France

Sauvignon Blanc

Sémillon

Savagnin Blanc

Ch. d'Yquem

Chateau d'Yquem Premier Cru Superieur Sauternes

Bordeaux

Sauternes

Just fantastic, with a deep golden yellow color and a rich, concentrated mixture of caramel, toffee, brown sugar, candied citrus, saffron, honey, dry flowers, and wet flint minerals.⁠
⁠
The palate is simultaneously sweet and savory, with dense and layered spiciness. It is unctuous and layered, with great potency and balancing acidity that brings perfect harmony and balance with iodine-rich mineral spiciness.⁠
⁠
It's great to drink now, but the best is yet to come as it sheds its weight, adding layers upon layers of mature characteristics. 95+⁠

Fine wine advisor

The 1996 Yquem is pale to medium amber in color. Spritely scents of orange blossom, honeysuckle, and pineapple upside-down cake jump from the nose, giving way to hints of green mango, lime cordial, and powdered ginger. The palate is relatively savory and energetic, delivering bright citrus and tropical fruit flavors, with a racy backbone, finishing gracefully, beautifully poised, with a lingering perfume. The residual sugar is 122 grams per liter.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Voldsom fin viskositet. Skogshonning, karamell, kaffe og litt kamfer på nesen. Fremstå med mer honning, kaffe, appelsin og tørket frukt. Moden både på nesen og i munnen. Ettersmaken er lang der honning og aprikos sitter lenge. God konsentrasjon, men litt slapp.

Expert

Preget av sødmefull og intenst konsentrert frukt med innslag av tropisk frukt, moden nektarin, aprikos og honning. Meget aromatisk og smaksrik med høyt volum. Magisk balanse mellom sødme og syre og en ekstremt lang avslutning – vi snakker minutter.

WSET 2

Myk soft, syrlig elegant duft. En veldig feminin Yquem med lekker eleganse. Syrlig frukt, med en leskende approach, med dybde mot ananas cocktail, søtlig konsentrert karamell, syrlig fersken og grønne ferske hage- epler. 

97-98p. 

 

The 2021 d'Yquem is composed of 65% Sémillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc. It has 148 grams per liter of residual sugar, making for a relatively rich style and the sweetest Yquem since 2017. Pale lemon-gold colored, perfumed notes of orange peel, juicy peaches, grapefruit, and honeycomb slowly emerge from the glass, followed by suggestions of jasmine tea, fresh ginger, and lime blossoms. The palate is fantastically satiny, with great tension and loads of spicy sparks complementing the citrusy flavors, finishing with epic length and a zesty lift. 54,000 bottles were made. The alcohol is 13.9%, and the pH is 3.79.

The 2020 Château d'Yquem a blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. It has 135 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.79. Pale lemon-gold colored, citrus and baking spice notes emerge slowly from the glass, rising to offer well-defined scents of candied ginger, orange blossoms, allspice, and almond tart, leading to a flamboyant core of peach cobbler, ripe, juicy pineapple, jasmine tea, and apple butter with a waft of saffron. The palate is full-bodied and characteristically rich, yet possesses impressive tension and therefore stunning harmony. Layers of exotic spices and fragrant white flower accents fill the palate, leading to a long finish with lingering chalk and mineral nuances. It’s a showy Yquem that is gregarious in youth but is reserving that extra something for those with the patience to wait twenty years or more.

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.

The 2018 d’Yquem has a pale to medium lemon-yellow color. It leaps from the glass with classic scents of preserved peaches, marmalade, and tropical notes, plus cedar, ginger, and honey. In the mouth it is rich, lively, layered, complex and very long and spicy. Yum! 

A blend of 75% Semillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, with 148 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.8, the 2017 Yquem has a pale lemon-gold color. It is a little shy to begin, featuring delicate scents of chalk dust, coriander seed, and lemongrass, leading to a profound core of apricots, fresh Bosc pears, and blanched almonds, plus a hint of wet slate. Full-on unctuous, the tension in the mouth is exhilarating, creating layer upon layer of stone fruits, minerals, and spices, finishing with epic length and amazing depth. It is powerful, with an alcohol level of 14% this year.

The 2016 Yquem has a pale lemon-gold color, with 135 grams per liter of residual sugar, 14.2 % of alcohol, and a pH of 3.8. It gallops out with energetic scents of lemon curd, peach preserves, and lime cordial, followed by suggestions of crème caramel, allspice, candied ginger, and pineapple upside-down cake. Exotic fruits and spices explode in the mouth, with a decadently creamy texture and amazing freshness, delivering layer upon layer, finishing with great energy and tons of mineral sparks. So decadent!

Sharp-sweet marmalade orange peel flavours. Utterly spellbinding, stretching out through the palate, mint leaf and white truffle on the finish. The higher Sémillon than in the 2019 comes through in the luxurious texture. A wonderful vintage at Yquem, and this is just a wine to savour - and one that will deliver for decades to come. Pierre Lurton director.

Inside Bordeaux

Pale straw-gold in color, the 2014 d'Yquem is a little subdued to start off, unfurling to reveal notes of candied orange peel, baked peaches, and beeswax plus touches of dried persimmon and mango. The palate delivers delightfully bright layers and a crisp backbone, finishing with great length and depth.

Mango, papaya, honningmelon ,tørket gul frukt, bakt sitron, sitroncurd, honning, bivoks, nøtt. Hint av eik og krydder.

A blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, with 141 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2011 Yquem, is pale to medium straw-gold in color. It needs a little coaxing to bring out notes of lemon tart, lime blossoms, chalk dust, and jasmine, leading to hints of shaved ginger and yuzu zest. The palate shimmers with intense citrus and mineral layers, framed by a racy backbone and a gorgeous satiny texture, finishing on a lingering ginger tea note.

superelegant, mango, fersken, ananas, honning - meget delikat og forfriskende.

A blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, with 155 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2009 Yquem has a pale to medium straw-gold color. It waltzes out with gregarious notions of key lime pie, orange blossoms, and juicy white peaches, followed by suggestions of ginger ale, wet pebbles, and allspice. The big, concentrated, decadently rich palate is fantastically balanced, with a laser-precise line of freshness cutting through the tightly wound layers, finishing very long, with loads of citrusy sparks.

A blend of 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, with 139 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.7, the 2008 Yquem is pale to medium gold in color. It leaps from the glass with vivacious notes of lemon marmalade, quince paste, and kiwi fruit, leading to suggestions of lemongrass, wet slate, almond croissant, and fallen leaves. The palate is completely coated with citrus and tropical fruit layers, supported by fantastic tension and a satiny texture, finishing long and electric.

A blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, with 137 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2007 Yquem has a pale to medium gold color. It slips sensuously from the glass with open-knit scents of apricot preserves, persimmon butter, and Golden Delicious apples, followed by hints of baking bread, aniseed, and wood smoke. The palate is concentrated, with alluring stone fruit and spiced apple layers, supported by just enough freshness, finishing long and opulently spicy.

Oh lord her treffer vi sweet-spoten. Appelsinmarmelade, bakte epler, tropisk frukt, honning, kaprifol, créme brulee, marsipan, nøtter. Helt fantastisk kompleks og mangefasettert vin. Sømløs som en klassisk symfoni. Balansert, konsentrert og vanvittig lang. Like godt egnet til meditasjon som til dessert. Årgangen ikke blant de beste i 200X, men uten tvil en av verdens desidert beste søtviner. Juleaften-øyeblikk hver gang jeg drikker dette!

Sylta aprikos, nektarin, honning, karamell, karamellisert steinfrukt, ananas, kokos-melk, 

Smak av aprikos, fersken, honning, karamell og ananas. Helt latterlig dypt og dumt, som alltid. Hakke mer fremtredende syre.

A blend of 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, with 129.4 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2004 Yquem was produced during Pierre Lurton's first year there. It is medium gold in color. Wow – it bursts from the glass with a wonderfully fragrant perfume of lemongrass, lime leaves, cinnamon stick, and orange blossoms, followed by hints of chopped nuts and crème brulée. The palate is an exercise in elegance and finesse, delivering bright, bold citrus and spice layers with a racy backbone, finishing with epic length. It is a wonderfully graceful, yet nonetheless intense, vintage. Pure energy.

A blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc, with 147 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2003 Yquem is medium gold-colored. It has a tantalizing nose of baked apricots, pear tart, and ginger cake, leading to wafts of crème brulée, praline, and coriander seed, with a touch of fallen leaves. The palate is concentrated and rich, for sure, but there is wonderful energy and freshness here, offering a decadently opulent finish.

A blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc, with 129.4 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2002 Yquem is medium gold in color. Wow - a wonderfully fragrant and intense nose wafts from the glass with notes of lime blossoms, chamomile tea, lemon verbena, and sea spray, followed by hints of allspice, fresh ginger, and chopped almonds, with a hint of baking bread. The palate is super vibrant, shimmering with energetic citrus and baking spice layers, finishing very long and minerally. It is aging very slowly.

The 2001 Yquem has a pale to medium gold color. The nose is a little closed to begin, slowly emerging with a complex array of notes of mango preserves, baked peaches, saffron, salted almonds, and candied ginger, followed by wafts of jasmine, honeycomb, and crème caramel. The palate is super-sweet, concentrated, and multi-layered, delivering wave after wave of opulent stone and tropical fruit flavors, supported by amazing tension and a satiny texture, finishing with epic length and lingering mineral notes. This is a wine I've tasted many times and it has never been less than the epitome of a Sauternes experience that is as cerebral as it is hedonic. The residual sugar is 150 grams per liter, which is on the high side, yet, incredibly, it wears this richness with such energy.

The 2000 d'Yquem is pale to medium gold-amber in color. Notes of dried orange peel, fallen leaves, lemon iced tea, and dried apricot slowly drift from the glass, leading to a waft of saffron. The palate seems relatively dry at this stage, with savory and lemon tea nuances and beautifully balanced acidity, finishing on a citrus peel note. The crop was very small this year, with 80% of the crop lost to rain at harvest. The blend is 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc with 128 g/l residual sugar, and 33,000 bottles were made.

The 1998 d'Yquem is pale to medium straw-gold in color. A delicate perfume of lime leaves, dried pineapple, Marcona almonds, and wet pebbles drifts languidly from the glass, leading to hints of allspice and creme caramel. The palate is light on its feet, with savory undertones giving gravitas to the playful tropical fruit and citrus flavors, finishing on a lingering chalky note. The residual sugar is 134.4 g/l.

Aprikos, mandarin, kandisert sitronskall, søtlig pære, honning, jasmin, nøtter, karamell og vaniljestang. Veldig intens nese. I munnen er det en smaksbombe av en vin. Det er ulike modne, gule frukter med krydret og søtlig karakter. Vinen har god balanse med en nydelig syrlig touch. Ettersmaken sitter veldig lenge. Dette er virkelig godteri for voksne! 


The 1995 d'Yquem is pale amber in color. Notes of ginger ale, allspice, chamomile tea, and dried mango drift effortlessly from the glass, followed by nuances of honeycomb, toasted almonds, and stewed tea. The palate is rich and powerful yet with amazing tension from the invigorating backbone of acidity, lending wonderful lift and energy through the long ginger and lemongrass-laced finish. Yum! The blend is 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc with 137 g/l residual sugar.

Pale to medium gold-amber in color, the 1990 d'Yquem charges out with powerful notes of cigar box, toffee, honey-coated walnuts, and dried apricots. After a little swirling, the nose reveals fragrant scents of sandalwood, candied orange peel, and nutmeg. The palate is rich and unctuous, packed with spicy layers and a decadently oily texture with plenty of freshness to balance, finishing long and opulent. The alcohol is 12.7% and the residual sugar 126 g/l.

Golden amber. Tropical nose with apricots, marmelade and candied orange peel. Fresh acidity. Playful. Caramel, botrytis, minty, apricots and toffee. Delicate and balanced. Very long.

Yquem is looked at as the very top estate from Sauternes. They produce around 60-70 000 bottles a year and have around 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Just superb wines with a great balance of sweetness and acidity.

Medium gold-amber in color, the 1988 d'Yquem waltzes out with graceful wafts of candied ginger, lemongrass, dried apricots, and creme caramel plus touches of fresh straw and crushed stones. The palate is racy, with a compelling grip to the texture and wonderfully savory/sweet layers, finishing on a lingering citrus pip note. The residual sugar is 123 g/l.

Pale to medium gold with a touch of amber in the color, the 1987 d'Yquem springs from the glass with spritely notes of preserved lemons, lime leaves, and candied orange peel plus hints of chamomile and ginger tea. The palate is elegantly styled and refreshing, with loads of citrus preserves layers and a very long zesty finish. Pierre says its like a crepe suzette, and he's right! The residual sugar is 101.8 g/l.

A hot, dry summer in Sauternes, after a difficult early season, and this was one of the latest vintages on record, with harvest really getting underway after a rainy spell in late October, followed by a dry, sunny November that saw picking continue right through the month (the château remembers that much of it took place under a blanket of picturesque mist). The result is extremely impressive, and even now there is a youthful kick to this Yquem. Expect plenty of biting marmalade, pineapple and orange peel, dried fruits layered with truffles, saffran, lemon confit, salted caramel and grilled cumin. Alexandre de Lur Saluces was heading up the estate in 1986, as he had been since the 1960s. 100% new oak for ageing.

The 1985 d'Yquem is medium gold-amber in color. Notions of dried orange blossom, beeswax, acacia honey, and roasted hazelnuts rise majestically from the glass, followed by wafts of fallen leaves and saffron. The palate makes your head spin with the complexity of swirling flavors, held together by a racy backbone and finishing with epic length. The residual sugar is 123 g/l.

The 1984 d'Yquem is medium gold-amber in color. The nose reveals a challenging vintage, with mushroomy/gray rot characters and hints of tree bark, wet slate, and stewed tea in the background. The sweetness redeems it slightly, with a crisp backbone, finishing earthy. Not Yquem's finest moment. The residual sugar is 109.6 g/l.

Medium to deep amber in color, the 1983 d'Yquem is a little sluggish and grumpy to start, soon opening out to reveal notes of burnt sugar, honey-coated walnuts, and white truffle with touches of orange marmalade and chamomile. The palate is rich and crisp, with a yin and yang kind of balance coming through on the long finish. The residual sugar is 119.2 g/l.

Granny Smith apple, silky and soft texture, fresh acidities, quince, saffron and truffle notes, along with gentle citrus. There is less concentration than in many years of Yquem, and it is on the plateau but will not improve further from here. Unlike the red wines of Bordeaux, 1982 was more complicated in Sauternes, and in the end just the earliest passes through the vineyard, during September, were used in the final blend. But this remains a magical wine, wonderful to take your time over. 108g/l sugar, one of the lowest on record. Alexandre de Lur Saluces director.

Medium gold-amber in color, the 1981 d'Yquem opens with subtle scents of while truffle, chalk dust, and saffron leading to a core of peach preserves and apple pie with a touch of burnt sugar. The palate is intense, with savory layers and a long minerally finish. The residual sugar is 112 g/l.

The 1980 d'Yquem is medium gold-amber in color. Delicate, mature notes of unsmoked cigars and tea leaves lead to a waft of toffee and wild mushrooms. The medium-bodied palate is savory, with dried berries and nice freshness, finishing peppery. The residual sugar is 94 g/l.

The 1975 Yquem has a medium amber color. The nose is a little shy to begin, soon opening out with amazingly youthful notes of lime cordial, blood orange, chamomile tea, and lemongrass, before giving way to wafts of acacia honey and toasted almonds. The elegantly styled, full-bodied palate delivers compelling tension, with vibrant citrus flavors and captivating floral sparks, finishing on a long, lingering marmalade note, with the slightest hint of that pleasant bitterness that comes with mature Sauternes.

The 1971 Yquem is medium to deep amber in color. The nose is a little broody and disappointingly flat to begin, but allow it about 15 to 30 minutes of aeration and it will wake up and sing with wonderfully nuanced notes of lemon verbena tea, preserved mandarin peel, and ginger cake, leading to fragrant wafts of honey-coated walnuts, brown sugar, and Earl Grey tea. The palate is refreshing and delicately styled – it seems relatively dry, in fact – with great tension and a zesty lift on the finish. A beautiful wine.

Tørket aprikos, appelsinmarmelade, kaffe, safran, karamell, kandisert frukt, saltede nøtter. Ekstremt lekkert. 

Amatør

Hint av noe oksidativt i stilen, men ellers klassisk, flott Y’quem av intens aprikos, nøtter, honning, karamell++

Sommelier

Helt fantastisk søtvin. Dufter brent smør, fat, karamell og honning. Selv etter så mange år er den på smak frisk og syrlig, ikke minst langt, med preg av bivoks, karamell og hint av appelsinskall. 
Kunne faktisk ha ligget enda lenger! 
Til tross for at årgangen ikke regnes som det beste, sto den til forventninger!

Varm årgang - honning, fersken, appelsin - fyldig - kunne vært høyere syre - pen lengde

The 1954 d'Yquem is pale amber-brown in color with a hint of green in the rim. It opens with an evocative perfume of Darjeeling tea, saffron, chamomile, and sea spray giving way to hints of lemongrass, fallen leaves, and dates. The palate cleverly masks its sweetness with loads of savory and tea-inspired layers and a refreshing backbone, finishing with a quiet intensity. According to Pierre Lurton, this was a "classic vintage".

Selvsagt en praktfull kulinarisk opplevelse!

Nesen treffes umiddelbart av en sødme-orientert, sør-fransk eim av tørket frukt, lotus og fiskebensparkett. Sklir gjennom munnviken og treffer ganen med en smak av noe jeg må beskrive ved ordet «frekt»…? 

Kombineres ypperlig med oksemarinert, safrankrydret lam, blandet sammen med rotgrønnsaker og chevré. 

Vinen er fra 1947, men jeg dro umiddelbart kulinariske paraleller (spesielt i tanninene og sødmen) til chevanaut comprix l’daemol sevagnán de les otre comptiné 1799. 

Vinens årgang bærer preg av, og må sees i lys av, etterkrigstid. Røyk-smaken, og vinens skarpe kropp avbilder slagmarkene på Normandie - forklarer tomhylsefeelingen. 

Sommelier Nord out, and as allways: live - laugh - drink exscuisite wine🥂🍷🍾🍇

Certified Sommelier

The 1945 Yquem has 164 grams per liter of residual sugar, which is the highest ever amount of residual sugar in Yquem. (2009 was the 2nd highest.) It is medium amber in color, with a hint of brown. Evocative notes of licorice, toasted hazelnuts, unsmoked cigars, and brown sugar tumble from the glass, followed by the most amazing perfume of rose oil and gingerbread. The voluptuous, decadently viscous, full-bodied palate is laden with layer upon layer of savory and spice flavors, featuring a perfectly knit backbone of acidity, finishing epically long and nutty. Just magic. Tasted at the Chateau in April 2023.

Knekk, lakris, kanel, appelsinmarmelade, på smak, fyldig, oljete, ren apelsinmarmelade, utrolig ren, en lettere versjon  av disse gamle, men uhyre ren, intens og lang.

The 1938 Yquem is deep brown in color. The nose bursts with a beguiling perfume of rose oil, cherry cola, raspberry preserves, and spice cake, with an undercurrent of praline. The palate seems quite dry with delicate floral, nut, and brown sugar flavors and a refreshing backbone, finishing long and saline. Pierre Lurton, president of Yquem, mentioned that this was a large harvest and that this is a fresher, rather than richer, face of Yquem.

The 1937 Yquem is medium amber-brown in color. The nose starts with provocative scents of musk perfume, cinnamon stick, and nutmeg, leading to a core of apple butter, dried persimmons, and burnt sugar, with a touch of praline. The intense, fantastically fragrant palate is relatively dry, with a racy backbone and a saline finish. Yquem's president, Pierre Lurton, mentioned that this was a late harvest which finished at the end of October, after no less than 23 days of picking.

En utrolig vin - en av få årganger hvor vinen er nesten sortfarget - ikke pga noe feil med vinen. Sjokolade, kaffe, nøtter, aprikos, honning. Sjelden intensitet, kompleksitet og lengde. En perfekt match til stekt foie gras. 

The 1924 Yquem has a deep amber-brown color. It emerges slowly from the glass with notions of rosehip tea, mocha, sassafras, and baked apple, giving way to hints of underbrush, toffee, and roasted walnuts. The palate is lively and fresh, with a semblance of dryness, supported by savory flavors, finishing on a lingering jasmine tea note.

Medium amber-brown in color with a faint green rim, the 1921 d’Yquem hits the ground running with a burst of energetic toffee, honey-glazed walnuts, and star anise notes. Over the next hour, scents of gingerbread, mocha, baked oranges, saffron, and apple butter emerge and recede in waves while the palate delivers super-rich, concentrated, creamy-textured sweetness with invigorating tension. The epically long honeyed walnut finish is sparked by notes of candied citrus peel with that compelling juxtaposition of sweet vs. bitterness that comes with great old Sauternes. Magic.

The 1908 Yquem is pale to medium brown in color, with a bright green rim. This has quite an intriguing nose of stewed black tea, beef bouillon, iron ore, and sultanas, leading to wafts of Indian spices and saffron. The palate seems very dry, with a lively backbone of acidity and loads of mineral and exotic spice layers, finishing on a lingering coffee note. A cooler vintage, according to Yquem’s president, Pierre Lurton, it has nonetheless stood the test of time.

Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes 7

Nærmest en parfyrmert nese av moden, sylta aprikos, fersken, florale urte toner, og vaniljestang. 

Smak av aprikos og lyse plommer. Veldig elegant, og latterlig bra balanse. Fin konsentrasjon. 

93-94p.



Category	Sweet wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. d'Yquem
Vintages	1996
Country	France, Bordeaux, Sauternes
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	14 %
Acid	3,7 %
Sugar	90 g/l

Packaging	Glass
Cork type	Naturkork
Selection	Uten utvalg
Wholesaler	AMKA AS
Carrier	Cuveco AS