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  • Country ranking ?

    1 016
  • Producer ranking ?

    59
  • Decanting time

    1h30min
  • When to drink

    now to 2045
  • Food Pairing

    Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Lemon Curd

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.

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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 unique, prolonged pleasure. There is a lovely expression in French to describe Yquem's tremendously long aftertaste: il fait la queue du paon, which means that it spreads out like a peacock's tail.

 

It is always difficult to describe wine-tasting experiences with any precision. The senses of sight, smell, taste and touch are all stimulated virtually at the same time. While gifted tasters can identify some of the aromas and flavours in a glass of Yquem in an effort to define its complexity, they never really succeed in communicating its essence or explaining its mystery. Mere analysis, whether chemical or organoleptic, is not sufficient to account for Yquem's greatness. Yquem tells a unique story... It starts with the bouquet. Although not always very outgoing in young vintages, it is marked by fruit (apricot, mandarin, and occasionally tropical fruit) and oak (vanilla and toasty aromas). Older vintages, on the other hand, have an extraordinarily complex fragrance as soon as the bottle is opened, with hints of dried fruit (dried apricot, prune, stewed fruit, and marmalade), spice (cinnamon, saffron, and liquorice), and even flowers (lime blossom, etc.). The first impression of Château d'Yquem on the palate is always very silky, and often sumptuous. It then fills out, "coating the palate". This fine wine has a strong, but never overbearing character, with great elegance and poise. It always maintains a balance between sugar and acidity (sweetness and freshness). A touch of bitterness can also contribute to the overall harmony. Château d'Yquem's aftertaste is legendary, and it tells another story, which lasts and lasts…

Certain connoisseurs consider it outrageous to drink a young Yquem and believe that opening such a monumental wine before its thirtieth birthday is tantamount to a sacrilege. Others, on the contrary, think that Yquem can be enjoyed at all stages in its life.

 

Chateau d`Yquem is often described as the greatest sweet wine in the world. After centuries of family ownership, Yquem was was bought by Louis Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy in 1999. Its former owner and director Alexandre de Lur-Saluce remains in charge. Yquem is located on the highest hill in Sauternes and enjoys the best growing conditions in the whole appellation. The 110-hectare vineyard is planted with 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Only fully botrytized fruit is picked by the 150 highly skilled pickers and yields are so low that each vine produces only one glass of wine. Yquem is fermented in oak barrels (100% new) and is left in barriques to mature for up to 36 months. Intensely opulent when young, Yquem develops an extraordinary complexity and exotic richness when fully mature, with the best vintages lasting for over 50 years. Château d'Yquem is classified as a 1er Cru Classé supérieur.

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Wine Information

Very good weather with moderate temperatures and dryness. The grapes were well on the way to becoming excellent, but a major hail storm hit on the 13th of June, wiping out half the crop. A fine first pass was made in late September. Light showers served as a catalyst to botrytis, enabling a second pass combining quality and quantity to be made. A final pass was took place on the 27th of October. A great success at Yquem.

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Vintage 1950

Looking more closely at the decade, attention should also be drawn to the 1950 Bordeaux vintage, which offered more quantity than quality - with a few exceptions. Due to the relatively rainy summer, expectations for the year were not very high, but the change in weather at the end of the year made it a good year, and even excellent in some areas. The wines did not have the full and balanced character of the previous year. They were rather noted for their very tannic quality. But the wines have matured with surprising grace. Many wines became more harmonious as the tannins faded.

Two vintage gems are the Cheval Blanc and the Pétrus. On the other hand, Graves La-Mission-Haut-Brion is an exceptional wine. Although the best wines are at the peak of their drinkability right now, they will remain there for years to come. Due to the large harvest and very modest reputation of the vintage, these wines can be found at very affordable prices.

 

 

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Tasting note

color

Deep, Brownish and Dark

ending

Long, Lingering and Vibrant

flavors

Apricot, Toasty, Honey and Dried-fruit

nose

Open, Complex and Refined

recommend

Yes

taste

Average in Acidity, Balanced, Well-Integrated, Complex, Mature, Medium-bodied, Elegant, Full and Sweet

Written Notes

Gosh, I see I have been lucky enough to taste this four times, three of them sublime. This was a lovely tawny, fox-reddish colour and was wonderfully creamy-textured with bitter orange flavours plus almonds/marzipan notes,  Great freshness and vibrancy. Wonderful richness. A great bottle of Yquem.

  • 100p
It was almost a true copy of 1953, but a bit lighter. Tasted however equally delicious. It will probably peak before the expected apogee for 1953. This much graceful wine did impress a lot.
  • 93p
A dark, deep brownish yellow colour. The closed nose offers a hint of botrytic, honeyish and marmaladey nuances as well as raisin. The palate is sweet and broad, toasty and plummy. The finish is very long, reminiscent of dried raisins. A drying wine with some degree of fruitiness left. Will not improve with ageing anymore. Decanted for 2.5 hours. Lasts one hour in the glass.
  • 90p
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Information

Origin

Sauternes, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Above Average

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Below Average

Fake factory

None
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