x
  • Country ranking ?

    48
  • Producer ranking ?

    4
  • Decanting time

    3h
  • When to drink

    now to 2050
  • Food Pairing

    Enjoy without food

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

Close

There are few wines that can make yesterday and tomorrow the present and one ́s own physical being disapear. What remains is an empty, space momentarily possessed by the sense of taste so completely and powerfully that the whole of the surrounding world bows to that one perfect sensation. It is

almost impossible to describe that fleeting moment, perhaps because it is not possible to return to it with the help of one ́s thoughts or memories....

Close

The Story

The pleasure derived from tasting Yquem is difficult to describe.

It offers a myriad of well-balanced, complex flavours that generate even more harmonies over time. The impression that remains is reminiscent of a quote from Frédéric Dard "the silence that follows a piece by Mozart, in which the listener remains suffused with the music". This reflects the fact that Château d'Yquem stays on the palate for a remarkable long time, providing a u...

Close

Wine Information

Weather was unusual this year, with unrelenting drought conditions. Furthermore, frost during bud break limited the potential crop. 38 mm of rain on the 1st of September were responsible for the propagation of botrytis. The harvest started early and lasted a long time, with potential alcohol varying from 14 to 30°, offering a good reflection of the complexity offered by Yquem's diverse terroir. 1921 Yquem is very rich, and arguably the finest ...

Close

Vintage 1921

The weather conditions in Bordeaux during the 1921 growing season were instrumental in shaping the extraordinary character of the vintage. The year began with a mild winter, followed by a warm and dry spring. Summer brought ideal conditions, with consistent sunshine and warm temperatures, allowing the grapes to ripen fully. The harvest took place under clear skies, resulting in grapes of exceptional quality.

Bordeaux 1921 Reds: The best red...

Close

Average Bottle Price

2023 2021 2018 2015 2014 2012 2010 2005
7 210€ -0.3% 7 230€ -6.0% 7 690€ +14.1% 6 739€ +83.6% 3 671€ -52.0% 7 649€ +29.2% 5 922€ +22.0% 4 855€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Tasting note

color

Deep, Gold and Dark

ending

Endless, Lingering and Pure

flavors

Honey, Coffee, Vanilla, Creamy, Toasty and Mineral

nose

Open, Refined, Pure and Fresh

recommend

Yes

taste

Low alcohol content, Medium tannin, Well-structured, Concentrated, Perfectly balanced, Full-bodied, Fresh, Elegant, Firm, Medium-Sweet and Sweet tannins

Verdict

Outstanding and Masterpiece

Written Notes

Chateau bottled. This was the last year the Count Lur Saluces sold any wine in cask. Many of the surviving 1921 bottles are bottled by Van der Meulen in Belgium – these are inferior to the chateau-bottled versions. And here is the precise vintage report for the 1921 harvest at Chateau Yquem: In the spring, a sharp frost attacked the vine as it was sprouting. A lot of heat was then needed to obtain the perfect ripening and hoped-for concentration upon maturity. In 1921, conditions were just right. After the usual mid-August storm, the fine weather returned and continued until the fall, without being affected by the morning mists rising from the Garonne and the Ciron. The vines had never been watered so little, hence the unparalled richness and concentration of the grape juice. The pickers began work on September 13, and spent 39 days in the vineyard passing along each row five times. The ideal balance of 14-15 degrees of alcohol plus six degrees of potential alcohol (120 grams of sugar per litre) was easily obtained.
  • 87p

Lively tawny with some green notes. Very very deep colour in the bottle. Very very creamy nose, green. Fireworks - explosive. Elixir. Twang. Great ethereal lift. Tangy, twangy. Long and reverberating.

  • 100p
Vintage 1921 is considered as one of milestones in the history of the district. The wine here didn't quite match reputation of this vintage, but it can be explained by the fact, that "our" bottle was not château bottled. It was Belgian bottling, signed VanderMeulen. Orange brown. It displayed aroma of candied orange peel and real botrytis, big concentration, lot of nuances and had superb balance. Not quite a bull's eye, but anyway an impressive wine, which should last for 10 more years.
  • 94p
Load more notes

Information

Origin

Sauternes, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Excellent

Fake factory

Serious

Glass time

2h
Incorrect Information
If you found some information that is wrong, let us know
Are you sure you want do delete this wine? All information will be lost.
Are you sure you want to recommend this wine?
Are you sure you want hide this written note ?
Are you sure you want show this written note ?
UPGRADE MEMBER PLAN
Upgrade your membership now, it's quick and easy. We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards. Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Thank you for your support!
 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

 

Insight Member

 
Type a message ...
Register to Tastingbook
Sign up now, it's quick and easy.
We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards.
Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal, where you can sign up for a free 7-day trial period. You can cancel your membership at any time. We wish you a rewarding journey to the world of Fine Wines.

Free 7 days Member trial

 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

Insight Member

  Register