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d'Yquem 2016

Château d'Yquem, Bordeaux, France

Château d'Yquem
Bordeaux France
  • 99
    Points
  • The 296 best
    of 3 290 954
    wines globally
  • 18 Pros of
    19 recommend
    this wine
1120 99
  • Taste
  • Moment

  • Country ranking ?

    249

  • Producer ranking ?

    15

  • Decanting time

    4h

  • When to drink

    from 2025

  • 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.

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The 2016 d'Yquem is a magical wine. It also looks like an Yquem that will drink well right out of the gate. Like so many of the better wines in this vintage, it manages to express richness while avoiding excess heaviness. Pineapple, orange marmalade, exotic flowers and spice all blossom in the glass. There is a real sense of phenolic richness and overall viscosity to the 2016 that adds to the wine'...

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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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Vintage 2016

2016 Bordeaux in Review  “A Paradox”

by Andrew Caillard MW

The 2016 Bordeaux vintage will be remembered as one of the great years of the 21st Century. I have not been so excited about the prospects of such young wines since the remarkable back-to-back 2009 and 2010 vintages. At that time China was at the zenith of its extraordinary fine wine ascendency where the very top estates, particularly Chateau Lafite, had become a baksheesh curren...

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Tasting note

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Written Notes

In the glass, it shimmers with a radiant, golden amber hue, reflecting its opulence and maturity. The nose is a captivating tapestry of honeyed apricots, candied citrus peel, and hints of vanilla and white flowers. Aromas swirl like a sweet breeze on a summer day. On the palate, this Sauternes wine is a harmonious blend of lusciousness and freshness. Flavors of ripe peaches, pineapple, and honeycomb are balanced by a vibrant acidity that dances on the tongue.The finish is a lingering caress of honeyed sweetness and a subtle touch of toasted almonds, leaving an enduring impression of elegance.


Château d'Yquem 2016 is the epitome of Sauternes excellence. It encapsulates the richness, complexity, and longevity that make it a legendary sweet wine. Pair this extraordinary Sauternes with foie gras, crème brûlée, blue cheese, or a platter of fresh tropical fruits. It is also a delightful companion to moments of indulgence and celebration.

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  • 97p

 Served blind. Nuanced, detailed, fruit driven, grapefruits and peach, pineapples notes nose. Fresh acidity, fruit driven, nuanced, juicy, detailed, elegant texture, lighter mid palate, long. 

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  • 96p

Bright yellow colour with slightly green hue. Expressive nose with ripe fruit, orange zest, mango and granadilla, candied Angelica. On the palate well-structured and balanced with rich character, excellent length. 

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  • 96p

Tasted in November 2021. Late harvest, which ended at the beginning of November. Greatly intense nose of pear, peach and melon, sheer power on the palate, great acidity but not as remarkable as in 2014 vintage. Fabulous intensity, great depth and length. Sophisticated effort. 

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  • 97p

Pale colour. Fresh honeysuckle, apricot aromas with guava, lemon glacé notes. Generous and medium weighted with lovely sweet white apricot, white peach, baked apple, honey aromas. The palate is classical with intense sweet fruit lemon glacé, apricot marzipan flavours, supple mid-palate textures and pure long fresh acidity. Finishes minerally and flavourful with chalky elements. Lovely precision and freshness. Will not be released en primeur but a strong performing reference for this vintage. Tasted at Ch d'Yquem. 97 points

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  • 97p
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Information

Origin

Sauternes, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Inside Information

Today sees the highly-anticipated release of the 2016 vintage of Château d’Yquem, described as "a magical wine" and "the cream of the 2016 Sauternes crop” by critics Antonio Galloni (Vinous) and Jancis Robinson. Bristling with verve, the 2016 is rich and ripe with a texture like lace. Yquem has that amazing ability to be bothunctuous and dense whilst retaining a real sense of the ethereal.

 

In Jancis Robinson’s words, Château d’Yquem is the “greatest wine of Sauternes, and according to the famous 1855 Classification, of the entire Bordeaux region.”Unquestionably the most famous sweet wine on the planet and arguably the finest, Yquem holds a special place in the hearts of wine lovers all around the world and was placed in a category all of its own in the 1855 Classification, as the only Premier Cru Supérieur in Sauternes.

 

Consistently highly rated by world renowned critics, Yquem is one of the few wines in the world that unites opinion, with critics clamouring to praise its depth, precision and intensity. Though the wine is sweet, the level of acidity keeps the wine fresh and lively, creating an incredible capacity for ageing, with bottles from the 1800s described as still drinking beautifully 100 years later.

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