Wine Article
2013 Y de Yquem
Last edited on 9/1/2022 by LindsayM
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2013 Y:
A LIGHTNING-QUICK HARVEST
2013 will be remembered for the extremely strong contrast between spring and summer. These two seasons were different in every way.
On the one hand, May and June were abnormally cool and wet, causing spread-out flowering – which is nevertheless a factor of complexity seeing as this leads to the grapes being picked at different times, at varying degrees of botrytisation.
On the other hand, July and August 2013 experienced near record hot, dry weather. The very favourable sunny summer weather raised great hopes for the vintage.
The drop in temperature during the first two weeks in September maintained the grapes' considerable aromatic freshness, and precipitation (50 mm) caused the onset of noble rot on some perfectly ripe Sémillon.
The window during which Y can be picked is very small, especially for Sauvignon Blanc. In fact, in a single day – the 23rd of September - we picked the entire Sauvignon Blanc crop, which displayed perfect aromatic maturity, as well as Sémillon grapes on gravelly plots that were not yet botrytised. It was high time to do so since botrytis started to develop at lightening quick speed, and the picking of grapes used to make Yquem began just two days later.
2013 Y has a similar taste profile to the 2006 and 2012 vintages, with trademark aromas of grapefruit, white fruit, and menthol nuances.
Grape varieties: 75% Sauvignon Blanc – 25% Sémillon
A LIGHTNING-QUICK HARVEST
2013 will be remembered for the extremely strong contrast between spring and summer. These two seasons were different in every way.
On the one hand, May and June were abnormally cool and wet, causing spread-out flowering – which is nevertheless a factor of complexity seeing as this leads to the grapes being picked at different times, at varying degrees of botrytisation.
On the other hand, July and August 2013 experienced near record hot, dry weather. The very favourable sunny summer weather raised great hopes for the vintage.
The drop in temperature during the first two weeks in September maintained the grapes' considerable aromatic freshness, and precipitation (50 mm) caused the onset of noble rot on some perfectly ripe Sémillon.
The window during which Y can be picked is very small, especially for Sauvignon Blanc. In fact, in a single day – the 23rd of September - we picked the entire Sauvignon Blanc crop, which displayed perfect aromatic maturity, as well as Sémillon grapes on gravelly plots that were not yet botrytised. It was high time to do so since botrytis started to develop at lightening quick speed, and the picking of grapes used to make Yquem began just two days later.
2013 Y has a similar taste profile to the 2006 and 2012 vintages, with trademark aromas of grapefruit, white fruit, and menthol nuances.
Grape varieties: 75% Sauvignon Blanc – 25% Sémillon