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  • Country ranking ?

    429
  • Producer ranking ?

    23
  • Decanting time

    3h
  • When to drink

    now to 2040
  • Food Pairing

    Walnut Torte

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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Neal Martin

“This performed brilliantly at the Roberson's vertical, even outclassing the lauded 1997! A moderate golden hue. The nose is closed at first, very muted as it was before. But the palate is where it is all going on: honey, white peach, excellent levels of botrytis with a touch of barleysugar and spice towards the finish. Very long, blossoming in the glass with the reluctant nose eventually offering some lovely coconut and almond ...

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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 u...

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Wine Information

Weather in 1996: The weather was hot and dry throughout much of the growing season, except for 2 weeks of unexpectedly cool temperatures in September that made for the ideal ripening of grapes that were already in superb condition. Rain arrived at just the right time and soon after it was time to harvest a very homogeneous crop.

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Vintage 1996

The 1996s stand as a “classic” Bordeaux year, although – as Jancis Robinson MW has written – not in the “skinny” sense; although Farr Vintners’ director, Tom Hudson, told the drinks business that it was perhaps a “very good” rather than a “truly great” year as it wasn’t uniformly excellent across the region.

By way of a recap, 1996 was a particularly sterling vintage for Médoc wines. The Berry Bros & Rudd website extolls: “This is one of th...

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Tasting note

color

Light, Yellow and Healthy

ending

Long, Round and Flavorful

flavors

Voluptuous and Honey

nose

Intense, Fresh, Opulent and Refined

recommend

Yes

taste

Concentrated, Balanced, Medium-bodied, Rich, Round and Harmonious

Verdict

Well-rounded and Sophisticated

Written Notes

RS 130 g/l, TA 4 g/l. An academic vintage – Sandrine’s first. Guy Latrille left in 1997. Great balance. Mid copper. Very firm barley-sugar nose. Very rich and so concentrated. Lovely firmness. Brilliant fruit without being that sweet. Wax and depth and great tanginess. Very flexible with food, I should think. Medium weight and very very appetising, with a touch of chew on the end. Orange peel, muscularity. This one goes to the gym. Real lemony interest.

  • 95p

It amazes me how different this vintage is yet again in full size bottle compared to in demi. Golden, fresh and lively with apricots, pineapple and ample botrytis. Feels so much more refined, balanced and layered, more accomplished and put together. Superb balance and length, very refreshing. 95

  • 95p

A half bottle with a bright amber colour. The nose is complex and rich with aroma reminiscent of dried apricots, passionfruit and mango jam, vanilla and hints of gingerbread spices, vanilla and dried pineapple in the background. On the palate opulent sweetness balanced by fine acidity, lingering aftertaste with dried yellow stone fruit and honey. A very pleasant wine which is approaching its peak in the half bottle. 96/100

  • 96p
Tasted four times - last time in June 2014. Consistent notes. Pale yellow. Possessed extremely sophisticated and intense nose with aroma of dried apricot and honey melon, and was incredibly well composed on the palate with oceans of nuances and lots of sweet peaches and apricots. Due to high sugar content, it simply stuck to the tongue. It's a really classic effort from château – 20-30 years horizontally. This wine tasted in June 2014 wasn't as impressive as bottles tasted on three previous occasions - older, less concentrated and shorter on the finish.
  • 97p
Good looking normal size bottle, in an excellent condition and has bottom neck level. Colour is yellow, and looking healthy, deep and youthful . On the nose it is wide, refined, fresh and opulent. The taste is round, full, harmonious, silky, fragrant, medium-bodied and with balanced structure. The finish is medium long, round, lingering and flavorful. This wine is sophisticated,wonderful and fine. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 20-30 years and decant at least 2h before tasting. Good value for money.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 93p
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Information

Origin

Sauternes, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Investment potential

Good

Fake factory

None

Glass time

2h

Inside Information

Light gold with a tight but promising nose of roasted hazelnuts intermixed with creme brulee, vanilla beans, honey, orange marmalade, and peaches, this medium to full-bodied offering reveals loads of power in its restrained, measured personality. There is admirable acidity, weight, texture, and purity in this impeccably made Yquem. However, patience will be a virtue. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2060.

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