2020 Ch d'Yquem 1er cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£740.00 In Bond £899.57 Inc VAT (£149.92 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, March 2023
A gently ripe nose, full of decadent sun kissed lemon curd, apricot blossom, orange zest and pure quince jelly, it's richly luscious and oh-so inviting. On the palate, it's soft and honeyed at the start, with a full and hugely rich mouthfeel. The flavours follow the nose with more orange blossom notes and lifted aromatics. It's all balanced with high levels of acidity, and an almost mouth coating grip. It finishes with a gentle toasted honeycomb and cinnamon spice notes. Warm and long on the finish, this is an intense and delicious Yquem.
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Goedhuis, March 2023
A gently ripe nose, full of decadent sun kissed lemon curd, apricot blossom, orange zest and pure quince jelly, it's richly luscious and oh-so inviting. On the palate, it's soft and honeyed at the start, with a full and hugely rich mouthfeel. The flavours follow the nose with more orange blossom notes and lifted aromatics. It's all balanced with high levels of acidity, and an almost mouth coating grip. It finishes with a gentle toasted honeycomb and cinnamon spice notes. Warm and long on the finish, this is an intense and delicious Yquem.
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Neal Martin, Junw 2023, Score: 97
The 2020 Yquem, a blend of 75% Semillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, cropped at a measly 10hl/ha, has a very sensual bouquet. It’s pretty mercurial as it unfolds in the glass, with scents of freshly sliced white peaches, almonds and pineapple. The oak is beautifully integrated, and allowing it further time, there are additional scents of Vervain tea, pressed white flowers and saffron. The palate makes an immediate impact with a mineral-rich, surprisingly saline entry that lends it edginess right from the off. The poise in this Yquem rivets you to the spot. Compared to recent vintages, this keeps everything buttoned down and tightly controlled until the finish, whereupon it fans out with nascent swagger. Stem ginger, caramelized pear and orange rind notes are delivered with excellent delineation. This animated and opulent Yquem is destined to age gracefully over the coming decades. Drink 2040-2100.
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LPB, March 2023, Score: 97+
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.
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1999 Ch d'Yquem 1er Cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes New Released 01/02/2025
£1,522.33 Inc VAT (£126.86 Per Bottle) £1,268.61 Duty Paid-
James Suckling, June 04, Score: 94
'The 1999 was particularly impressive for the vintage. It was superbly focused and beautiful on thenose, with sugared lemons, tropical fruits and maple syrup character. Full-bodied and thick, yet very fine, it was extremely sweet and long. 94 points.' - James Suckling, Wine Spectator, June 2004
MIX Ch d'Yquem 1er cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes Mixed Vintages, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 2011
£1,642.33 Inc VAT (£273.72 Per Bottle) £1,350.00 In Bond2019 Ch d'Yquem 1er cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£660.00 In Bond £803.17 Inc VAT (£133.86 Per Bottle)-
Neal Martin, February 2022, Score: 98
Owners LVMH took the decision to delay the release of the 2019 Yquem until spring 2022. It was tasted with winemaker Sandrine Garbay in London. After the summer drought when Sauternes received just 2.5mm of rain until 26 July, that day saw a 112mm deluge that replenished underground reserves and gave ripening the push it needed. Dry and warm conditions prevailed throughout September when there was no sign of botrytis infection. That was finally provoked by 38mm of rain between 21 and 25 of September, followed by warm clement weather. After minor picking of Sauvignon Blanc on 7 of October, the main harvest began in earnest on 10 October. Pickers worked over the following five days, including Sunday. Time was of the essence because, as forecasts predicted, the weather suddenly changed on 14 of October with 40mm or rain. After that, the picking teams skirted between showers between 17 and 22 of October, though by now the fruit had begun to deteriorate. Therefore, the key aspect of this Yquem is the extremely tight picking window. The final blend contains 138g/L residual sugar, which is slightly less than the previous vintage, with 5.5g/L total acidity and 14.4% alcohol. Tasting the 2019, I noticed that it has a slightly paler hue compared to recent vintages (though I never read too much into the colour of young Sauternes.) For certain, it has a highly-aromatic bouquet that is beguiling in purity, enticing aromas of honeysuckle and saffron, soon joined by camomile, white flowers and orange blossom. It has wonderful delineation and gains intensity with aeration. The palate is supremely well-balanced with fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious and armed with just the right amount of viscosity, this Yquem is surprisingly understated at first but gains presence, offering irresistible flavours of layers of honey, lemongrass, lemon thyme and orange pith. Yquem is so tempting in its youth, but I feel that this vintage will repay those with the nous to cellar for at least a decade.
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Neal Martin, February 2022, Score: 98
Owners LVMH took the decision to delay the release of the 2019 Yquem until spring 2022. It was tasted with winemaker Sandrine Garbay in London. After the summer drought when Sauternes received just 2.5mm of rain until 26 July, that day saw a 112mm deluge that replenished underground reserves and gave ripening the push it needed. Dry and warm conditions prevailed throughout September when there was no sign of botrytis infection. That was finally provoked by 38mm of rain between 21 and 25 of September, followed by warm clement weather. After minor picking of Sauvignon Blanc on 7 of October, the main harvest began in earnest on 10 October. Pickers worked over the following five days, including Sunday. Time was of the essence because, as forecasts predicted, the weather suddenly changed on 14 of October with 40mm or rain. After that, the picking teams skirted between showers between 17 and 22 of October, though by now the fruit had begun to deteriorate. Therefore, the key aspect of this Yquem is the extremely tight picking window. The final blend contains 138g/L residual sugar, which is slightly less than the previous vintage, with 5.5g/L total acidity and 14.4% alcohol. Tasting the 2019, I noticed that it has a slightly paler hue compared to recent vintages (though I never read too much into the colour of young Sauternes.) For certain, it has a highly-aromatic bouquet that is beguiling in purity, enticing aromas of honeysuckle and saffron, soon joined by camomile, white flowers and orange blossom. It has wonderful delineation and gains intensity with aeration. The palate is supremely well-balanced with fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious and armed with just the right amount of viscosity, this Yquem is surprisingly understated at first but gains presence, offering irresistible flavours of layers of honey, lemongrass, lemon thyme and orange pith. Yquem is so tempting in its youth, but I feel that this vintage will repay those with the nous to cellar for at least a decade.
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Decanter, February 2022, Score: 97
The 2019 vintage of Château d'Yquem has the highest proportion (45%) of Sauvignon Blanc in any modern Yquem. The Sauvignon Blanc adds to the freshness, acting as a great balance to the succulent, sweet and voluptuous palate. Intense peach and apricot, combined with lemon and orange zest, make this highly appealing to drink right away – an ideal vintage with which to start Yquem’s ‘lighthouse’ project. However, it would be a shame not to give this 10+ years maturation to see how it develops. Very well, I suspect. Drinking Window 2025 – 2060. 97 points Andy Howard MW, Decanter.
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Matthew Jukes, February 2022, Score: 19+
Superbly exotic, wonderfully complete and seemingly very smooth, pure and buoyant already, this is an immensely pleasing wine, and it is surprisingly floral and open. There is fabulous length here and yet the flavour and delivery are controlled, rolling deliberately across the palate slowly, steadily, metronomically. It is akin to a bracing Atlantic wave rising in the ocean, breaking, cascading and then gliding up a broad beach in slow motion, whereupon the fruit notes subside into your tastes buds as the water does into the sand, only to be repeated. There is a slightly exotic edge here, too, with lime blossom and hints of lemongrass, but the creaminess and florality underneath are familiar and welcoming. This is not a muscular wine but a soothing style, and it is also not overly closed or tense either. While there is an undercurrent of acidity which nips at the heels of the flavour, it serves to refresh the palate, and while I very much enjoyed sipping away at my glass today, there is undoubtedly a forty or fifty-year life ahead, if you have the patience. In terms of the colour, which is pale with discreet green tinges (which match the citrus theme on the nose and palate), Sandrine explained that this was a unique Yquem in terms of its blend. My tasting notes reflect this – I have never used some of these descriptors or mental images before. Surely Yquem is supposed to be more imposing, structured, orange-peel-imbued and oleaginous? Not in 2019. There is a huge percentage of Sauvignon in this vintage, as you will see above, and the previous highest portion in a bottle of Yquem was 30%, so this record has been obliterated in 2019. As one might expect, Sandrine elaborated that she and her team do the blending blind, and the finest balanced combination of these two grapes just happened to include 45% Sauvignon Blanc. Of course, if you re-read the vintage conditions, you will see that Sauvignon was employed to add freshness and acidity to blend to balance the peculiar depth of flavour found in the Semillon in 2019 – directly a result of the warm summer. It is strange to think that Sauvignon Blanc does some of the ‘heavy-lifting’ in 2019! She posited that where once noble rot affected the Sauvignon a little too early in the autumn, climate change has meant that it is riper when the noble rot joins forces with the bunches and it is a particularly serendipitous occurrence in 2019. It has meant that the wine might be lighter-framed and curiously weightless on the palate, it lacks nothing in intrigue, sheer pleasure and prodigious length. As an aside, 2020 is apparently a more predictable blend, with some parcels being affected by passerillage (this is a phenomenon where the grapes become air-dried and slightly shrivelled, and therefore more sugar-concentrated), as opposed to being noble rot affected. So in 2020, the blend is more classical and with passerillage bringing in the life-giving acidity instead of utilising a more significant percentage of Sauvignon Blanc. All of this information was fascinating, and it goes to show that every single vintage of this magnificent wine tells a different story. For the record, I think that 2019 is a particularly magical wine and, as you will see below, more people than ever are likely to have the opportunity to taste it.
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Jane Anson, March 2022, Score: 97
Clear push and pull between acidity and lusciousness from the first moments. A higher percentage of Sauvignon Blanc than in a typical year, showing in sculpted gunsmoke and white truffle on the opening beats. Fresher flavours continue with lemongrass and lime zest, broadening out into luscious mango, grilled caramel, pineapple and brioche, and a welcome edge of bitterness on the finish with mandarin peel and oyster shell salinity. As has so often been the case in recent years, the team at Yquem needed to hold their nerve, as a dry September meant the noble rot took its time to get underway, with harvest finally taking place from around October 10 though to early November. 138g/l residual sugar, 10hl/h yield. Organic conversion began in August 2019, with certification expected 2022. Winemaker Sandrine Garbay.
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2020 Y d'Yquem Ygrec Bordeaux
£295.70 Inc VAT (£295.70 Per Bottle) £240.00 In Bond-
Robert Parker, Score: 91-93
A dry white wine made from two-thirds Semillon and one-third Sauvignon from the vineyards of Yquem, Ygrec was first introduced in 1959, and around 1,000 cases are produced each year. An exquisite white Bordeaux, while it does possess a high level of residual sugar (8%-9%), 90% of the people who taste it would say it is completely dry because of its high acids and low pH. A brilliant effort, the 2012 was harvested between September 25 and October 25. It should drink well for 8-12 years.
2020 Ch d'Yquem 1er cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£525.00 In Bond £637.70 Inc VAT (£637.70 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, March 2023
A gently ripe nose, full of decadent sun kissed lemon curd, apricot blossom, orange zest and pure quince jelly, it's richly luscious and oh-so inviting. On the palate, it's soft and honeyed at the start, with a full and hugely rich mouthfeel. The flavours follow the nose with more orange blossom notes and lifted aromatics. It's all balanced with high levels of acidity, and an almost mouth coating grip. It finishes with a gentle toasted honeycomb and cinnamon spice notes. Warm and long on the finish, this is an intense and delicious Yquem.
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Goedhuis, March 2023
A gently ripe nose, full of decadent sun kissed lemon curd, apricot blossom, orange zest and pure quince jelly, it's richly luscious and oh-so inviting. On the palate, it's soft and honeyed at the start, with a full and hugely rich mouthfeel. The flavours follow the nose with more orange blossom notes and lifted aromatics. It's all balanced with high levels of acidity, and an almost mouth coating grip. It finishes with a gentle toasted honeycomb and cinnamon spice notes. Warm and long on the finish, this is an intense and delicious Yquem.
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Neal Martin, Junw 2023, Score: 97
The 2020 Yquem, a blend of 75% Semillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, cropped at a measly 10hl/ha, has a very sensual bouquet. It’s pretty mercurial as it unfolds in the glass, with scents of freshly sliced white peaches, almonds and pineapple. The oak is beautifully integrated, and allowing it further time, there are additional scents of Vervain tea, pressed white flowers and saffron. The palate makes an immediate impact with a mineral-rich, surprisingly saline entry that lends it edginess right from the off. The poise in this Yquem rivets you to the spot. Compared to recent vintages, this keeps everything buttoned down and tightly controlled until the finish, whereupon it fans out with nascent swagger. Stem ginger, caramelized pear and orange rind notes are delivered with excellent delineation. This animated and opulent Yquem is destined to age gracefully over the coming decades. Drink 2040-2100.
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LPB, March 2023, Score: 97+
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.
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2008 Ch d'Yquem 1er Cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£2,485.00 In Bond £3,025.07 Inc VAT (£252.08 Per Bottle)-
Neal Martin, February 2012, Score: 96
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Neal Martin, February 2012, Score: 96
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Neal Martin, May 2011, Score: 96
The 2008 Yquem, now in bottle, has a nuanced bouquet, with scents of clear honey, lime flower, vanilla and orange blossom that is beautifully defined. The palate is very harmonious on the entry, with a fine thread of acidity, tense and full of energy like the 2010 tasted alongside, with notes of white peach, citrus lemon, clear honey and a hint of quince. Long and persistent on the finish, this is a very fine Yquem that might be over-looked between the 2007 and 2009, but is a superb Sauternes in its own right. Drink 2014-2050.
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Neal Martin, April 2009, Score: 95-97
Coming in with 139 degrees residual sugar and a pH of 4.75, this is an Yquem that is unequivocally top of the pile in 2008. A light straw color with green tints in the glass. The bouquet is just wonderful, very perfumed with aromas of apricot, acacia honey and white flowers. A degree less clarity than the 2007, but perhaps more nuanced, more honeyed. The palate is a little more viscous than the 2007, lacquers the mouth with honey, apricot and orange zest. Very harmonious, the finish vibrant and edgy, real tension and energy in this Yquem. Very focused on the finish – not the “peacocks” tail of flavors that one finds on truly great vintages. But there is a surreal level of elegance and poise – an understated Yquem that should age effortlessly and returning to the glass it graces you with hints of almond and a dash of spice. In 2008, the king is king. P.S. RMP rated this blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon (94-96)
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Robert Parker
Coming in with 139 degrees residual sugar and a pH of 4.75, this is an Yquem that is unequivocally top of the pile in 2008. A light straw color with green tints in the glass. The bouquet is just wonderful, very perfumed with aromas of apricot, acacia honey and white flowers. A degree less clarity than the 2007, but perhaps more nuanced, more honeyed. The palate is a little more viscous than the 2007, lacquers the mouth with honey, apricot and orange zest. Very harmonious, the finish vibrant and edgy, real tension and energy in this Yquem. Very focused on the finish – not the “peacocks” tail of flavors that one finds on truly great vintages. But there is a surreal level of elegance and poise – an understated Yquem that should age effortlessly and returning to the glass it graces you with hints of almond and a dash of spice. In 2008, the king is king.
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Robert Parker
Coming in with 139 degrees residual sugar and a pH of 4.75, this is an Yquem that is unequivocally top of the pile in 2008. A light straw color with green tints in the glass. The bouquet is just wonderful, very perfumed with aromas of apricot, acacia honey and white flowers. A degree less clarity than the 2007, but perhaps more nuanced, more honeyed. The palate is a little more viscous than the 2007, lacquers the mouth with honey, apricot and orange zest. Very harmonious, the finish vibrant and edgy, real tension and energy in this Yquem. Very focused on the finish – not the “peacocks” tail of flavors that one finds on truly great vintages. But there is a surreal level of elegance and poise – an understated Yquem that should age effortlessly and returning to the glass it graces you with hints of almond and a dash of spice. In 2008, the king is king.
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Wine Advocate, April 2009, Score: 95-97
Coming in with 139 degrees residual sugar and a pH of 4.75, this is an Yquem that is unequivocally top of the pile in 2008. A light straw color with green tints in the glass. The bouquet is just wonderful, very perfumed with aromas of apricot, acacia honey and white flowers. A degree less clarity than the 2007, but perhaps more nuanced, more honeyed. The palate is a little more viscous than the 2007, lacquers the mouth with honey, apricot and orange zest. Very harmonious, the finish vibrant and edgy, real tension and energy in this Yquem. Very focused on the finish - not the "peacocks" tail of flavors that one finds on truly great vintages. But there is a surreal level of elegance and poise - an understated Yquem that should age effortlessly and returning to the glass it graces you with hints of almond and a dash of spice. In 2008, the king is king. P.S. RMP rated this blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon (94-96)
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Jancis Robinson, April 2009, Score: 18
Quiet on the nose. More spiced pear and apricot than orange. Lovely concentration. Spiced power, depth and quite warm on the finish. Fresh in a powerful rather than a delicate way. Dense and long. Rich and well integrated oak though there's lots of spice all the way through. A less delicate style than many in this vintage. (JH)
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2001 Ch d'Yquem 1er Cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£4,600.00 In Bond £5,563.07 Inc VAT (£927.17 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, January 2007
The 2001 Yquem was a delight to taste. Neither heavy nor overly rich, it was the perfect symphonic blend of notes that offered clean, crisp flavours of delicate flowers, sugared almonds, cinnamon and yellow plums. It is superbly pure and mineral with excellent freshness and pronounced elegance. Enchanting as it may be, it will need several more years of cellaring before it will truly blossom. Drink 2013 - 2040+.
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Goedhuis, January 2007
The 2001 Yquem was a delight to taste. Neither heavy nor overly rich, it was the perfect symphonic blend of notes that offered clean, crisp flavours of delicate flowers, sugared almonds, cinnamon and yellow plums. It is superbly pure and mineral with excellent freshness and pronounced elegance. Enchanting as it may be, it will need several more years of cellaring before it will truly blossom. Drink 2013 - 2040+.
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Robert Parker, September 2005, Score: 100
"There are 10,000 cases of this perfect sweet white Bordeaux. The 2001 Yquem reveals a hint of green in its light gold color. While somewhat reticent aromatically, with airing, it offers up honeyed tropical fruit, orange marmalade, pineapple, sweet creme brulee, and buttered nut-like scents. In the mouth, it is full-bodied with gorgeously refreshing acidity as well as massive concentration and unctuosity. Everything is uplifted and given laser-like focus by refreshing acidity. This large-scaled, youthful Yquem appears set to take its place among the most legendary vintages of the past, and will age effortlessly for 75+ years." 100 points Robert Parker
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James Suckling, September 2005, Score: 100
Here is my tasting note: This is the greatest young Yquem I have ever tasted from bottle. Yellow color with a golden hue and an almost green tint. It shows intense aromas of botrytis with spices and blanched almonds that follow through to honey, maple syrup, dried apricots and pineapples. Full-bodied and very sweet, it is thick and powerful with layers of fruit and a bright finish. It coats your palate, yet remains lively and exciting. It is wonderfully balanced and refined, showing the class and pedigree that only this Sauternes estate can deliver. The winemakers at Yquem says it's their greatest modern wine ever. They have not exaggerated. This is best to drink after 2012.
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1998 Ch d'Yquem 1er Cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£1,581.54 Inc VAT (£131.79 Per Bottle) £1,300.00 In Bond-
Robert Parker, October 2003, Score: 95
The 1998 Chateau Yquem was released several months ago. This estate does not allow tasting from cask (where the wine spends 42 months), and it is not released until five years after the vintage. The 1998 Yquem (95 points) is a great success. Made in an elegant style, it is not a blockbuster such as 1990, 1989, and 1988. It is well-delineated, with wonderfully sweet aromas of creme brulee, pineapples, apricots, and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it is not as sweet as the biggest/richest Yquem vintages, but it is gorgeously pure, precise, and strikingly complex. Already approachable, it should evolve for 30-50 years ... without a doubt. Drink: 2003-2053.
1997 Ch d'Yquem 1er Cru Classé Supérieur Sauternes
£1,550.00 In Bond £1,882.33 Inc VAT (£156.86 Per Bottle)-
Goedhuis, January 2007
The grapes in 1997 were picked 6-7 times which, to Pierre Lurton, has added a synergy to the wine. As a result, its complexity comes from the grapes as well as its terroir. Medium gold in colour, the 1997 sparkled in the glass exuding aromatics of orange peel, dried peach and apple, and freshly cut straw. Not as unctuous as the 2003 nor as profound as the 2001, the 1997 is nonetheless a fantastic Yquem that has excellent freshness and length. It finishes notably light but remarkably penetrating. Lovely.
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Goedhuis, January 2007
The grapes in 1997 were picked 6-7 times which, to Pierre Lurton, has added a synergy to the wine. As a result, its complexity comes from the grapes as well as its terroir. Medium gold in colour, the 1997 sparkled in the glass exuding aromatics of orange peel, dried peach and apple, and freshly cut straw. Not as unctuous as the 2003 nor as profound as the 2001, the 1997 is nonetheless a fantastic Yquem that has excellent freshness and length. It finishes notably light but remarkably penetrating. Lovely.
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Robert Parker, April 2003, Score: 96
A sensational Yquem, 1997 may be this estate's finest effort since 1990 (although I would not discount the 1996 turning out to be nearly as good). The 1997's light gold color is accompanied a gorgeous perfume of caramel, honeysuckle, peach, apricot, and smoky wood. Full-bodied and unctuously-textured, with good underlying acidity as well as loads of sweetness and glycerin, it looks to be a great vintage for this renowned Sauternes estate. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2055.
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Jancis Robinson, June 2008, Score: 18
Pungent, rich and very fine. Exciting. Great stuff. Long and rich.
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