d'Yquem
Château d'Yquem
Château d’Yquem displays its name, Sauternes and the vintage. Make no mistake, the King of Sauternes could display its classification on the label, especially given its ranking as the single Premier Cru Supérieur in the entire region. Whilst the flurry of excitement surrounding the 1855 classification of the Médoc’s great red wines was ongoing, the numerous brokers of the region set about forging their own system for the sweet wines further south.
Chateau d’Yquem was owned by the King of England. It is now no less regal; widely considered the best Sauternes and arguably the world’s best sweet wine. LVMH bought half its shares in 1996 and the rest in 2004, naming Pierre Lurton as manager. Nine First Growths were created, but only one “Superior First Growth” was anointed - Château d’Yquem. Clearly, the powers that be at this mythical estate decided long ago that displaying their unchallenged superiority for all the world to see was beneath them.
As much passion and commitment the great red wine producers of Bordeaux pour into their craft, none will ever match the sacrifice and unrelenting dedication required to produce this most famous of sweet white wines. Located in the heart of Sauternes, perched atop the highest hill in the area, the team at Yquem have a Herculean task every year. Of the 189 hectares of land which comprise the estate, 64 are fallow at all times. Of the 125 deemed worthy of vines, only 100 are used for the Grand Vin – only half of Yquem is actually used to produce its Sauternes, even before the stringent selection process. In fact, so stringent is this selection process, and so aggressively are the vines pruned, that whereas a red wine producer will make around a bottle per vine, Yquem makes a single glass!
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Bordeaux | 1 | 100.0 | HK$15,945.00 | |||||
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Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (WA) | HK$13,000.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (98)The 2018 d'Yquem is all lime cordial, grapefruit oil and mandarin peel to begin. With a little coaxing, the fireworks really begin, letting off a whole array of honeysuckle, candied ginger, dried pineapple, lemon pastilles, chalk dust and sea spray scents, followed by a savory undercurrent of shaved almonds, allspice and baking bread. The palate is an exercise in polish and poise, featuring the most gorgeously creamy texture and bright, sparkling freshness, framing all the densely laden tropical and citrus fruit layers, finishing with a powerful BANG of profound floral and spice perfume. It is wonderfully sweet, yes, but that—paradoxically for a "sweet wine"—is almost beside the point. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 97+ (WI) | HK$7,000.00 | |||||
The Wine Independent (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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Bordeaux | 2 | 91-93 (WA) | HK$1,300.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (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. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | - | HK$4,200.00 | |||||