Château d'Yquem, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Sauternes
    Château d'Yquem

    Château d'Yquem, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Sauternes,

    Destination

    vintage

    Château d'Yquem, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Sauternes, 2003

    Justerini & Brooks Tasting note
    Château d'Yquem, 1er Grand Cru Classé, Sauternes, 2003
    Maturity:
    Keep/Drink
    ABV:
    14%
    97/100
    Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
    Silky rich depths, clear even on the nose, but tingling mineral limon and citrus flavours, white pepper, basil, apricot. 138g/l residual sugar, 10hl/h yield. A higher percentage of Sauvignon Blanc than in a typical year, showing in sculpted gunsmoke and white truffle on the opening beats. Organic conversion began in August 2019, with certification expected 2022. Winemaker Sandrine Garbay.
    Date Reviewed:
    06/2022
    Drinking Window:
    2022 - 2050
    97/100
    Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
    The 2019 d'Yquem is composed of 55% Semillon and 45% Sauvignon Blanc. Pale lemon-straw in color, it bursts from the glass with showy notes of apricot preserves, key lime pie, and cedar chest, leading to hints of candied ginger, pear drops, and honey toast. The palate is super-charged, full-on rich, and decadent, with soft acidity and epic length.
    Date Reviewed:
    05/2023
    Drinking Window:
    2028 - 2060
    95+/100
    Neal Martin, Vinous
    The 2019 Yquem has a flirtatious bouquet with yellow plum, honeysuckle and jasmine developing with time. Fine purity, though not showstopping complexity. The palate is smooth and pure. Very nicely integrated oak, creamy, touches of vanilla and crème brûlée towards the finish. This is a quite gorgeous Yquem, though I am certain that given more time to open it would have merited a higher score. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
    Date Reviewed:
    02/2023
    Drinking Window:
    2025 - 2050

    specifications

    country:
    France
    region:
    Bordeaux
    Appellation:
    Sauternes
    Producer:
    Château d'Yquem
    style:
    Sweet
    Grape Variety:
    Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
    Allergen Information:
    This product may contain sulphites. Full allergen information is available upon request, please call our Customer Relations Team on +44 (0)20 7484 6430.

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    Château d'Yquem

    Château d'Yquem

    Chateau Yquem is without doubt the grandest and best known of all the great Sauternes estates. In fact, it is widely regarded as one of if not the most exclusive dessert wines produced anywhere in the world. When classified in 1855, Yquem was granted the exclusive and unique title of Premier Cru Supérieur.

    The list of past owners reads like a who’s who: King Louis VII and King Henry II were just two of the illustrious previous owners. In more recent times (1785), the estate became the property of the Lur-Saluces family. After a 219 year family association with the Chateau, Alexandre Lur-Saluces stood down in 2004. Now the property is under the ownership of luxury goods brand LVMH and the stewardship of Pierre Lurton and winemaker Lorenzo Pasquini.

    In all, they have 100 hectares of vines, planted with 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Pickers are required to undertake numerous tries, depending on the vintage and the spread of botrytis. Fermentation takes place in oak and there is liberal aging in barrel. The Grand Vin is one of life’s treasures. It is a wine of unerring purity, complexity, finesse and power. It is the wine that all other Sauternes estates aspire to be. For sweet wine lovers, it is quite simply Sauternes nirvana.

    There is also a very successful dry wine called ‘Y’ (Ygrec). This is produced from Sauvignon Blanc, harvested before botrytis affects the vineyards.

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