France

Sauvignon Blanc

Sémillon

Ch. d'Yquem

Chateau d'Yquem Y Bordeaux

Bordeaux

Composed of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Sémillon, the 2022 Y d'Yquem has 6 grams per liter of residual sugar. It skips out of the glass with cheery notions of fresh, crunchy pears, allspice, fennel seed, and lime leaves, leading to touches of lemon drops, chalk dust, and white pepper. The medium-bodied palate has a satiny texture and racy backbone with layers of pear and baking spices flavors, finishing on a lingering chalky note.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

A great example of this always-arresting dry white, with a ton of soft apple blossom aromatics, before drawing inwards to show scraping acidity, powerful white peach, quince, apricot and citrus flavours with a twist of lime juice, fennel and a salty tang of oyster shell and salted crackers. Has the richness, complexity and concentration that you find in Yquem, and although it won't have quite the same longevity, there is no issue with keeping this wine for 15 to 20 years. 7g/l of residual sugar, mainly from the Sémillon that is picked with the first bloom of botrytis, bringing an opulent, voluptuous feel that transmits the DNA of the property. Spends 12 months in 80% one year old barrels previously used for Château d'Yquem (of course fully washed and prepared, but still imparting a blush of rich flavour), together with 20% new oak. The 2021 vintage in Bordeaux was a better year for whites than reds, and this exceptional white wine is a great example. Last vintage with Sandrine Garbay as winemaker, leaving in 2022.

Inside Bordeaux

“There was just a touch of botrytis on the Sémillon this year,” commented Pierre Lurton on the 2020 Y. This off-dry style has 7 grams per liter of residual sugar and a racy pH of 3.2. The blend this year is 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon. It needs a swirl or two to release notes of preserved limes, white peaches, fresh grapefruit, and orange blossom with underlying suggestions of honeysuckle, wet pebbles, and beeswax. The medium to full-bodied is fabulously intense with a satiny texture and loads of tightly wound nuances contributing to the exciting tension, finishing very long and with a swish of opulence.

Aromatisk intens mot stikkelsbær og stikkelsbær med hint av kokos - usedvanlig lys på farge - elegant og frisk - noe fatpreg

Expert

White pear, honeysuckle, elderflower, quince, rich lemon, with a bitter edge of orange peel. This is starting to deepen at three years old, and show a richer texture than when I last tasted it in November 2020. It's unquestionably one of the great whites of Bordeaux, although extremely low yields in 2018. Harvest began on August 13, the earliest date ever, with the majority of the whites coming in from August 23 to 28, harvested grape by grape as per the main sweet estate wine - meaning that grapes from the same bunch can later go on to make Yquem. 3.15ph.

The 2014 “Y” has 5 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pale lemon-yellow color. Citrus aromas of lime leaves, fresh grapefruit, and lemon zest shoot from the glass, followed by gentle wafts of crushed stones and coriander seed. The medium to full-bodied palate gives a very dry impression, with a laser-precise line of freshness cutting through the intense, youthful, citrus layers and with a silkiness to the texture, finishing with loads of zesty and mineral sparks. Impressive!

The 2012 “Y” has 5 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pale to medium lemon-yellow color. It opens with a zippy nose of lime leaves, lemon drops, and grapefruit oil, followed by suggestions of fresh hay and shaved almonds. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively, with a satiny texture to support the vibrant citrus flavors, finishing on a chalky note.

One of the greatest dry whites of France, both distinctive and delicious, from the legendary Château d’Yquem. This wine has been made since 1959 but used to be produced with grapes from the last few bunches left on the vine after the sweet wine harvest. This changed as of 1996, and since 2004 it has been made every year from Sauvignon Blanc grapes picked early in the season, when fresh and from Sémillon just at the fleeting moment with first bloom of botrytis, leaving a tiny trace of residual sugar. This has plenty of fleshy citrus and saffran, balanced by lime and lemongrass, spiralling though with slate, freshness and well judged acidity. Picking of Y began August 17, earliest ever, and finished August 31, so entirely within August and at 12 years old it is stunning, showing how well this wine can age. 30% new oak. The 2021 that I tasted this year got a higher score (97 points), and is exceptional, but I picked this one because it is at such a great moment to drink.

👃🏼 ekstrem intensitet, tørket fiken, tørket fersken, botrytis, søtt kandisert sitrusskall, 

👅 flott syre, fruktig, med delikate noter av tørket fersken, noe floralt, botrytis. Ekstrem lengde med en flott sødme som sitter lenge 

Aroma av honning, krutt, kantareller, stein sopp, mineralsk, 

Nydelig munnfølese, 

Poeng 98

WSET 2

"The Sauvignon Blanc for Y was harvested a lot later in 2000 than we harvest now," commented Yquem’s president, Pierre Lurton. "This was harvested in the middle of the Sauternes picking." The 2000 “Y” has 9 grams per liter of residual sugar and is pale to medium straw in color. It sails out of the glass with notes of dried apricots, poached pears, quince paste, and lemongrass, leading to touches of fresh hay and salted cashews. The full-bodied palate is satisfyingly rich, yet appears quite dry, delivering a decadently oily texture and fantastic length. Still possessing bags of fruit and freshness, this should hold for another decade, at least.

Aroma av dyp karamel, krutt, honning, vanilje, mineralsk, brent sukker, 

Creamy, clean, pure, lengde, kompleks, konsentrasjon, overaskende ungt, kan ligge lenge

Poeng 97+

Dufter av moden fersken, aprikos, karamell, kandisert appelsinskall, ristene nøtter. Karamelisert fløtemysost


Utrolig flott syre, superkonsentrert frukt, botrytis, divstoff, karamell, ristene valnøtter, modne nektariner, utrolig lengde 

Category	White wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. d'Yquem
Vintages	1969
Country	France, Bordeaux
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	%
Acid	%
Sugar	g/l

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