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 | 18 (JR) |
Inc. GST
SG$3,257.42 |
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Jancis Robinson (18)Lift and richness and electrified raisins! There's a lot of energy here. Medicine? Sinewy. Not the sweetest. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (NM)) |
Inc. GST
SG$5,870.13 |
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Vinous - Neal Martin (100)Just weeks after tasting the 2001 Château d’Yquem at the estate, another bottle was served at a lunch in London and it was perfection. The aromatics are practically identical and likewise the palate, but this bottle, which had been decanted, displays a scintilla more tension, perhaps more "vibrancy" that so effortlessly counterbalances the richness. Irrespective of points, it is simply one of the most magnificent wines of any kind that can pass your lips. |
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Bordeaux | 3 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. GST
SG$2,867.18 |
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James Suckling (98)A massive Yquem, this has a dense palate that is almost chewy like a red. Full and very sweet, with notes of dried apricot, pineapple, and papaya on the palate. Long, with a vanilla-coconut tart finish. What a wine, voluptuous, sexy, and luscious. 147 grams of RS. Pull the cork after 2015. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (WI) |
Inc. GST
SG$3,001.27 |
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The Wine Independent (98)A blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc, with 138 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2010 Yquem has a pale to medium straw-gold color. After considerable aeration, it erupts from the glass with a powerhouse of flamboyant notes of crystalized ginger, honeydew melon, mango pudding, and lime leaves, followed by nuances of honeysuckle, white pepper, fennel seed, and crushed rocks. The palate is fantastically fruity, youthful and oh-so-rich, delivering citrus and tropical fruit layers with compelling tension, finishing very long and with wonderful purity. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 98 (WCI) |
Inc. GST
SG$3,003.43 |
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The Wine Cellar Insider (98)The complex aromatic profile explodes from the glass with pineapple, papaya, apricot, Meyer lemon, tangerine peels, caramel, honey, vanilla, saffron, cashews, and candied grapefruit in the aromatic profile. The palate resides perfectly in the middle of hedonism, and vibrancy. Clearly, there is ample sweetness, but the racy acidity provides incredible lift, energy, and length. The fruit expresses purity in its tangerines, oranges, mango, papaya, banana, and pineapples all slathered in honey. This is one of those Yquem's that can be enjoyed either as a sweet wine, or due to its vibrancy, with a diverse array of savory, and spicy dishes. Produced from a blend of 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 148 Grams per liter, 14% ABV, 3.79 pH. Yields were only 8 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest took place over an extended time, September 12 - October 27, with 4 passes in total. As you can see, the harvest was quite long, but picking the heart of vintage took place mid-to late October. Drink from 2027-2075. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 18 (JR) |
In Bond
SG$2,935.00 |
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Jancis Robinson (18)Lift and richness and electrified raisins! There's a lot of energy here. Medicine? Sinewy. Not the sweetest. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (VN (NM)) |
In Bond
SG$5,330.00 |
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Vinous - Neal Martin (100)Just weeks after tasting the 2001 Château d’Yquem at the estate, another bottle was served at a lunch in London and it was perfection. The aromatics are practically identical and likewise the palate, but this bottle, which had been decanted, displays a scintilla more tension, perhaps more "vibrancy" that so effortlessly counterbalances the richness. Irrespective of points, it is simply one of the most magnificent wines of any kind that can pass your lips. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 3 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
SG$2,575.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98)A massive Yquem, this has a dense palate that is almost chewy like a red. Full and very sweet, with notes of dried apricot, pineapple, and papaya on the palate. Long, with a vanilla-coconut tart finish. What a wine, voluptuous, sexy, and luscious. 147 grams of RS. Pull the cork after 2015. |
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|
Bordeaux | 1 | 98 (WI) |
In Bond
SG$2,700.00 |
|||||
The Wine Independent (98)A blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc, with 138 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2010 Yquem has a pale to medium straw-gold color. After considerable aeration, it erupts from the glass with a powerhouse of flamboyant notes of crystalized ginger, honeydew melon, mango pudding, and lime leaves, followed by nuances of honeysuckle, white pepper, fennel seed, and crushed rocks. The palate is fantastically fruity, youthful and oh-so-rich, delivering citrus and tropical fruit layers with compelling tension, finishing very long and with wonderful purity. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 98 (WCI) |
In Bond
SG$2,700.00 |
|||||
The Wine Cellar Insider (98)The complex aromatic profile explodes from the glass with pineapple, papaya, apricot, Meyer lemon, tangerine peels, caramel, honey, vanilla, saffron, cashews, and candied grapefruit in the aromatic profile. The palate resides perfectly in the middle of hedonism, and vibrancy. Clearly, there is ample sweetness, but the racy acidity provides incredible lift, energy, and length. The fruit expresses purity in its tangerines, oranges, mango, papaya, banana, and pineapples all slathered in honey. This is one of those Yquem's that can be enjoyed either as a sweet wine, or due to its vibrancy, with a diverse array of savory, and spicy dishes. Produced from a blend of 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 148 Grams per liter, 14% ABV, 3.79 pH. Yields were only 8 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest took place over an extended time, September 12 - October 27, with 4 passes in total. As you can see, the harvest was quite long, but picking the heart of vintage took place mid-to late October. Drink from 2027-2075. |