($300) The Mann's '88 Blowout: Golden color. Nose of Asian spices and apricots. Sweet, ripe, long, spicy. Simply delicious. Liquid gold. Fantastic juice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rich deep yellow color with mouth coating glyercin. Mellow flavors of peach and tropical fruit and mellow honey sweetness. Extremely well integrated. Excellent! 3/01
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Legendary Jim Mather tastings, 1998. Gorgeous nose of cream soda, cola, and perfume. So mellow and sweet. Nothing overpowering or out of balance. Coconut notes as well. A wonderful taste full of butter, honey, and peaches. The cream soda lingered on as well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dessert Wine Extravaganza: Golden color, with an outstanding honeyed complex fruit nose. Although very sweet, it carries enough acidity to give it great balance. The acidity serves to frame the complex fruit beautifully, and it is deceptively long. A great wine, but overshadowed by the Huet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of honey, caramel, candied peach. and caramel, same on the palate, big body, very tasty, delicious, mouth filling and intense, young-will last another 25 years, fruit and sweetness are in balance, paired with baked brie, a delicious combination, lots of favorable comments tonight, long, long, flavorful finish and aftertaste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
6 Sauternes+Kalin vintages 1985 to 1990 (Lafayette, Ca.): Nose opened slowly, lots of brown sugar and sweet fruit, big body, mouth filling fruit, tasty, rich fruit, sip and savor as it opened, long, long finish. My #1 and Group #3.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
From half bottle. Tasted blind, everyone thought it was a Barsac. (I thought it was ‘71 Climens.) Very forward. Delicious, delicate and elegant. No obvious botrytis. Sweet and silky. Lots of pineapple. Good wine yet doesn’t seem like Château d’Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasting of 8 Sauternes/Dessert Wines (Lafayette, Ca.): Great, rich, straw gold color in the glass, good complex nose of honey, lemon and citrus, lots of honey, nice, rich flavors on the palate, very tasty, good acid needs 3 years to peak, long, long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Champagne and Yquem Holiday Preview (Lafayette, Ca.): Tasted after 6 Champagnes. Nose of rich fruit, honey, glycerin in the glass with tear drops on the glass sides after swirling, big body, mouth filling fruit, honey, elegant, rich, very tasty, and a long, honey finish and lovely aftertaste.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of honey, sugar, rich fruit, and very floral, big body, mouth filling fruit, delicious tasting, very tasty, served as dessert for my birthday, and a long, long finish and lovely aftertaste, will easily age another 15 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/27/2024 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine:
Mystery wine evening (@Private location): *** only for my memory, no detailed note or rating ***
Glass: Spiegelau Definition Bordeaux
Tasted double blind, decanted. From 0,75 bottle. Probably not the best bottle, nose not that expressive. On the palate classic Yquem elegance and length, but not the usual tension. Nevertheless very joyful 👍
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2024 - oxwombat Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened at Noble Rot Mayfair. End of dinner wine and served from Coravin.
I've always been perplexed by this wine - I just don't think it's as good as what a lot of people say, or at least it's inconsistent, because I've had this wine a few times now and it's always varied. Beautiful toffee colour now, and classic Yquem nose, but I found the palate to be somewhat lacking, and it's definitely not as rich or unctuous as say the 2001. Clear step down for me... but then again you could just say I'm being incredibly picky.
With this in mind, this is not worth the price. Seek out good vintage 90s Yquem (thinking 96, 97 etc.) which has much better value and will perform just as well. Still, always a treat, and this note needs to be taken in context of what is still a very good wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2024 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 99 Points
The d'Yquem did double-duty at a milestone birthday dinner at the Inn at Little Washington, paired with first the foie gras course and then again with desert. Absolutely stunning, the sweetness balanced perfectly by that incredible d'Yquem acidity. Tied with the '89 Montrose for my wine of the night.
Wines:
Krug Grande Cuvée NV;
2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru;
2010 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru;
2009 d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs;
1989 Chateau Montrose; and
1988 Chateau d'Yquem (750 ml).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2024 - shifter Likes this wine: 98 Points
Jon's 50th Birthday Dinner: PnP from 375. Always one of my favorites and this did not disappoint. Stunning melange of vanilla, honey, apricot and tropical fruits. Supreme length and depth with a finish that goes on and on.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2024 - essenceofreal wrote: 92 Points
Touch oxidized or would warrant a higher score.
Usual kaleidoscope of flavor just came off a tad thin. Or seemed past its prime. Although this was a 375ml which was re-bottled from a 6 liter. Certainly drinkable and a nice wine but started to fall apart the longer it was in the glass, not a good sign for a Sauterne that was PnP!
I'm sure there are better bottles out there.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2024 - DonDon wrote: 96 Points
My 6th bottle of the case and I think it was the best. Gorgeous caramelised apricot and pineapple/ tropical fruit. Really bright acidity so this doesn’t taste cloying or honeyed. Fab colour and nose too
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2024 - bromion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Packed with flavor and mouthfeel. A viscous blend of citrus, apricot, spices, sweet, sour, and acid. Sweetness level not too high anymore but strongly felt. Did a slow-ox for a few hours after initial tasting which helped open it up. Excellent!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2023 - stephanearque wrote:
For me
Was too much on the acid side than the sugar side
I agree that the wine is less on botrytis and strong
Its more light for me than many of younger
some find walnuts
I find more dry grape but largely less than stronger sauternes
Balanced yep and no
I would prefer less acid more sugar
But yquem can be like that especially years like that
I agree will stay young like 20years more without problem with this acidity
Color was not to dark for this bottle
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2023 - Jonathanmustang Likes this wine: 91 Points
Un très beau yquem, tout en finesse, orange, caramel, amandes
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2023 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Good vintages of Yquem (Chicago, IL): From half-bottle. Fresh, but overall showing quite lean relative to the other two vintages in the trilogy. More mineral and racy, with acidity being a key player here; the botrytis plays a backseat role here. This definitely feels more stern and less exuberant and expressive; it ticks the boxes but doesn't really go very much beyond that.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2023 - cephomer Likes this wine: 97 Points
Finished off our Bucket List wine dinner in RB with this fabulous sauternes. I'm sure I've had this vintage b4 but I don't recall it being in such a stellar and memorable condition--might very well be the best I've ever had, & I've had many! Absolutely perfect on this occasion: Wonderfully aromatic nose of honeysuckle and botrytis, silky smooth, elegant, yet rich palate, intensely concentrated and integrated elements including luscious white and yellow fruits, with just the right touch of acidity and grace. This wine is in the perfect spot right now, and seems absolutely ageless. I'm praying I have a few more bottles in storage! What a great bottle of wine, and what a great way to finish off a night full of fabulous wines. (see my other notes from this evening of all-time greats...). Superb!!!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2023 - fclarity wrote: 94 Points
Served blind from a half bottle, this wine was light for a Sauterne and gorgeously balanced. It was rich and long. This will last for at least a decade or two and may well improve.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2023 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 93 Points
Sons 34th with Palmer, Penfolds and Yquem (Our backyard): Darker color, traditional flavor profile of an aged Yquem. Still delicious and great.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2023 - finediningnyc Likes this wine: 97 Points
’88, ‘89 and ‘90 are probably my favorite consecutive trio of Yquem vintages and 88 starts this trio in fine fashion, absolutely perfect tonight and infinitely aromatic in its layered, complex and intensely forward bouquet. The palate is wonderfully rich, silky, racy and viscous with the most perfect balance of primary and secondary character. Still so young! But in an incredible spot.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2023 - Eric wrote:
M&PD Tasting: Lark (Seattle, WA, USA): Unreal power, deep, orange marmalade, white pepper. This is like Yquem on steroids, just a massive example.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2023 - shifter Likes this wine: 97 Points
Atlanta Musigny & Chevy Dinner: Supremely dense and delicious and a wonderful intermezzo.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2023 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Sweet and dense.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/13/2023 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 96 Points
After dinner tasting from 375 mL bottle. Ridiculously delicious.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2023 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 96 Points
The color had not changed during the past 14 years I've had this in the cellar. A honeyed richness that envelops but not hides the overripe apricots, peaches and melon flavor. Not too high in glycerin. Wonderful balance with a 40 second finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/3/2023 - burlingtonm Likes this wine: 94 Points
D'Yquem never disappoints and while this was not as good as 1989 & 1990 from past experience, this was still a pleasure to drink with good acidity and intensity.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2023 - ubercuvee wrote:
A lovely Yquem, but for my palate missing the precision of the modern (post-2000) vintages. Again outshone by a 1998 German Eiswein.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2023 - oxwombat Likes this wine: 96 Points
Rogue night at Mato in Hong Kong. P&P with friends.
Last wine of the line-up, and what a way to go. Delicious, unctious, timeless Yquem. Didn't take any more notes than that for this wine apart from it being very very good, and better than the last time I had it many years ago when I first found myself doubting the scores for this vintage. The hype is indeed real.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2023 - cephomer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank over the past few days at Copake. Nose of orange peel and apricots. Darker in color than I expected of this bottle. Wonderful freshness, and bright acidity up front. Molasses, orange marmalade and apricot fruit are prominent. Also notes of creme brulee, mango and honey. I got a taste of burnt fruit as the wine opened up over time, and I did not find the wine to be overly sweet; more bittersweet actually. Perfect acidity level, great concentration, not particularly unctuous and certainly not cloying. Really tasty sweetie! Went really well with my Stilton cheese as I watched the NFL playoffs yesterday.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
12/30/2022 - Thoughtful Likes this wine: 98 Points
Stored in a cold cellar since release. Beginning to develop greater complexity. Wait of seven years was worthwhile! The colour is verging on deep gold but not quite there. Tones of restrained barley sugar, slightly burnt orange and botrytis. Still improving. Many decades of life remaining.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2022 - VinoGeeko Likes this wine: 95 Points
My first d'yquem! Wowza, medium+ alcohol (with respect to other dessert wines), lower acidity than the comparable premium botrytis wines that I've had before (Tokaji, Moselle, and Alsace). Honey and stone fruit predominate with orange peel and ginger notes underneath.
Dark amber, color (clean, but bordered on cloudy), a tartrate crystal or two.
Overall, my impression was that it was one of the best dessert wines I've had to date. IMHO not as good as the 2001 Sine Qua Non-Sémillon Mr. K The Straw Man I tried last year. And yet, undeniably profound. At this point in my life, I'd be willing to pay up to $200 for a half bottle.
Drink up in the next 5 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2022 - Michael Hung Likes this wine: 97 Points
[Ramen Wine Tasting Night 12/21/22]
Honey, burnt sugar and crème brûlée, apricot and marmalade jam, slight rubber (dissipated after 5 min), aromatic citrus nose. Palate with a great acid balance to the sugar, dried apricots and stone fruit, sweet orange marmalade. Not cloying, high intensity of flavors, long finish, no hint of heat. Perfectly balanced Yquem with all of the nuances of its age and vintage. The best one I’ve had yet and just really beautiful right now. Usually I can’t drink that much of Sauternes/Yquem, but between the five of us we killed this full 750ml bottle with no trouble.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2022 - rnellans wrote: 95 Points
Honey, peach, apricot. Complex, unctuous. marmelade. Very good acidity. Long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2022 - liber Likes this wine: 98 Points
4th of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, still improving, fab weight and balance, love the citric notes in these 88s but proper full throttle, unctuous Sauternes, massively complex with an endless finish, 40+ years. VFI (19.5).
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2022 - Alc13%byvol Likes this wine: 99 Points
Out of an imperial. Majestic. Six hedonistic litres of unbridled generosity and joy. Divine intervention somehow brought me and these 4000 terrific grapes together on a Monday night. Boom.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2022 - mchern02 wrote: 95 Points
2 hours of air in bottle
Deep golden hue with delicate nose of honey, peach, rich amber syrup, orange, and apricot nectar. Long with surging palate with good sweetness and great acidic balance; very long finish. Cruising
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2022 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Resolved and syrupy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2022 - ericindc wrote: flawed
from half bottle Had this a few times. This was too dark, pretty madeirized on the nose. A little more correct when tasting, but still too much burnt coffee and oxidized flavors. Oh well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2022 - SH Wu wrote: 99 Points
Toasty rye bread with brown sugar marmalade generously spread across greet you on the nose. Looking deeper, the age starts to show in candied orange peels and dried fruits (apricot, mango, pineapple). The palate serves the same set of dried fruits with cuts of fresh orchard fruits like nectarines, apricots and pears. A hint of lime blossom tea with spices add warmth. A fresh spray of quince/lemon juice adds a young vibrancy that stays with it in the first hour of drinking - I wonder how much of this is from the great storage as indicated by the near-perfect cork.
As the bottle opens 4 hours into the night, a warmth envelops it. Drinking at room temperature, baking spices integrate with a dipper full of heather honey that envelops your mouth like a warm, expansive hug. It is a 34 year old bottle after all - it has run out of energy at 10 pm, but retains a calming, motherly warmth through the endless finish.
This was a divine experience with a casual afternoon cake tasting. Pandan and coconut tiramisu emphasized the depth of the dried orchard fruits. Vietnamese coffee cake brought out heather honey. Cake truffles brought out the darker cask influence through a nice cup of mocha. Orange chocolate cake highlighted the dried citrus fruits. With slightly savory cakes like shiso fromage raspberry mousse and basil green apple, the gentle sweet spices pop out more on the palate. Coconut ice cream with pineapple upside down cake show you how deep and expansive the sweetness can run against even the most decadent of desserts. This is one of the most fun pairings I've had in as long as I can remember.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2022 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Lafite Rothschild vertical (Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.): Hedosnistic nose displaying intense yellow fruit, peach cobbler, apricot tart, mango, pinepalle, strong botrytis, crème brulee, saffron, candied ginger, candied orange peel and steely mineral. Exceptoanl concentration, layers upon layers of intense sweet yellow fruit, unctuous and rich but also showing perfect balance and precision, perfect amount of acidity and strong steely mineral and a seamless long concentrated yellow fruit driven finish with honey and saffron at the end. Absolutely delicious yet also profound.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/29/2022 - mchern02 wrote: 95 Points
One hour of air; out of a 375
Gorgeous nose of petrol, honey, apricot, and orange jam. Not as crisp or racy as the top vintages but deep concentration, expansive mouth feel and a long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2022 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 98 Points
Golden yellow. Nose of pineapple, jasmine, pear, vanillin. Taste was of these and rich, long lasting. Ethereal!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2022 - Fftjr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep golden with tones of subdued red. Spectacular. Delicious out of bottle, will age indefinitely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2022 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 94 Points
It’s been 4 years since my last bottle and this is developing nicely. This was decanted for 2 hours and could have used another 2. Full bodied with nice balance. This is entering its prime drinking window and should stay here for 5 decades. Revisit 2025
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
Château d'Yquem dinner with Sandrine Garbay (Restaurant Zoldering, Amsterdam, NL): Direct from the Château. Harvested in November. Unusually deep colour for a 1988. The characteristic acidity of the vintage shows, but the spicy, tobacco character is deeper and darker than I remember from previous vintages, lovely note of Cognac, hint of currants on the finish. There are better bottles.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2022 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
February foie (Chicago, IL): From half-bottle. Bright, fresh, but perhaps what I would consider to be a hypothetical blend of the 1990 and 1989. Distinct notes of orange marmalade here, with the botrytis clearly not as prominent as the 1989 but without the same racy freshness of the 1990. There's a bitter orange flavour on the finish that is lovely and counterweights the sweetness. Outstanding, but I think this may be the weakest of the legendary trilogy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/23/2022 - svdheijden wrote:
Not rated. The sheer class of this wine was noticeable under a layer of mild but unpleasant mustiness. What a pity, knowing how sublime this wine can be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2022 - kr522 wrote:
Best yquem since 1975, and that pairing would be great to compare
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2021 - dbg wrote:
Cellared since release, fill into neck, cork moist half way up. Pop and pour. Light to medium gold. Rich, forward and complex nose with tons of things going on: peaches, pears, apricots, citrus, sweet flowers, honey and caramel. This is a big palate-coating Yquem, terrifically well balanced and concentrated with complex flavors and a long finish. We open one of these every few years and they keep getting better. Still my favorite of the 88/89/90 trio. Outstanding.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 96 Points
I mean, this showed so beautifully tonight and again has me flip-flopping over which of this ‘88, ‘89, ‘90 trio is the best. Frankly they are all great but different in style. This ‘88 is the most ready of the three and certainly the most elegant and complex at this point. Always the best way to end a great wine dinner!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2021 - skifree wrote:
This bottle showed much better than my previous one, this time the cork was in excellent condition. Deep amber color, lots of classic dried apricot, perfect balance and acidity, and a finish that went on and on. Good to the last drop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2021 - Turtlerider wrote:
Drank with Karen and Jim on a nice fall night at their house
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/16/2021 - Saint B Likes this wine:
White flowers and a very light nose of botrytis. Golden yellow, does not look aged at all. The balance of acidity and sweetness was impeccable, I would say the best Sauternes that I have tried to date. Excellent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2021 - Cailles wrote: 97 Points
17x Bordeaux 1982-1990 (+ 2 Martha’s): Three 80s Sauternes side-by-side. Unsurprisingly, the young-ish Yquem (97+ pts) from the very successful 1988 vintage stole the show thanks to a perfect balance between concentration, sweetness and freshness, in combination with a high complexity and superb precision. The Doisy Vedrines 1989 (94 pts) delivered well with a good freshness to keep the very ripe fruit profile in check. Still young here too. The Rieussec 1983 (89 pts) was lacking balance with a bit too much sweetness and it had some wet cardboard aromas instead of pure saffron. Yet, all in all these three showed me again, that I should cellar and drink more Sauternes.
TN: Expressive nose full of saffron, quince, citrus and spices. A step up from the others, intense, precise and inviting. Monumental on the palate with lots of concentration and a hyper pixelated aroma profile with saffron, quince, apple, citrus, lemon, a potpourri of spices and more aromas with every sip. Superbly fresh and creamy, extreme length, very harmonious: this Yquem is on its way to become a legend.
Decanting: Not decanted, good from the go but air would not hurt.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2021 - kr522 wrote: 98 Points
Righteous ….. from 375ml
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2021 - La Sprezzatura wrote: 95 Points
95
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2021 - sirpat00 wrote: 96 Points
Bordeaux 1982-1990 tasting (Restaurant Essen'z, Brugg): Bordeaux 1982-1980 tasting of selected wines, including a couple of pirates. All wines were decanted for at least 2-3 hours, tasted in flights of 2 and single-blind. While not a representative sample, I would venture the following observations: 1/ First growths in 1988 should not be underestimated for the hedonistic pleasure they offer, 2/ 1990 first growths have not yet passed through their closed stage, 3/ you’ll find stand-out second tier wines from 1982. 4/ Highlights were Palmer 89 and Gruaud Larose 82 (96 each).
Tasting note:
Toffee, caramel, honey, even peppery spiciness, saffron, marzipan, fudge, candid fruit – so far so amazing. On the palate soft, creamy and with a lighter touch. This became apparent in the flight with Rieussec 83 and Doisy-Védrines 89 which came across more clumsy in comparison.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2021 - kr522 wrote: 98 Points
from 375ml.
after a couple of less-than-stellar showings, the last two times I've tried this have been much better, and in particular last night this was ON. full blown power and precision, we were enchanted. I'm happy to see the power because I've always considered 88 a more refined and balanced vintage, and i'd begun to worry that it was losing fruit. in this format perhaps there's a little variation, but most of my experiences have been great
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2021 - cephomer Likes this wine: 96 Points
Had for dessert at Dana's wine dinner last nite. As always, this wine showed wonderfully. Waxy aroma at first, but that blew off over time to reveal a generous nose of white fruit, petrol, and that lovely botrytis aroma. Medium body, sweet but not unctuously so, very elegant and soft, not at all cloying.
There's apricot, nectarines, honey, caramel and even some toffee. Rather mellow and gentle on the ever-so-long finish, which is a reflection of this wine's age and solid vintage. Delicious wine, still showing great. Long way to go!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened for our grandson’s 6th bday and celebrated our daughter in law’s birth day. Delicious. All of the expected nuances and great long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2021 - liber Likes this wine: 95 Points
3rd of 12, opened 2 hours, perfect cork and level, as bottle noted last December, upside. VF (18.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit funky, slight hint of cork, tasty apricot, like syrup. Flavorful with a good finish. HOLD/DRINK
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very elegant Yquem that’s beautifully delineated and with complex notes of burnt orange and minerals. This seems fully mature although the color suggests more development ahead. For whatever reason, I now prefer the ’89 & ’90 over the ’88 and that wasn’t the case 5-10 years ago. 93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2021 - finediningnyc Likes this wine:
Perfection.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2021 - Neecies Likes this wine:
On pulling this out of its resting place in the cellar, I was kinda shocked by the bourbon brown color. Yes I know Sauternes can go there but last time I looked at this (been awhile!) it was the same bright golden yellow of some '01s and '02s I have. Flavor: great with the tart but for my tastes too aged. I enjoy the panoply of tart fruits in younger Sauternes and this was all toffee and brulee.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2021 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
SLDS New Year (Quay, Sydney): Apricot, ginger, orange peel and apples on the nose. Tangy with sweet fruit supporting. Good lightness and vibrancy to it. Straight up delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2020 - jimcopland wrote: 96 Points
Lemon, apricot, nectarine, tangerine, caramel, burnt toffee. Luscious and rich.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 95 Points
2nd of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, previously VF+ in 09 - old gold, unctuous; apricot, slightly caramelised peaches, butterscotch, complex and classy, just enough citrus though less than expected in an 88; full, rich and mouth coating, long and vv persistent, classy and complex but would benefit from more citrus notes to sharpen flavours, mature but still a baby for Yquem. VF (18.5).........PS a quarter bottle was left for three weeks and was still in fine form if anything more nuanced if less sweet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2020 - CamWheeler wrote: 94 Points
Casual BBQ Wines: Grassy, lemon, toast and orange peel. Really lovely on the palate, fresh, perks up the tastebuds. Long, very fresh and immensely delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Both Shades of Corton (My home - Chicago IL): Leftovers from several days earlier, this was almost just as enjoyable, perhaps just slightly less bright. Not ultra sweet, but so balanced and enjoyable with good+ length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2020 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 100 Points
At the moment I sipped it it was beautiful. I swirled in my mouth and while we drank copious amounts of great wines, this wine brought about a clarity for the night. Hitting on all cylinders and a second glass sent me home. Wow. 6 days later I still have vivid memories of the wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
The Last Dance Magnum Dinner (The Krengels - Bannockburn IL): Tasted from two nearly identical bottles. Mostly sweet apricot with earth in a complex combination, very texturally complex as well. Not as sweet as many vintages of d’Yquem, but so bright and intriguing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2020 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 95 Points
Evening with friends (@Private location, Solingen): Glass: Sophienwald
From half bottle. Decanted for about 1,5h. Clear, deep amber color. Nose was not very complex and intense, though I was a bit disappointed until I had my first sip. On the palate it is for sure Yquem. Elegance, power, balance, complexity without being fat or cloying. Very long and lingering. Wonderful Yquem that could age for some more decades, but makes so much joy to drink now! 94-95
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2020 - paul195 wrote: 95 Points
#2 of 12. This bottle was a little darker than two years ago. Oh that nose, filled with apricots, orange rind, caramel and butterscotch. Intense palate of apricots and peaches with hints of citrus. Richly textured balanced with good acidity leading to its persistent finish. I could sip on this all night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2020 - dkwins Likes this wine: 95 Points
I like the style and while it was a wonderful treat, there was bit of an acidic distraction to an otherwise complex wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/6/2020 - rnellans wrote: 97 Points
Golden. Lush, rich, honey, tropical fruit…Excellent acidity and balance
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2020 - kr522 wrote: 97 Points
More power and balance than 2 months ago, was definitely on tonight
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2020 - Hertugen Likes this wine: 98 Points
Beautiful taste. Endless aftertaste.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2020 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 97 Points
Half bottle. Dark amber color. Wow. A little oxidative on first opening. But 20 minutes later it was on its game. Viscous full body with Medium acidity it was palate pleasing. Aroma of ripe orange and honey, but on the palate more of a ripe apricot and acacia. It was a mind bender. Long long finish. Adorable. Highly recommended. Drinking a 2009 next
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2020 - kr522 wrote: 95 Points
Delicious drink, from 375ml, but came across as slightly fatter with less balance/tension than in the past. Much more like the 89 tonight, which is still not a bad thing
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2020 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Just a fabulous wine from the moment the wine hit the glass. The explosive nose, with its coconut, butterscotch, creme brulee, candied orange, flowers, vanilla bean, and honeyed tropical fruit got you to stop, stare and take another sniff. Rich, lush, opulent, intensely concentrated, velvet-textured apricots, yellow tropical fruits and a gallon of honey that was perfectly braced with a wall of acidity that hung on for well over 60 seconds in the finish. This has entered the start of secondary development and could easily go 100 years. As a guess, the next marker comes in with another 20 yeas of age.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
1/18/2020 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
Another consistently light footed, lemony, fresh and intense 88 Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2019 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
Wine Flock Champagne Gala (Park Ridge CC): A spectacular Sauternes with an intense and haunting perfume. Sweet but so light and elegant across the palate. Long, complex finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2019 - Dehrmann wrote: 93 Points
2019 thanksgiving dinner - marcus, christine, camille, bernard, pol...1988 Yquem 92 / 1999 clos des lambrays 92 / 1996 granbussia conterno 90 / 1990 lynch babes 93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2019 - kr522 wrote: 96 Points
I’ve had this wine many times, and it ranks among my very favorite vintages (with 67 and 75). This time out of 375ml, I would agree with JM’s note and description, stunning complexity and dimension, except on this occasion the length wasn’t quite at the level I’ve experienced in the past. Still incredible
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2019 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Tasting with Olivier Bernstein (Bourbon Steak, Washington D.C.): Unbelievably expressive nose displaying opulent concentrated yellow fruit, dry apricot, apricot tart, mango, dry peach, pineapple, really strong botrytis, cream brulee, spicy spices and candied ginger. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of opulent yellow fruit, dense and oily yet beautifully balanced and weightless, medium acidity and a long rich yellow fruit driven finish with botrytis and candied ginger at the end. Although drinking perfectly, this remains very youthful and can improve for at least two more decades.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2019 - Jamie Manley wrote: 99 Points
This is monumental and really coming along nicely, though decades to go. From 375, perfect storage, cork half soaked and deep amber color to the wine. Soaring aromas of caramel, butterscotch, botrytis, orange rind, Earl Grey, and lanolin. The fruit is presenting a darker flavor profile and this follows through to the palate. Speaking of the palate...wow, just wow! Amazing delineation and wave after wave of sheer brilliance cascade down the throat. Similar flavors to the nose, there is a searing intensity on the tongue that goes on and on and is not soon forgotten. This is a breathtaking Yquem. One point short of the triple digit as it does not have the insane burn on the tongue that the 2001 currently possesses, but I am really just quibbling here. Brilliant!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2019 - Doctor Koulodare Likes this wine: 95 Points
Butterscotch, peach, gorgeously sweet but with nice acidity so it isn't too syrupy. Great mouthfeel. Liquid sunshine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2019 - Casablanca2000 wrote: 90 Points
Cork bad; wine good
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2019 - kr522 wrote: 99 Points
maybe the best this wine has showed in the many years i've had it, it was stunning with its complexity, richness, balance, and depth
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2019 - englishman's claret wrote: 95 Points
Penetrating lemon, acacia nose. Beautiful presence on the palate; light-footed but with lots of impact. The 88 seems aromatically a little simple for Yquem, but I love its slightly finer than usual silhouette.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2019 - springdrive wrote: 93 Points
Nose: Pineapple, butterscotch, caramel, key lime, short bread. Palate: Honey, honeycomb, dried apricot, orange, hint of baking spices at the end. Bright and balanced acidity at the end, no cloying sweetness. Brilliant pairing with custard and I assume many dishes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2019 - Jammy Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Second time trying the 1988 d’Yquem and it consistently shows impressive energy and generous botrytis aromas. Concentrated array of ripe pipeapples, luscious apricots, exotic yet elegant spices that I adore from Chateau d’Yquem. Full bodied yet acidity is racy and bright, great balance. Still young and hasn’t developed enough complexity to be at its peak, good potential. (93-94/100)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/6/2019 - ericindc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Special Burgundy Dinner (DC/Silver Spring MD): Strong apple, apricot, cream and vanilla on the nose. Sweet fruits, some vanilla cream, light bitter note. Rather bracing acidity. Very little tertiary movement. This might last forever. 93 now, but will get better once it starts to get mature notes.
Note, i should have opened this earlier. I forgot and only opened it about 1/2 hr before serving. Maybe a decant needed as well?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2019 - englishman's claret wrote: 96 Points
2019 Palmerathon: What a delight the 1988 Yquem is, half for its gorgeous fresh expressiveness and half to think that it's exactly these qualities that will give it the longevity and freshness of the 1928. Typical Yquem notes, lots of fresh tropical fruit, acacia, marcona almond, parchment, and mineral. Gorgeous palate saturation and acidity. Lots of vigor and zip. 96+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2019 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:
Rich, decadent. Nice botrytis notes and rich long profile. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2019 - Caruso Likes this wine: 98 Points
Deep golden with orange and slightly amber hue. Not with blockbuster intensity, but elegant and complex it delivers scents of beeswax, honey, mandarine, burnt sugar, dried apricots and flowery notes. On the palate as well elegant, but also with more punch than the intensity of scents suggests and with enough acidity to keep the balance. Long finish. 5/14/19/10. This bottle was kept under perfect conditions since release. The cork was soaked to more than 50%. So if you want to cellar this for many more years or decades, one should have a close look at the corks or better recork the bottles. -2040+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2019 - multimax wrote: flawed
Oh, what a shame! I’ve been saving this for a special occasion and then it’s corked. Damn, how disappointing and frustrating (and what an expensive waste). Another big argument for screw-caps.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2019 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely stuff. More mature than the '89/'90 and quite complex already with classic minerality and lots of spice notes on the finish. Still young but drinking nicely now with notes of butterscotch, yellow fruits and clove-like spices. 94+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2019 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 99 Points
The bottle was opened two days before, I was flashed and speechless. Impresssive light and filigree. No oxidation signs, no dried fruits, no vanilla no honey and raisin notes. Citrus, orange peel, white peach. For the next 30 years. 99+
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2019 - tbabes wrote: 100 Points
From regular bottle that had been purchased and cellared since release. Opened about an hour before service; the cork was sound and the fill was into the neck. A deep amber-golden color, with notes of tropical white fruits, honey and candied oranges, with hints of apricots and ginger. Medium to full-bodied, with unreal levels of concentration, great depth, and tremendous sense of expansiveness on the palate; all framed with beautiful acidity, lending impressive delineation and precision on the never-ending finish. What a treat!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2019 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 95 Points
30 years old and still a baby, even though the color is starting to darken a little bit. Monumentally structured; you can safely bequeath this to your grandchildren. Excellent today, one of the better vintages I have had the privilege of tasting: better than 1985 or 1986, not as good as 1990 or the unbelievable 1975. Honeycomb, sweet florals, touch of clove and anise on the nose -- still seems a bit reticent. Apricots, crème brulee, honey, candied pineapple on the tongue. While it's not as searingly intense as many Yquems, it is still a gem and unmistakably Yquem.
Score: 95. Relative to expectations: +
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2018 - Mtopi wrote: 95 Points
Great balance and color. Initially paired with epoisses that brought out the sweetness in the wine. Then had with macarons which brought out the perfect mineral/lemon characteristics. Drinking well now and can sit for another decade or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2018 - christ80 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous color, amber defined. Butterscotch is the first aftertaste that jumps off the palette. Medium viscosity. Apricot as an additional tone that combines well with the umami experience in the mouth. Some fade of flavours over time of drinking but elegant. Agreement that it's not the strongest of vintages but it's still Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2018 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bright apricot color, good nose, full palate feel, good finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautifully complex if a little lighter than other vintages. Classic Yquem minerals which I simply can't describe but know very well. Just lovely flavors of orange rind, caramel and butterscotch. Should continue to improve and I believe this to be turning into a very elegant and complex version of this great wine without the power of the strongest vintages. 94+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Jordan's Fine Wine Dinner (Boka - Chicago IL): Seemed even older than 30 yo, coming across as almost demi-sec. Nutty with rich peach and moderate/good weight and length. 90 points?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/5/2018 - Redrunners Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had this at the Charleston off-line for Burgundy night.
This was part of the desert flight that also included a 1936 Cave de Rivesaltes
This was a beautiful wine and a really nice d'Yguem. Light gold color and paired beautifully with the desert courses with complex, never ending flavors of peach, apricot, honey, caramel and creme brulet.
Really in a nice spot now after 20 years.
I don't always search out desert wines, but this was a real treat that paired beautifully with the desert of Caramelized Peach soup with green cardamom and Pain D'Epices Bread Pudding with sourwood honeyed apricots.
A great way to finish a spectacular night
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2018 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine: 96 Points
Charleston Offlineorama IV; 9/27/2018-10/1/2018 (Charleston, NC (various locations)): Final flight at Burg Thurs dinner - served alongside '36 Cave de Rivesaltes. Paired with Caramelized Peach soup w/ green cardamom and Pain D'Epices Bread Pudding with sourwood honeyed apricots. Hot DAMN!!! - this is just gorgeous!!! Color is a deep clear apricot gold. Nose is rich and full of honeysuckle and apricots. On the palate, satiny and viscous layers of apricot, honeysuckle, fresh honeycomb, meyer lemon acidity - just dances across the tongue - coaxing you to finish your glass faster than prudence should allow. WOTN for me - but Salon '96 was pretty special too.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 95 Points
Charleston IV - Return of the Collectible; 9/27/2018-9/30/2018 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): Yum yum yum. This is one of the more intense style d'Yquem. It's a quite a mouthful and the acidity kicks in more to the mid or back palate. It feels almost in the slutty wine category. Perfect pairing with a peach soup where it felt like the wine was a better impression of a peach than the peach itself. Also a touch of ginger and maybe some light spice notes and caramel.
8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/14/2018 - mr_swirl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good Yquem. Mandarine jam, pineapple, grapefruit, coconut and honey. Very nice finish
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/13/2018 - cephomer Likes this wine: 97 Points
Pulled this one from the cellar to bring to Blanco's WH wine dinner/overnight. I've had this wine before--though not recently--and notes are consistent. This wine continues to rock! Darkening amber color, wonderfully fragrant, aromatic nose, and extreme elegance, intensity of flavor, complexity and length on the palate, this Sauternes just gives you everything one could ever ask for in a dessert wine. Bushels of apricots, honey, marmalade, beeswax, tropical fruit, bananas are all combined into a beautifully elegant elixir that is just awesome. Yet, there's plenty of acidity to complement the very ripe, but mid-level, far-from-overwhelming sweetness. It's just a perfect wine. Though clearly singing today, this wine will easily go another 10 years, if not more. Bravo!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/8/2018 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 97 Points
Complex nose of oranges, honey, hazelnuts, and sweet melon. Fantastic balance with good acidity on the palate with flavors of baked apple, honey, candies, and citrus. Long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2018 - KingSlacker999 wrote: flawed
Must have seen too much heat at some time along the way. Very frustrating because you could see what was once there too.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2018 - maaike2 wrote: 94 Points
At Wine dinner FransS: Elegance with richness, good acids in the back, beautiful botrytis. A final wine to close the memorable evening with dignity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2018 - FransS wrote: 95 Points
A tasting at home with friends (At home - Haarlem): Day 1: caramel (not too) lovely acidity, lots of botrytis; 95 points
Day 2: slightly waxy, botrytis (bitters) in the bouquet, a bit shy; 94 P
Day 3: more balance; still the load of botrytis, less shy, very refined; 95 points.
I have to admit that the recently tasted '99 showed a bit more expressiveness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2018 - UTPK wrote:
Having had the 1989 and 1990 recently, this one reminded me more of 1989 in style. Very nice and open nose of botrytis, glue, beeswax, honey and apricots. On the palate is it less sweet than 1990, but with good balance (as always in Yquem). Very nice to drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2018 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 97 Points
Beautiful and seamless.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2018 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 99 Points
Absurdly delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2018 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 93 Points
From 375. Surprisingly advanced, this had a rather deep core to it and a nice finish. But less complexity than I recalled. More from the dark tropical fruit and wild honey side of Yquem. 93+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2018 - paul195 wrote: 96 Points
#1 of 12. Medium golden color, nose of apricots, orange rind, caramel and butterscotch. Intense youthful palate of apricots and peaches, smothered in honey with hints of citrus. Mouth coating and richly textured yet good acidity gives balance and freshness. Long persistent finish. I could sip on this all night. Clearly 10-20 years left in the wine even in 375ml format.
Had the 1989 recently and this is a clear step up in my opinion. Need to pop a 1990 soon to complete the comparison of 88/89/90
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2018 - Jamie Manley wrote: 99 Points
Yquem just flat out rocks and the 88 is my favorite from the 88/89/90 trio, just as DBG has stated earlier, I agree. Simply sublime nose that radiates with nuance after nuance. Apricot, lanolin, orange rind, slight hint of lemon, botrytis, caramel, and butterscotch. The palate not only coats your mouth, it paints every crevice with sheer delight. The complexity of this wine befuddles the mind...wow! As with every great Yquem, there is this searing intensity that burns a landing strip on your tongue, simply unmatched. From 375 and in between moderate to dark amber in color. 99 Pts
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2018 - dbg wrote:
Sarasota reunion: Krug, Carillon, LLC, Lynch, Yquem (Michael’s on East, Sarasota): Cellared since release, fill into neck, cork moist half way up. Light gold, peaches/pears/apricots with honey and just a hint of caramel, a big palate coating Yquem, well balanced with a long finish. Still on the upswing if that’s possible. And yes, my favorite of the 88/89/90 trio. These heights weren't reached again at Yquem until 2001. Outstanding.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2018 - Fftjr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Our finishing wine, outstanding, Golden, full bodied! Floral nose, great legs. Very, very young. A d’ Yquem for ages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2018 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured. Delicious, everything kicking on all fronts. Probably 10 years out from prime and will hold forever. Delicious.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2018 - salil wrote: 94 Points
St. Vincent (Indianapolis): Very nice - the flavours are classic Yquem, bursting with ripe apricot, orange marmalade, honey, and botrytis spice, and there's a slightly burnished, mature quality to the nose. Immensely rich and powerful with palate-staining intensity and impressive length, but I'm left wanting just a touch more acidity to take this from outstanding to truly, truly great for my tastes.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2018 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 100 Points
From a well-cellared 750 cc bottle, this medium amber wine offers everything that could be asked of a Sauternes. Intensely aromatic and flavorful, it is a rich elixer that is effusive of apricots, pineapples, maraschino cherries, caramel, honey, vanilla and bananas. The wine's ripe fruit flavors and sweetness are beautifully offset by its refreshing acidity. Impressively dense and mouth-coating on the mid-palate, it proceeds to a finish that goes on and on. It just doesn't get much better than this! Although spectacular now, well-cellared bottles will last for several more decades. Drink now-2050.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2018 - peolsf Likes this wine: 97 Points
Absolutely exceptional. Nose had an intense alcoholic aroma (like a good nail varnish) but this settled down once it was open for a while and gave way to a good toasty aroma. The palate is unbelievably rich with apricot, pear, tropical fruit, and honeysuckle. The finish is extraordinary. We opened and drank it with foie gras torchon, which was the perfect pairing. Then kept it on ice until dessert—a not-too-sweet cheesecake with white chocolate and a brûléed crust. Just amazing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2017 - FYC wrote:
From a 375ml. This is perhaps the best Sauternes I have ever had. The richness was balanced by such wonderful acidity. No better way to finish dinnner. In a perfect spot right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2017 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Saturday lunch with Eddie (Masseria, DC): Powerful nose displaying ripe tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, apricot, botrytis, lanoline, crème burlee and candied ginger. Incredible concentration, dense and oily yet perfectly precise and weightless, layers upon layers of ripe yellow fruit, bright acidity and a long opulent sweet yellow fruit and ginger driven finish that resonates. This has to be the most concentrated Yquem of the 80s.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2017 - Dehrmann Likes this wine: 94 Points
TG dinner ME +1, CB, PT, kids...
1st of night...wonderful showing...apricot, honey, great nose and texture
'98 Vogue Musigny VV (opened late)
'89 Jabouet La Chapelle (corked)
'90 Angelus (best of night)
'97 Gaja costa Russi
'90 Pegau Cuvée Réservée
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2017 - logos Likes this wine: 88 Points
OCTOBER REVOLUTION CENTENARY TASTING. 375. Light golden colour. Lovely, delicate nose, honeyed, slightly spicy, a touch floral, though a trifle muted. Delicious, harmonious flavours; somewhat spicy, very elegant fruit; though the sweetness is a little too much for its acidity at this point in its development, which seems to be at a slightly dulled, in-between stage: has been and no doubt will again be markedly better; though not a prayer of ever reaching the level of the 1975 drunk with it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2017 - Sean Tay wrote:
It smells like lemon, apricot, melon, toast and honey.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2017 - Boone's Farm Likes this wine: 94 Points
A really excellent Y’quem. Focused and elegant. Classic profile of honeysuckle. More light and delicate and not quite as concentrated as the 1990. I think I like this better than the 1990.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2017 - Fftjr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Magnificent color, an orangey gold, fabulous depth. Very tasty, very young.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2017 - RayOB Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank at 67
What is not to like about this wine. Absolutely singing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2017 - skifree wrote: 91 Points
Brought to CT Seattle Bordeaux tasting, it showed well but not as exceptionally as I expected given its pedigree. Cork was very dry; unusually so. Flavors were a bit muted. Finished the bottle 6 days later, still very solid with lots of apricot, blood orange, and nuttiness through out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2017 - mye wrote:
Tasted blind. Not rating a score as i think it's slightly oxidized. Even so the amazing acidity and balance shows the pedigree of a great Sauterne. a bit of oily/waxiness on the palate, but just lacks a bit of omph, probably due to the slight oxidation. pity as it doesn't rise to the heights of what it could be... but it was great to drink nonetheless
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2017 - Sean Tay wrote:
It smells like mango, melon, passion fruit, almond and honey.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2017 - rnellans wrote: 95 Points
Golden. Lush, rich, honey, tropical fruit…Excellent acidity and balance. Excellent with the almond cake.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/14/2017 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
The Yquem dinner (Chicago, IL): From half-bottle. This was probably the most "ordinary" of the trilogy. Of course, that's not saying much, given the quality of those three vintages. But this was the most archetypically Yquem of the three. Honeyed, rounded, and full, with all of the profile as expected, and a heap of density and concentration as well. A bit young, but certainly accessible now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2017 - dream Likes this wine: 95 Points
A beautiful showing for this wine tonight. Medium-bodied and very pure and smooth and not overly sweet but filled with vineyard typicity. Lovely elegant honeyed texture with real Yquem minerality and excellent depth of subdued tropical fruit flavors. Finishes very complex and long. A great vintage here that should peak in about 10 years. 95+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/20/2017 - pablopilot Likes this wine: 96 Points
Did I love this even more when it was younger? Something is gained, but something is lost. The harmony, caramel depth and acidity overall resolve into a dark winter's night of the soul, but very sweet. Are there ripe pineapple and mango notes? Maybe... but does the flan texture and tone carry the day? Also, maybe... still.. the acid raciness may be slightly muted, but remains assertive. There are grain flavors with the sweetness, no treacle, but still, a darkness that penetrates the tongue and the soul. Beautiful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2017 - Chimer Likes this wine: 98 Points
Stunning - beautiful golden yellow with a honey drenched bouquet and a vibrant palate combining richness and freshness. A magical wine that is delicious to drink now but suggests an ageless quality - exceptional.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
This keeps getting better and better. I won't be around when this hits full maturity, whenever that is, but I'm digging it right now. With gobs of honey drenched pineapples, apricots and tropical fruit, the wine is dense. But the acidity cuts right through. The spicy character, opulent mouthfeel and incredible length are something to experience, at least twice, because it's that good.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2017 - beej Likes this wine:
What a treat w a generous cheese course at Aureole.....
Glad to see the photo and comments regarding dark colour as our bottle was almost scotch like.
Great rich smoky and candied yellow fruits followed by a never ending yellow brick road of sugar, honey/maple and burnt plank.
Thank you Jay!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
1/3/2017 - dbkitc wrote: 95 Points
First bottle to show some maturity. There are traces of earth to go with the sweet, honey fruit. Clean and lively. (95)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2016 - melzar wrote: 93 Points
From 750: Beginning to turn caramel colored. Highly extracted and packed with flavor. A little bit goes a long way. Caramel and apricot notes dominate the flavor profile. Slight metallic character evident on the palate is a slight distraction. Enough acidity present to balance the sugar. Climens remains my favorite wine of this type.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2016 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Complex and not overtly sweet. Bitter apricot, ginger, hazelnut, and much more. A treat.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/8/2016 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Holiday Dinner - Champ, Burg, Bordeaux, Rhone and etc. (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): Beautifully balanced complex nose displaying mango, pineapple, haagen daz peach sorbet, strong lanoline, honey, spicy spices, crème brulee and candied ginger. Exceptional concentration, dense and oily yet weightless and airy, beautiful balance and an incredibly long clean finish that resonates. It is a very youthful example that is drinking magnificently. It is fascinating to compare to the 01 which is even bigger and more intense. Perhaps without the 01, I may rate this a point or two higher.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2016 - Alex G. Likes this wine:
Friendsgiving (Paradise Valley, AZ): Brilliant gold color, rich and sweet with a bit of the waxy texture that I adore. Perfect pairing with foie gras.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2016 - Dehrmann Likes this wine: 92 Points
TG dinner lineup '88 yquem, '82 Lynch Bages, '82 L'Evangile, '98 Margaux, '93 Vogue Amoureuse, '90 Pegau Réserve...
Ruby color, syrup, abricot, honey...unfortunately slightly corked and could have been cooler
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2016 - SlimShaney wrote: 95 Points
Amazing honeysuckle nose and voluptuous caressing honey palate with a tiny bit of window cleaner.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/21/2016 - bon vivant wrote:
From 375: generally one of my favorite vintages and after around 6 bottles from the same batch this one was strangely advanced. Not really oxidized but definitely more along the development curve of something from the mid 70's. Good cork and no noticeable flaws or off flavors. The intensity, structure and ripeness all here and we enjoyed the bottle so if this is an indication of where this is going this wine will age well, although i never had any doubts to start with.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2016 - aChave Likes this wine: 98 Points
1980s Bordeaux at Riverbend (Oregon): Lovely wine. Has the lemony marmalade but freshness and verve of a great Sauternes. No hint of oxidation or cloying character here...just sublime elegance. Has many years of life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/18/2016 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 96 Points
At 50th.
Deep golden center, yellow rim, viscous.
Intense nose of botrytis, marmalade, roasted stone fruits, toasted almonds.
Sweet, but not cloying, dense mixture of orchard and tropical fruit, good balancing acidity still, toasted nuts (subtle), touch of citrus, spices (clove and coriander), amazing length (minutes not seconds).
Fantastic Sauterne. Drinking well now but would clearly last another 10 or more years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/21/2016 - BradE wrote:
An oxidized bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2016 - ubercuvee wrote:
A lovely Yquem with length, portugese custard tart nose and poise, but I preferred the 70s Riesling TBAs I served alongside it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Holy Frickin' Moleeo.... Is that how you spell that? Who cares? This is stunning juice! The caramel, butterscotch, Cointreau, cooked apricot, honey, molasses, coffee, vanilla and floral aromas are off the charts. Rich, intense, concentrated, bright and bursting with acidity, the wine is the perfect mix of sweetness, freshness, and purity of fruit. The finish takes on a honeyed, ripe and over ripe pineapple sensation that sticks with you for 60 seconds or longer. This wine is a deal sealer.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2016 - Fid Likes this wine: 95 Points
From split. Followed an '83 Cheval Blanc. Marmalade, citrus and toffee with a nice acidic lift at the end. Just great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2016 - Drinking Trees wrote: flawed
Nose of orange marmalade, honey, and mold (not a pleasant mold note; rather a harsh, bitter blue-cheese mold note). Palate shows moderate sweetness and acidity (nothing too exciting structure-wise) and flavours of honey, apricot, orange marmalade, camphor, and jasmine. Other tasters mostly agree that this is corked. I can't see any TCA, but there is a hint of oxidation, and although the wine is quite drinkable and pleasant, it doesn't show the power and complexity that a good bottle of Yquem is capable of.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2016 - kingkanu wrote:
Not the greatest bottle although I couldn't taste that it was flawed it wasn't quite right, the somm thought it faulty. It didn't have the cut and drive that a good Yquem should have, it was more about butterscotch and candied nuts, the luck of the draw I guess with unknown provenance. Not rated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2016 - martcouz wrote: 98 Points
À mon sens, on frôle la perfection. La couleur est absolument exceptionnelle, et le faisait paraître plus vieux que son "jeune" âge. Puis, juste en sentant le bouchon, j'ai eu l'impression qu'il sentait meilleur que tous les autres Sauternes que j'ai goûté! Il y avait une telle complexité qui est difficile à décrire. J'avais l'impression de manger un morceau de gâteau au caramel, et les saveurs s'éternisent en bouche. C'est une vin d'une longueur incroyable, mais surtout, qui réécrit la définition d'équilibre.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2016 - Billigan Likes this wine: 94 Points
From a 375ml bottle. Deep copper hue and a lovely, but slightly muted nose, showing tropical fruits, apricots, and a little coconut, but a bit more reserved than I was expecting, even as I followed this along for a few hours. On the palate is where it shows its breed, with a lithe, featherweight touch conveying tremendous intensity and layers of fruits, honey, and spice in way only Yquem can.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2016 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Barolo and Burgundy dinner - 79 Cristal, 89 & 93 DRC Ech, 05 RSV, 10 Rousseau CdB and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Another incredible showing. Great intensity yet weightless. Expressive nose displaying mango, papaya, yellow peach, crème brulee and tea. Excellent concentration, beautifully layered fruits, weightless, bright acidity and love long finish. Great D’Yquem that is drinking incredibly well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2015 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 96 Points
Glass: Riedel Sommelier Sauternes
Drunk between 10 and 13 deg. Celsius.
Clear, medium amber color. Very fine and elegant nose with aromas of honey, dried apricots, fig, other dried fruits and from far behind some nail polish.
Creamy mouthfeel, completely coating the mouth with silky and complex aromas of honey, dried fruits, perfectly integrated oak, some walnut, herbs and spices. It has an almost perfect balance of sweetness and acidity which never makes it too fat. Very long finish, all aromas linger for minutes on the tongue. If it goes above 12-13 degrees it gets quite alcoholic, so I assume the optimal drinking temperature will be between 10-12 degree. This wine is almost immortal and will certainly develop. Will it get any better? I don’t know, but I will try my next bottle in about 10 years from now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Chateau d'Yquem is more than the waves of concentrated, perfectly ripe, honeyed, tropical fruit. It's freshness that goes along with the experience, keeping the wine uplifted and expansive. That combination is impossible to find in other sweet wines. Every sniff, sip and taste was a treat. Still young, this intensely concentrated wine should last 100 years!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2015 - dcwino wrote: 100 Points
Holiday Dinner - DRCs, 90 and 00 CB, 03 Capo, Krugs and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): So intense yet so airy and weightless. Absolutely perfect! The best showing of the 88.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2015 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
The last three wines of an unforgettable evening with a complete Clos du Mesnil tasting are worthy to close the night. Yquem 88, 75, 01 from Magnum.
Getting in perfect shape right now, will live at least two more decades, powerful, dates, figes, honey, dried apricot, coconut, fresh acidity, great, 98
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2015 - Xavier Auerbach wrote:
A private dinner (Restaurant Behrens Am Kai *, Düsseldorf, Germany): Wonderful Sauternes but not a perfect bottle. Sweet and elegant, juicy and fresh, well-integrated oak, I am suspecting a touch of TCA below the sensory threshold. Not rated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2015 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Occasional dinner group; TOP Bordeaux 1988: In the bouquet apricots, orange peel, tangerine and butterscotch. Same on the palate, ripe pineapple and honey as well. Beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness. Beautiful and complex wine, but to be completely honest; just a little bit more impressive than Rieussec 1988 which stood beside it.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2015 - HowardNZ wrote: 94 Points
Sauternes tasting: Amber, gold colour. On bouquet, treacle, crème brûlée, honey, toffee, smoke and pineapple were descriptors. A good hit of sugar on entry. Several tasters noted the greater intensity, freshness and acid of the d'Yquem as compared with the 1988 Rieussec. A mouthfilling and viscous wine with flavours of orange, honey, grapefruit, marmalade and, according to AM 'a touch of astringency on the back' (meant as a positive). Good volume with a lot of sweet fruit. Well poised with a long finish. It was very good but it did not show it's d'Yquem class on the night, scoring below the Climens and the Coutet. I thought it was much improved the next night showing orange rind and white peach on bouquet and beautiful balance and acidity on palate. It had lovely texture with the orange marmalade flavours and spices coming to the fore. Therefore my score is a little higher than the Group consensus.
N/A = 0 Bronze = 0 Silver = 5 Gold = 17 WOTN = 0
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2015 - Jamie Manley wrote: 99 Points
Going from strength to strength, 1988 Yquem continues to pick up more nuance and darker complexity. Light copper in color, from 375, this is a beauty. Soaring from the glass are aromas of caramel, botrytis, crème brulee, orange rind, honey, and lush apricot. The palate follows suit with even more intensity, and adding a multitude of tea choices to complement the fruit. A lithe, acidic lift cuts through everything. As with any fine Sauternes, I vehemently recommend opening this at least 24 hours in advance, no matter the format. The difference is profound. 99 Pts
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
With a beautiful, yellow, copper, orange, gold hue, the nose screams with loud enough to taste it around the block, with its white peach, pineapple, caramel, creme brulee, apricot, honey, candied orange peel and tropical fruits. Rich, fat, dense and beyond luscious, the wine marries sweetness with blistering acidity, keeping everything lifted, with just the prefect amount of tension. The finish is pure, sweet, fresh and built to age for longer than most people reading this note. I've tasted this wine a lot over the years and this is the best showing yet for this majestic elixir. If you're young enough to wait, this is only going to get better and better with more time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/27/2015 - drwine2001 wrote:
Yet Another 60th Birthday Dinner (The Hills of Northern California): Half bottle. Light golden color. Soaring nose of utter refinement and complexity-honeyed, high tones, orange, apricot, and lord knows what else. Unbelievably fresh fruit, perfect weight, poise, balance, and length. If I seem at a loss to better describe individual components, it is only because everything is so beautifully tied together. Hardly the biggest, sweetest, or most concentrated example of Yquem, but absolutely stunning and the epitome of elegance. I'd imagine that from larger formats, it could easily remain at this lofty level for another 20 years. While I tend to prefer stickies from other regions, the acidity, (relative) lightness, and lift are tremendously inspiring here.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2015 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Wine dinner at Blacksalt - Prévost, Krug, Pichler, Raveneau, Fevre, Grivot, LLC, Yquem & etc. (Blacksalt, Washington DC): The 88 is a great D’Yquem but this bottle is a bit advanced. Very ripe yellow fruits, burnt sugar and sweet spices. Lacking the precision and airiness that I associate with the 88 D'Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2015 - WineCellarTV Likes this wine: 97 Points
Intensely driven by ripe stone fruit, herbal freshness, ginger and some licorice all in a smooth, harmonious and sophisticated package-
not missing power.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2015 - Eric wrote:
Bordeaux in Bern (Bern, Switzerland): Heavenly as always. Deep color. Mouthwatering acidity. Apple cider, honey, tangerine, tropical fruit. I dare say this might have benefited from significant decanting. It was not as forthcoming as we hoped for. It was certainly a rather awesome wine but not the "religious experience" that one hopes for with a great Yquem.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2015 - LWI wrote: 94 Points
Château Gruaud-Larose 1928 - 2011: Quite developed, fine complexity, deep, could have had more freshness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2015 - MEKWINE Likes this wine: 94 Points
chez Bruce, 1st growth, Saint emilion. Rarely do I get to the sweets! This was lovely, apricots, sugar barley, almonds and a touch of brulee. Balanced in the only way Yquem can be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2015 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
Elegant, balanced, focused. Strong barley sugar notes. Wonderfully refreshing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2015 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
St Emillion First Growths (Chez Bruce, London): 2 halves. Mid gold. Sweet. Lots of barley sugar up front. Not quite the shape or freshness though. Very good, but I prefer the 88 Climens. ****
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2015 - Thoughtful Likes this wine: 97 Points
Stored in cold cellar since release. Cork broke but perfect condition.
Surprisingly deep amber gold. Rich, intense, balanced but lacked the complexity of true greatness. Will this come in time?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2014 - dharrison93 Likes this wine: 97 Points
A beautiful golden amber in the glass, the nose was all dried apricot, marmalade and Marzipan. Tasting confirmed this, with a near perfect texture which was neither cloying nor unctuous. The finish lasted an incredible 15 seconds and left smiles around the table. Highly recommended and hard to overstate the enjoyment factor. Merry Christmas all!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2014 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Mostly Baroli gathering at Aggio (Aggio restaurant, Baltimore): Served slightly too cold for my palate, intense yellow fruits, apricots, crème brulee, lemon candy and sweet spices. Excellent concentration, exceptional density yet incredibly light and airy. Once again the texture of D’Yquem is very unique. Intense yet perfectly balanced D’Yquem.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2014 - Jamie Manley wrote: 99 Points
The "full monty", 88 Yquem has taken another step toward maturity, though with ages to go. This bottle was darker in color and darker in flavor than bottles from a few years ago. Great bottles of Yquem never cease to amaze me, the velvet fist, if you will. Aromas of Earl Grey, wet stones, candied crème brulee, orange rinds, apricot, and deep honeyed botrytis. On the palate, this is nothing short of amazing. Insane intensity, yet so light on its feet. I know that the previous sentence is so often used to describe Yquem, yet every time that I experience it I just sit and stare at the glass, and wonder how the hell they did that! What else can I say...? Thank God that all of my Yquem is not stored at home, otherwise there would be nothing but empty bottles and a trail of tears. 99 Pts
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
10/23/2014 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 86 Points
Mahogany color with typical botrytis bouquet and flavor, but not at all unctuous, and actually a bit watery, with little finesse, depth, or pizzaz. Too much hype for this wine, and too much emphasis on aging. Dessert wines are probably most delicious when young. I likeed it a little.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2014 - Herb K wrote:
LOVED this wine... Developing a beautiful, deep caramel color.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Had the fantastic opportunity to taste the 1988, 1989, 1990 tonight, all three very good vintages of d'Yquem that are valued similarly in the marketplace. This '88 was nicely tropical with some pineapple and mango, along with some creme brulee. Slightly less nuanced for me vs the 1989 or 1990. Thank you, Jamie!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/20/2014 - aquacongas Likes this wine: 98 Points
drank it 28/05/2011 together with four different blue cheeses, fruit compott, panna cotta and mousse chocolat. Nearly a perfect wine, still 20-30 years to live. dried fruits like peaches, apricots, honey , nuts, decent, elegant, perfect to panna cotta, 98-99
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2014 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bordeaux 1988 Horizontal Tasting: Tasted blind: Golden in color. Nose is a bit soapy and alcohol is quite present. Nice sweetness, not to fat, kind of honey liquor. Good structure and long. Good Sauternes but for my not (yet?) a great d'Yquem. Drink now over the next decades...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2014 - ricknat1 wrote: 96 Points
Honeyed, smoky, pinapple scented nose, powerful wine full bodied, layers of highly concentrated juice with a long, long, finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
With an orange glow in its hue, this rich, fat, sweet, intense, flavorful wine serves up layer after layer of pure, honeyed, tropical sweetness. Drink this now, or seal it in a time capsule for your grandchildren.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2014 - robertek wrote: 97 Points
In it's prime - pure nectar. And the food pairing was brilliant with Fourmet d'Ambert ice Cream and Cloudberry sauce and cookie crumbles. Although my vote was for the other wine in the pairing - the Cuvée Madame from Chateau Coutet.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2013 - uberoh wrote: 96 Points
still young and vibrant - just amazing nose - could drink with the whole meal.....
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2013 - rsbeck wrote: 96 Points
Consistent with previous notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2013 - rnellans wrote: 94 Points
Amber. Apricot. Nice balance, good fruit and acid. Some smokyness. Seems less unctous than previous bottles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2013 - melzar wrote: 92 Points
Most tasters consistently rate Yquem higher. Maybe I just don't get it. Significant carmelilzation evident in the color and on the palate. Gobs of unctious fruit present, but a little cloying. Could use more acidity for my tastes . I also prefer my sauterne younger. (Yes, I know, another contrarian opinion)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2013 - cephomer Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank at Antigua. I've been drinking an '88 each of the past few years & this tasting is consistent with my previous CT notes: Overtly generous nose of honeysuckle, apricot, honey and oranges. Color seems a bit darker amber hue than I recall. Loads of honey, marmalade, burnt sugar & apricots here. Also detected lemon meringue for the first time. Peter noticed lime which, after he mentioned it, became quite apparent to me as well. (Lime is added for aging purposes I've been told). Such a wonderfully balanced. elegant wine that seems so impossibly younger than it is--really, it's still a baby, though a fabulously elegant wine to drink currently. Great stuff!
Finished the bottle 1 nite later and still glowing. What a great bottle of wine
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2013 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
Pale amber colour. High-toned on the nose, with a good hit of acetone. Aromas of orange peel and a light hint of brown spice and burnt sugar as well. The palate feels a little bit off-kilter, particularly because of some very prominent bitter notes. On the other hand, marmalade notes dominate the semi-sweet palate. Slightly hot, but a very, very long finish. Second day: my own damn fault for not reading my previous tasting note (especially since this is from a full bottle). This is much, much better on the second day, with a lot of the offensive high-toned notes dissipating away, leaving the classic marmalade core behind with a hint of sweet corn. The palate has also loosened up significantly, with the bitter notes fading into the background as well. Ticked the score up two notches.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2013 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Big Bordeaux Event VI (Kevin's House (Minneapolis)): Wonderful showing with apricots, honeysuckles, golden delicious apples, spices and stones. Long and powerful finish. Should age for a very long time. Excellent but expensive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2013 - galewskj wrote: 95 Points
Big Bordeaux VI: Margaux; 11/2/2013-11/3/2013 (Kevin's house): A quick decant. Lots of honeysuckle, apicots, peaches, and spice. Tons going on. Great botrytis complexity and spice. Great acidity. The mouthfeel is rich and filling, but it never turns cloying or over the top. This is the first time I've ever had an Yquem and it was the best Sauternes I've ever had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 96 Points
Big Bordeaux VI: Stars of Margaux including '85 & '95 Margaux, '85 & '96 Palmer, Plus 1988 d'Yquem & More (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Deep amber color. Popped and splash decanted for 15 minutes. Served at 57 degrees, 2oz pour. Wow, what a splendid wine. Amazingly floral nose with honey fruits, pineapple, nectarine, apricot, incredible amounts of botrytis spice, crème brule, tangerine. The palate is fully bodied and beautifully textured taking on considerably more creaminess and density as it warmed in the glass, honey, honeysuckle, tangerine, cream, pineapple, apricot, and generous botrytis which carries through to an extremely long 90 second finish. Simply a glorious wine. 96+ to 97 points. This was overall WOTN.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2013 - Thoughtful Likes this wine: 97 Points
The best bottle so far. Real complexity beginning to show along with classic Sauterne flavours. Previous 2 bottle were in comparison a touch dumb. Not a wine to hurry to drink: patience will be rewarded provided you have time in hand.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2013 - Uglypinga wrote:
Nose of almonds and honey. The palate is just stupid. Burnt orange rind, caramel, honey and spices. Amazingly long finish. At this stage, I like it better than the 01, though the comparison is unfair.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2013 - dcwino wrote: 99 Points
Bring something really good dinner – FGs, Pomerol, Y’quem, Leroy, Vogue, Dujac and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Absolutely stunning showing, as Adam mentioned, this may be the spiciest D’Yquem since 1975. Intense yellow fruits, perfectly ripe apricots, pineapple, crème brulee, lemon curd and spicy spices. Unctuous palate yet airy, magically evaporating as it hits the palate. The beautiful acidity and strong presence of botrytis perfectly counter balance the intense sweet yellow fruits resulting in intense yet perfectly balanced wine. It also helps that this bottle was a very youthful example. The perfect way to end the evening.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2013 - AllRed wrote: 97 Points
Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: Lytton Springs Zinfandel vertical (C's): From 750ml. Deep yellow/gold color- looks much younger than some 2001s I have seen. Aromas of baked apricot, ripe Methley plums, honey, orange blossoms, marmalade and tropical fruit. Amazingly rich, viscous texture that coats the palate. Flavors of apricot, honey, pineapple, marmalade, tropical fruits and spices. A long finish that lingers for well over a minute. 97+ pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2013 - lepetitchateau wrote: 91 Points
classic in character from this half bottle, but short of profound. (WCC)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2013 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
DOUBLE BLIND 95+ DINNER @ DEERING BAY YACHT & COUNTRY CLUB (WINE CELLAR @ DEERING BAY YACH & COUNTRY CLUB, MIAMI, FL): Orange marmalade, apricots, and honey. A long finish. Luis' wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Honey, flowers, pineapple, apricot, orange and tropical fruits slathered in honey, along with rich textures and mouthful of perfectly ripe, sweet, ripe, honeyed fruit and fruits. This is drinking great today and is only going to get better over the next several decades. This could be favorite vintage of the famous trio, 1988, 1989 and 1990.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2013 - d'Auvenay Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vertical 67, 75, 86, 88, 90, 96 and 97. Preference as follow: 67, 75, 86, 90, 97, 88, 96.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2013 - Vintomas wrote: 97 Points
Château d'Yquem with AuZone (AuZone, Stockholm): Colour: rather deep golden yellow
Nose: flowery, honey, elegant, spice, caramel, ripe citrus, herbs, liquorice, complex and mature nose. Developed in the glass.
Palate: large concentration, dried apricot, saffron, caramel and fudge, high acidity, noticeably spicy but with milder spice notes than several of the other vintages, flowers. Enormously long aftertaste with spice and dried fruit.
Overall impression: mild and elegant but still with enormous power and balance. Could develop more, 97 p.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2013 - dbg wrote:
Purchased in 2003, temp controlled storage since. The cork was wet along the edges and there was black sticky goo on the outer end, indicating leakage and possibly heat exposure in the past. But the fill was well into the neck and the color was medium gold/orange, like other perfect bottles, so I had hope. Opened 5 hours before serving and an ounce poured out to check its status - Yes! All is well! If anything, this is even better than the 375 we opened 10 days ago. Identical profile but turned up just a notch - maybe because of the preceding wines on the evening? Intense complex nose of citrus, pineapple, honey and spice. Deep lush creamy fruit balanced perfectly by crisp acidity, complex flavors changing on the palate from moment to moment, with a long slow fade into a long rich finish. This wine will last for decades. Extraordinary.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2013 - dbg wrote:
Pristine fill and cork - 375ml bottle. Medium gold/orange color. Intense complex nose of citrus, pineapple, honey, spice. Killer balance between sweet creamy fruit and crisp acidity, complex flavors constantly changing on the palate and fading slowly into a long rich finish, this wine will last forever. Extraordinary.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 97 Points
Dinner with Kent (Bella Trattoria, San Francisco): From a half. Tasted blind side by side with the 1989 Yquem, and I could pick this out as the 1988. (I had never tried the 1988 before but had tried the 1989.) The color on this is exactly the same as the 1989: golden-orange. Nose is superb with young, fresh fruit, nice spice; palate has fabulous acidic tension with slight tingle that comes with high acid, youthful sweetness, full body but fresh, light (but concentrated), fruity; finish is long, clean. This is a superb, still quite young, Yquem showing a lot of primary fruit and great balance between sweetness and acidity. This has much improvement ahead but was fantastic now and is showing character. As usual, Yquem strikes a great balance between richness and lightness. 96-98+ (97++)
Day 2: The nose on this wine is ever so slightly more reticent than the very forward 1989. Today the 88 has developed a more pronounced baking spice nose. The palate on this is silly good, and it has an excitement and a tension that the 89 lacks, though the 89 is certainly drinking very well now. Superb.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2013 - smkl123 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Medium-dark amber in color. Thick and rich. Strong sweetness, honey + apricots. Strong wood (ie forest, not barrel) flavor underneath the sweetness. Had a shortened, mildly tart finish--not typical of d'yquem.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2013 - kevincheng Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had for dessert wine at The Ledbury.
Dark gold in color with a nose of oranges, honey, pineapple, apricots and even mango in there. Reminded me of some older d'Yquem I have had. Palate was a lovely combination of honey, apricots, jam, even some sweet figs and some nutty tinges at the end. Beautiful wine with a rich acidity which complements the sweetness well. Still has years to go
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/28/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
With a blast of coconut, pineapple, flowers, spice, orange, apricot and honey drenched, tropical fruit, the wine continues adding complexity. The finish couples decadent honeyed fruit with freshness and acidity.. Thick, rich, dense and incredibly lush, this is sweet hedonism at its best.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2012 - rsbeck wrote: 96 Points
Popped, poured, consumed over two hours. A brilliant, classic d'Yquem. Power without weight. That rare thing; an intense yet beguiling dessert wine. Continually evolved in glass revealing more and more nuance. Still seems young and years away from maturity, but certainly very enjoyable now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2012 - KVM wrote: 96 Points
Golden, brassy. Nose is very rich and lifted with apricots, orange, orange marmelade, grass. Very intense flavour with apricot, toasted grain, honey. It is intense and very sweet and viscous but not heavy. Extremely long, tangy finish. Truly beautiful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2012 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #073; Sauternes (By MM): Dark golden yellow. The bouquet is quite mature with nutty flavors and also tangerine. On the palate complex and also in the start some impressions of nuts. Caramel, currants and sweet licorice. A bit fat. Beautiful acidity beside the sweetness. This bottle was much more evolved that the one I had in 2008, so also with d'Yquem you have to be lucky with the bottle. Still an impressive wine!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2012 - cephomer wrote: 96 Points
Drank at wine dinner at home last nite--note: I did not decant the wine this time, but no harm done. This is the 2nd time I've had this wine in the past year, and it continues to amaze. The color is still not as dark as I would expect, though it is a beautiful golden hue, like liquid gold. Extremely aromatic nose of honey, apricots, creme brulee and orange marmalade. On the palate, the wine tastes just like it smells: Tons and tons of honeyed apricots, marmalade, pineapples and oranges just continue to attack but in an oh-so-pleasant manner--and I mean that in a good way. The wine is fairly sweet, though in no way cloying, and its sweetness does not interfere with the very prodigious fruit, and with a very satisfactory level of acidity. This wine is so refined, yet so unbelievably unctuous, creamy and has just a wonderful mouthfeel. It truly is a wonderful wine that I look forward to enjoying again and again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2012 - canan wrote: 98 Points
KYD #1.4: Extremely intense almond, clementine, vanilla nose with a lovely creamy touch to it.
Concentrated caramel flavors on the palate with a lot of orange peel but also different spices and coffee.
A very complex and concentrated wine that is truly a great experience!! Simply insane :-)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2012 - Jamie Manley wrote: 99 Points
1988 Yquem - Purchased at full price and worth every single penny! What to say? I've had the 01 a number of times and still believe that it is the better wine, but not by much - and I actually enjoyed the 88 more. Huge nose of botrytised fruit, honey, caramel, pinapple, creme brulee, lemon, tea leaves, and creamy lanolin. The palate mirrors this and is a step by step education in how complex Yquem can become. This was simply magnificent. My one point deduction was that it did not have the tongue searing intensity of the 01 - and I am really just nitpicking here. An absolutely brilliant Yquem!! 99 Pts
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2012 - melzar wrote: 95 Points
From 750: Drinking at peak now, and beginning to darken, showing complexity. Notes of orange zest and brown sugar come to mind. Enough acidity present to keep this sweet concentrated wine from being cloying.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/6/2012 - jshufelt wrote: 96 Points
Enjoyed a half-bottle of this at Le Bernardin to finish the meal. In the glass, gold at the rim shifting to a pale orange-caramel color at the center. On the nose, a mix of marmalade and an almost cognac-like alcoholic burst. On the palate, like drinking orange/apricot/pineapple/honeysuckle syrup. Such an unctuous, viscous, creamy mouthfeel, with a long finish, and just lick your teeth a few seconds later and bang, all of the flavors are back. I'm not sure this bottle lived up to the accolades, but we're just splitting hairs at this point. A remarkable, hedonistic dessert wine and a delightful way to close out the evening.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2012 - patwjr wrote: 99 Points
Drank from a 375. WOW! One of the best wines out of a 15-bottle 99-100 pointers night. Enjoy now or hold. Liquid gold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2012 - rawlinsclan@gmail.com wrote: 100 Points
Perfect end to the evening. Stood out over 61 haut Brion, 66 Latour, and others.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/20/2012 - fclarity wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind from a half bottle, this wine had a deep yellow center with clear rims. The medium intensity nose offered custard, pear, honey, and soil.
In the mouth, this wine was quite rich and yet not a all heavy. It also had excellent acidity and great length. It still seems a bit young and should continue to develop.
As this was tasted blind, I am not sure how much decanter time this had. While certainly enjoyable, I would give this another 10-20 years in the bottle or extended decanting. It should pick up a couple points in the future.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2012 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 98 Points
At bouley dinner
Honeyed, smoky, pina colada scented nose, powerful wine full bodied, layers of highly concentrated juice with a long, long, finish. Still has a lots of time to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2011 - MauriceE wrote: 100 Points
Enough said, this is just perfect. I know 2001 Yquem is better, but since I do not have it alongside this excellent bottle, I score it as it is. Again: perfect.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2011 - edarrincox wrote: 95 Points
Wow! Opened this for a friend who was moving out of town. Wonderful as always. Beautiful color, long legs, wonderfully long finish. Dried apricot flavors, marmalade, has a long way to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/22/2011 - ilee wrote: 96 Points
Hairy crab dinner chez Thomas: Deep gold/amber colour, plush and rich with a viscosity and creaminess that is more Kracher than Yquem. Honeyed notes of orange peel, marmalade. Mature, complex, very sweet indeed
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2011 - cephomer wrote: 95 Points
Drank bottle at dinner party at the Lunardis. Decanted the wine before drinking. A very rich golden color, although not as dark as I had expected. A beautiful nose of apricots and oranges overwhelmed immediately upon first sniff. Beautifully balanced, great acidity, lovely perpetual nose, extremely elegant wine. Got better and better in the glass over the 2 hrs or so that we enjoyed the wine. A great wine with still a long way to go...Glad I have many more. This wine is really in a class by itself!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2011 - awilliamson4 wrote: 97 Points
Had two 375 ml's and both were excellent. This is a deep golden orange viscous wine that has hints of marmalade and honey with just a mild sort of grassy wheatiness to it. So good. Want more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2011 - ssouth wrote: 98 Points
1988 Château d'Yquem, from a 750 ml....dark yellow in the glass with "long legs"....remarkably this floats gently over the palate with candied orange, honeysuckle and lychee....quite remarkable....years from a possible peak
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2011 - wine&roses wrote: 95 Points
Gorgeous.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2011 - rnellans wrote: 98 Points
Deep golden color. A wow nose of orange / apricot marmelade. Rich, fat, but balanced wonderfully with good acidity. Great depth. No hurry to drink the next one. A classic d'Yquem!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2010 - Wrighty wrote:
Just a taster and surprisingly as it was more impactful at the time; less memorable the the Latour 1990 tasted at the same time.
Honey and some caremel. Palate quite structured, apricot and pineapple. Was probably hoping for something a little more memorable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2010 - KenK wrote: 96 Points
A happy ending at BP in Naples.
Dark gold to almost amber in color.
Rich ripe peach and apricot nose.
Palate was luscious, nice in fat in the mouth without being cloying. A densely packed wine featuring sweet dried apricot, pears, and peach quality. Mouth coating and ripe. Good balance, but in need of just a bit more brightness. A yummy treat. Just short of greatness, perhaps this 375ml explains slightly missing the mark of perfection.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2010 - DonWinspear wrote: 97 Points
Had this following a remarkable tasting event of brilliant French burgundies and CDPs. Golden amber in the glass, this wine is showing elements of aging. The nose immediately impresses with waves of honey, apricot, hint of citrus. Tasting it confirms the nose - a wonderful, silky smooth expression of the same flavors from the aroma coats the palate. The wine has an excellent balance of acidity. Interestingly, I had this alongside the 1983 and preferred this vintage - smoother, a little richer and more full bodies than the older sibling.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/12/2010 - dgerst wrote: 96 Points
Bright gold color. Intoxicating nose of honeyed apricots, fresh pineapple, caramel. The midpalate on this was incredible. Highly viscous, very complex flavors of honeyed tropical fruits but not sugary at all. A taut acidic spine throughout kept the balance extraordinary. This is still painfully young, and must be a well kept example. Mama mia!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/26/2010 - wpd wrote: 96 Points
Honey, touch of the botrytis. Killer good. Everything it should be and then some. Sadly the last bottle of this vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2010 - MatthewF wrote:
The Greatest Pig Roast Ever?? (Chicagoland): From 750ml. Golden color. Honeyed tropical fruit and apricot on the nose. Vanilla creme brulee aromas. Very rich and expansive on the palate. Wonderful fruit and very good acidity. Extremely long finish. Easily the best of the 88 Sauternes flight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/22/2010 - psmith wrote:
Birthday Bash with Pig (Chicagoland): Honey and citrus notes. Tropical fruits. Great combo of viscous and full bodied, and balancing structure. Really nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2010 - acyso wrote: 95 Points
From a half-bottle with a half-saturated cork. Amber colour. Pulled out of the fridge, which was much too cold for this, and so the nose took a while to come around. When it did, it was remarkably complex with notes of candied oranges, burnt sugar, licorice, and anise. On the palate, again remarkable complexity, with the same candied citrus and burnt sugar notes, as well as a beautifully luscious texture, well-balanced acidity, and a palate-numbing apricot-tinged finish that is so long it's painful. Serve at cellar temperature and decant for at least an hour or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2010 - Rupert wrote:
A generous gift from one of the guests on the other table, this was, of course, lovely, but I'm not sure there's such a gulf between the Yquem and the other top sauternes, at least not in '88
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2010 - YQUEM90 wrote: 99 Points
Consumed with friends (BY/MY) -- all 10 of us loved this wine. It is ready now and will improve with time. A beautiful burnt-orange color. Paired superbly with caramel fudge, cookies, candied oranges (thanks BY!)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2010 - overhill wrote: 97 Points
Matt's pre-birthday dinner (Matt's house): Gorgeous. Sweet apricot elixir. Long, mouth coating finish. 97 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2010 - scamhi wrote:
great sauternes, bright with good acid and a long finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/11/2010 - Wintervest wrote: 99 Points
99 - Tasted among other Yquem's over the holidays. Even next to the 1967, 1989 and 2001, the 1988 was absolutely outstanding. Beautiful amber color, but no brown edges. Still youthful but offering rich honeyed apricots, creamy, viscous with a slight floral overtone to the deep fruit. Nearly perfect balance but enough acidity to carry this still young beauty. A finish that lingers for an eternity, with every reason to immerse one's senses in a small taste, savor, then discuss the wine, the joy in life and your exceptional good fortune for the opportunity to experience such a masterpiece with people you care about.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/4/2010 - Herb K wrote:
Ethereal.. pure and simple.... honeysuckle, butter scotch, candied sweet potatoes (but so delicate).. What a great way to toast the New Year...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2010 - Mistress of Wine wrote: 96 Points
At a post New Year's celebration, we found a well priced half bottle on a local list. Gold/amber color. Almost explosive aromas of apricot, candied orange peel, white flower, honey and hazelnuts. Pleasing interplay between sweet and tart (someone said like dried apricots, which we all found apt). Very fresh and youthful. Incredibly rich and viscous, but not cloying, wave upon wave of flavor making it hard to swallow, ever. A wine for long term olfactory memory bank. I generally prefer riesling and chenin blanc as dessert wine, but I am very willing to be seduced by other vintages of this grand wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2009 - Le Vin wrote: 99 Points
First ever Yquem. Lived up to all expectations.
Colour was pure ambre. a wine as opposed to the other Sauternes that we have had which are almost too sweet
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2009 - Jeff Leve wrote: 98 Points
Endless aromatics of ripe pineapples, nectarines, peaches, flowers, spices, vanilla, coconut and more all drenched and dripping honey. Wave after wave of luxurious fruit flows across your palate. This wine is incredibly concentrated. Very dense and full bodied with ample acidity keeping everything in balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2009 - MauriceE wrote: 99 Points
Yquem "great years" tasting (Seinpost (Scheveningen, The Netherlands)): I guess this "only" gets 99 out of 100 because it was tasted alongside the other-worldly 2001. One of the last bottles in an impressive line-up of d'Yquem: 55, 67, 71, 75, 76, 86, 88, 89, 90, 97, 99, 01. 1988 was my number 3, right after 2001 and 1967. Just great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/2/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 100 Points
1988 Château d'Yquem (Frankrijk, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes) Kleur: Vol goudgeel Aroma / bouquet: Weelderig bouquet met uitgesproken maar verfijnde Botrytistonen, maar tegelijkertijd maakt deze wijn ook een zoet-kruidige indruk. Het hout is wat duidelijker waarneembaar, ook tonen van kaneel, honing. Smaak / Afdronk: Ook deze jaargang onderscheidt zich in ultieme kwaliteit door het zwoele zoet te combineren met voldoende frisheid en zuur. Enorme concentratie en lengte. Wat mij betreft iets krachtiger en meer 'stoer' dan de 89'er. Algemeen / potentieel: Voor mij één van de koningen van de middag. Proeverij van de jaren 67, 71, 75, 76, 86, 88, 89, 90, 97, 99, 01 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 15 + Smaak / Afdronk: 20 + Algemeen / potentieel: 10 = 100/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2009 - G SQUARED wrote: 98 Points
49th B'day Party at Mustard's. Liguid gold. Got that caramely, creme brulee, honey thing goin on. Viscous, but not cloyingingly so. Just superb!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2009 - davidn wrote: 90 Points
Very disappointed. This wine has been glorious in the past. Hopefully it was just this bottle (375).
Had a 1990 at the same time and it was absolutely wonderful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2009 - MatthewF wrote:
From 750ml. Beautiful golden color. Very powerful Classic Yquem aromas. Honeyed pineapple with white flowers and some lemon curd. Rich texture and mouthfeel. Outstanding acidity with a finish that never seems to end. A fantastic example of d'Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2009 - pianopeter wrote: 97 Points
Drank @ Wolffs. Wow! Extraodinary, amaZing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2009 - noppakit s. wrote: 99 Points
For me, this 20 years old is the best d'Yquem I've ever tasted. Delicate, dramatic, heart-breaker aftertaste. Obviously better than 1990 and 1997. I wanna rate it 100/100 but I have to try my 1955, 1967, 1976 and 1989 first.
Anyway, I said to myself....it must be 1995 for Latour and 1988 for d'Yquem....
Drink beautifully now and then...................99-100/100....................
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2009 - french16 wrote: 94 Points
A great Yquem, slightly better than the '86 we had recently.
Intoxicating nose with honey, pineapple, vanilla, white flowers...list could go on and on. Full body, sweet but good acidity with a long finish.
This is still very young and has a few decades of life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2008 - dcwino wrote: 98 Points
Dinner at Cityzen, 82, 86, 89 and 90 first growth and LMHB (Cityzen, Washington DC): Botrytis dominant nose, ginger, apricot, white pear, pineapple and crème brulee. This bottle had no oxidative note and very fresh. The palate is like a cotton candy, as soon as it hits your mouth, it melts and evaporates.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2008 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Not so many notes because of the beautiful dinner and conversation. Full bodied, complex and surprisingly elegant at the same time. Perfect now, but d’Yquem 1988 can be for your grand children.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2008 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 96 Points
1988 Château d'Yquem (Frankrijk, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes) Kleur: Tussen donker goudgeel en lichtbruin. Aroma / bouquet: Overweldigend qua intensiteit en complexiteit: Zoete aroma's als honing, caramel, rozijnen, sinaasappel, gedroogde pruimen en dadels. Tevens een zoete kruidigheid: kaneel, cederhout, sigarenkistjes. Beetje rokerig ook. Van-de-sokkend-blazend 'pourriture noble'-karakter. Smaak / Afdronk: Dit is eten èn drinken tegelijkertijd. Ook in de mond veel concentratie en complexiteit. Letterlijk dik-sap, mondgevoel gaat richting stroperig. Prachtig rijp maar tevens nog voldoende zuren om het 'drinkbaar' en verwerkbaar te houden. Enorm lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Tsjah… 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Smaak / Afdronk: 19 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 96/100
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2008 - PIR wrote: 96 Points
3rd time in the past year, always an outstanding wine. The sweetness is toned down, deep marmalade hints of ripe pineapple and honey. Fully integrated-still has 20++yrs to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2008 - oski wrote:
poorly stored much to my chagrin, but still fun to have. A bit sherry like nose, but the taste was smokey, honey and citrus, good long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2008 - lozatron wrote:
Wow - first Yquem I've ever had - lasted on the tongue for an age. Hard to score as I don't have any reference point and it was tasted among some crazy good wines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/22/2008 - jus10 wrote: 93 Points
great roundness of flavor. under lying creme brulee mid pallet peach and apricot liquer.. really good.. this was sipped while waiting for a 75" Latour to open up... (which it had a hard time doing)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2008 - sdr wrote: 91 Points
Reassuringly fine; it's the balance rather than the mass that is compelling with ths lovely Yquem. Still too early for maximum development but there's lots of pleasure to be had right now, especially from half bottles like this. Not as sweet as most Yquems and not as powerful or overwhelming either. It will increase in complexity over the next twenty years, I'm sure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2008 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Bob Muraro brought it to accompany our cheese course. The 1989 Climens was preferred by all. Seems young, and probably will show more with time. I frankly think that Yque is not worth its exalted status and price.
In my opinion, Rieussec is as consistent and good as Yquem, at a fraction of the price!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2008 - Rosengoo wrote:
Tasted February 15,2008 at Lake Louise Post Hotel Yquem tasting. With 13.5% alcohol, 123g of sugar and 3.8 acidity. The bouquet on this wine was vey oily and the balance seemed off on this wine which came over with a very strong alcohol taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2007 - G SQUARED wrote: 98 Points
Raid the Cellar Party at BWB. Almost perfect. Quite frankly, one of the best d'Yquems I've drunk this young. Much better in my opinion to the 89 or 90. This had tons of acidity, bright and fresh. The caramel, honey, and brown sugar notes all added extra dimension and with Bananas Foster it was a marraige made in heaven.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2007 - SUN-J wrote: 96 Points
Incredible balance. Nose was honey, orange peel and nutty. Palate was similar with a long (45 seconds?) finish. Amazing wine. Not sure any wine is worth $250+ but this came pretty close! :-) I like these both young and old. No other sauternes is in the same class.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2007 - sdr wrote: 90 Points
This bottle was brought by Barry as a finale to a wonderful dinner at Four Seasons Palm Beach. Remarkably, still pale yellow. Lovely scent of mixed citrus, with botrytis playing a background role on both nose and palate. Poised as Kristi Yamaguchi en pointe; lithe and elegant. Yet I did not get the depth of flavor I expected from Yquem in a superb vintage, perhaps due to its youth. Tasted blind, I would have guessed a top Barsac such as Climens, but that's hardly a criticism.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2007 - Siggy wrote: 95 Points
Tasting Group Dinner (Craig's House): Initially showing a lot of kerosene/diesel on the nose, this quickly settled down into a honeyed, nutty, deliciously balanced, classic Yquem. Gorgeous focus and precision. Better than the half-bottle we opened last month.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2007 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 94 Points
Boxed In at Craig's (DRC, Leroy, Dugat-Py, Rousseau, Dujac, Kistler, d'Yquem and others): Classic d'Yquem nose of apricot, creme brulee, and honey. Light and balanced in the mouth, despite the immense fruit presence. Awesome stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2007 - Siggy wrote: 92 Points
Dinner w/ Brad & Chris (Restaurant Alma & Brad's House, Minneapolis): From 375ml. The first bottle was badly oxidized, but the second showed a nice mixture of apples, honey, apricots, and almonds. Not a blockbuster showing, but a tasty way to end our evening. Thanks Brad.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2007 - BradE wrote:
Very good. Still a lot of ageing to be at its best, but a good drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2007 - BradE wrote: flawed
Oxidized. Strange, as the rest of the case has been fine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2007 - Wine Bill wrote: 95 Points
Y2 day in the Librije, Zwolle, Netherlands. (Yquem tasting) (De Librije, Zwolle, Netherlands.): Compared to 1986 more developed. Now beautiful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2007 - eric31 wrote: 96 Points
A beautiful honey scent and taste. Have never had a d'Yquem before, now I understand the hype.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2007 - G SQUARED wrote: 95 Points
New Year's Eve dinner at Cafe Ponte. Still a baby. Shows a brilliant future but hasn't yet exposed all it's complexitites yet. My score is based on future potential.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2006 - BradE wrote:
A great wine that still hasn't developed the thickness and complexity of its nearby vintages. Nonetheless, a great wine that will age effortlessly forever.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2006 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 Points
Dinner Party at Home w/ Pinots & d'Yquem (Milford): Beautiful, honeyed, and structured. Apricots and other lucious tropical fruits. A winner.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2005 - burningstarIV wrote: 97 Points
Still young, but showing a lot of complexity on the nose. Bananas, pineapple and peaches exploded from the glass, but the alcohol dominated for some tasters. Viscous but light on the palate, the mouthfeel and the finish demonstrated this wine's pedigree. 50+5+13+20+9=97
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/10/2005 - burningstarIV wrote: 94 Points
Tasted at the store. A straightforward, delicious version of d'Yquem. Complex, but not head and shoulders above the others '88s.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/20/2005 - davidn wrote: 96 Points
I think that with a half hour in the decanter this could have been a 99+ wine. A wonderful with the Terrene of Foie gras at lunch today at the French Laundry. Huge boquet of apricots and lemon/orange citrus is a promise that is delightfully fullfilled on the pallette. Perfectly balanced with the perfect amount of acid (like no other Sauternes is) with a long pear finish. Absolutely delicious!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2005 - keithgg wrote: 97 Points
Still a baby - recommend waiting about a decade. But a gorgeous Yquem that showed better acidity than the 89 on this night. I still vote for the 90 as the best of the 3. Drank a small lef-over glass on the second night - showed almost identical to the prior night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2005 - CSteefel wrote: 96 Points
1982-83-89 Bordeaux at Masa's in San Francisco: Beautiful contrast with the 1989, this wine is much lighter in color, with much subtler aromas of peach and apricot and botrytis. In the mouth, also less powerful and sweet, but also apparently more structured and complex. The crisp acidity really seems to draw out the nuances of this wine, which shows impeccable balance and breeding. Great stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2005 - cassetta wrote: 98 Points
Bright straw color. Orange peel and pineapple with more botrytis on the nose than the ‘89. Great acidity with a palate gripping viscosity. This also seems much younger than the ‘89. This is still a baby and needs at least another 7-10 years in the cellar and should age effortlessly for another 20 years. Truly remarkable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2005 - PaulH wrote: 96 Points
Shafer Hillside Select Dinner (Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA): Light golden straw color, very subtle nose. Oily and viscous mouth texture very good full body,superb balancing acidity; long finish. A great bottle and a great experience.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2004 - tendring Likes this wine: 98 Points
Institution of Civil Engineers - Château d'Yquem: Intense gold.
Kerosene and wax, then delicate fruit, a complexity of oranges and apricots.
Luscious in the mouth, a veritable fruit salad, liquid honey, very complex and long.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2004 - sdr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Hugh’s bottle. After a sip of this glorious wine at Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts Chicago 2004, I bought 16 halves from Premier Cru. Stunningly good. Very ‘88, very pure. Medium sweet. Marvelous texture. Young but already enjoyable. Reserved yet profound. Clearly has decades of life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/5/2004 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 97 Points
Dark yellow. Scents of orange peel, abricot, tree bark, and honey. Superb density and viscousity in the mouth, with an incredibly intense, sweet core of fruit. Botrytis sweetness in large amounts, kept in check by a ripe laser beam of acid with no heavy tendencies. I have always loved this wine and managed to guess what it was. There are so many nuances to be identified, so much elegance, and in spite of the incredible thickness an sweetness, this wine doesn't cloy at all. A favourite.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2003 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Apricot, little glue, and beautiful botrytis in the bouquet. Oak, orange peel, figs, yellow ripe fruits and good oak in the taste. Good acidity as well. Great!!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2003 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 93 Points
Dark yellow. Notes of marcipan and shoe polish. Well structured and a beam of acid and structure keeps the freshness present. Great concentration and direction of the sweetness here. Not cloying the palate. Nice and creamy aftertaste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2003 - chbeaumont wrote: 96 Points
Old gold; vanilla pods & cress, powerful, backward; not markedly sweet, refr acidity, intense. Poised, lingering. Needs 5 yrs.18
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2003 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 98 Points
Golden brown turning amber. Abricot, walnuts, and honey coming out of the glass. Very dense and fat, but still very fresh and not grossly sweet. Superb balance here and every measure of style and elegance one could wish for. Surreal length of aftertaste. A classic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2003 - dbg wrote:
light amber color, pears and honey on the nose, great balance,
richness, length, complexity, still young, almost too engrossing to
write about
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2002 - peternelson wrote: 98 Points
Ivy: Beautiful deep gold-yellow; nose of honeycomb, ripe apricots, wet fresh wood; liquid pearl drops in the mouth; had less of the pungent resin aroma of other sauternes; still tasted for hours after.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2001 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 95 Points
Very, very dark yellow, golden colour. A scent of plums and apple. A deep, searing taste, full of honey and apple notes. Also maybe a whiff of gas-station (!). You know, Union 76 on a Friday afternoon pumping super-unleaded! Very thick. Extremely complex. Very harmonic, and although sweet and chocolaty, still fresh and gutsy. To me, a revelation. Other taster's found it a bit lacking......but of course, I knew what i was.......!! I rated it 95 pts, but as low as 90 pts was given...Hey it's all blind-tasting and I was the only prejudice person at the table!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2001 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($300) The Mann's '88 Blowout: Golden color. Nose of Asian spices and apricots. Sweet, ripe, long, spicy. Simply delicious. Liquid gold. Fantastic juice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2001 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Rich deep yellow color with mouth coating glyercin. Mellow flavors of peach and tropical fruit and mellow honey sweetness. Extremely well integrated. Excellent! 3/01
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2000 - Henman wrote:
Discreet,fruity,citrussy nose.Pleasant apricote,fruity palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2000 - mnh wrote:
outstanding sauternes.Will evolve beautifully
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2000 - dbg wrote:
bright gold color. Huge forward nose of honey, apricot, and
tangerine, great sweetness and richness and perfect balance
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/1998 - danstrings wrote: 96 Points
Legendary Jim Mather tastings, 1998. Gorgeous nose of cream soda, cola, and perfume. So mellow and sweet. Nothing overpowering or out of balance. Coconut notes as well. A wonderful taste full of butter, honey, and peaches. The cream soda lingered on as well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/1998 - MikeATL wrote:
Dessert Wine Extravaganza: Golden color, with an outstanding honeyed complex fruit nose. Although very sweet, it carries enough acidity to give it great balance. The acidity serves to frame the complex fruit beautifully, and it is deceptively long. A great wine, but overshadowed by the Huet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/1996 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 96 Points
Nose of honey, caramel, candied peach. and caramel, same on the palate, big body, very tasty, delicious, mouth filling and intense, young-will last another 25 years, fruit and sweetness are in balance, paired with baked brie, a delicious combination, lots of favorable comments tonight, long, long, flavorful finish and aftertaste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/1995 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 96 Points
6 Sauternes+Kalin vintages 1985 to 1990 (Lafayette, Ca.): Nose opened slowly, lots of brown sugar and sweet fruit, big body, mouth filling fruit, tasty, rich fruit, sip and savor as it opened, long, long finish. My #1 and Group #3.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/1994 - sdr Likes this wine: 88 Points
From half bottle. Tasted blind, everyone thought it was a Barsac. (I thought it was ‘71 Climens.) Very forward. Delicious, delicate and elegant. No obvious botrytis. Sweet and silky. Lots of pineapple. Good wine yet doesn’t seem like Château d’Yquem.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/1994 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasting of 8 Sauternes/Dessert Wines (Lafayette, Ca.): Great, rich, straw gold color in the glass, good complex nose of honey, lemon and citrus, lots of honey, nice, rich flavors on the palate, very tasty, good acid needs 3 years to peak, long, long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/1993 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Champagne and Yquem Holiday Preview (Lafayette, Ca.): Tasted after 6 Champagnes. Nose of rich fruit, honey, glycerin in the glass with tear drops on the glass sides after swirling, big body, mouth filling fruit, honey, elegant, rich, very tasty, and a long, honey finish and lovely aftertaste.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/1993 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 97 Points
Nose of honey, sugar, rich fruit, and very floral, big body, mouth filling fruit, delicious tasting, very tasty, served as dessert for my birthday, and a long, long finish and lovely aftertaste, will easily age another 15 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment