Château d'Yquem Sauternes 2016 - 1er Cru Classé Supérieur

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

The estate built its blend mainly from mid-harvest selections, which are astonishingly light and airy, and has once again succeeded in combining power, purity, and drinkability at a level that is unique in the Sauternes region. There will be a little more power in the 2015 vintage. The 25% Sauvignon Blanc contributes to the freshness of the aromas.

About the estate:

Yquem enjoys a unique status among Bordeaux producers, placing it virtually beyond critical judgment. The hundred or so hectares under cultivation are divided between Sémillon and Sauvignon, on gravelly hilltops with a more clayey subsoil. The estate does not produce any small or even average vintages, as it does not tolerate any compromise. In fact, it decided not to produce a 2012 vintage, as the quality was not considered high enough for the estate. The LVMH group (which took it over in 1999, headed by Pierre Lurton, who arrived in 2004), like the Lur-Saluces family before them (now at Château de Fargues), cannot even imagine the possibility of taking the easy option! Yquem deserves more than ever its rank as the Premier among the Premier wines of Sauternes. The arrival of Sauvignon in the blends, the flexibility of adapting the aging process to the nature of the vintage, and of course a unique agronomic know-how make each vintage even more precise and balanced than in previous decades, satisfying both our senses and our intellect.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

A magnificent 17th-century fortified manor house surrounded by vineyards, perched atop the hills overlooking the Garonne Valley, Château d'Yquem is unique among grands crus in that it has remained in the same family, first the Sauvages and then the Lur-Saluces, for nearly four hundred years. Since the 18th century, the estate has been the jewel in the crown of the Sauternes region. In addition to its stability, it benefits from a highly varied and nuanced terroir, composed of a multitude of small hills, with vines at the top of the plateau and others in the middle and lower slopes. This diversity allows the estate to adapt to the vagaries of the climate and contributes to the great complexity of Yquem wine. Classified as a Premier Cru Supérieur in 1855—the only one in its category—it has belonged to the LVMH group since 1999, which entrusted its management to Pierre Lurton in 2004. The conversion to organic farming began in 2019.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

It has left behind the pastry notes of its youth to refocus on hints of citron and mandarin. Its power asserts itself confidently, in pure fruit nourished by a sensual liqueur. This gives it a masterful balance.

About the estate:

Recognized as the world's most famous sweet wine, Yquem has been owned since 1999 by the LVMH group, headed by businessman Bernard Arnault. The château is now represented by Pierre Lurton, who also heads Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion. Before him, Alexandre de Lur Saluces wrote some of the finest pages in the history of the unique premier cru classé supérieur in 1855, following in the footsteps of his ancestors. This wine is perhaps the most consistent in Bordeaux over the last hundred years. Even in poor vintages and difficult periods, Yquem has maintained its status thanks to its incomparable aging potential. It owes this to a unique terroir, which reacts to the development of botrytis like no other, and to people who have understood and enhanced its qualities. While Yquem may not necessarily impress in its youth, it inevitably pulls ahead of its neighbors after a few years of aging. Tasting an old vintage from the château remains an experience that every sweet wine lover should have in their lifetime.

James Suckling

About wine:

A very classic Yquem. A breathtaking spectrum of floral aromas of honey, exotic fruits (passion fruit, mango, and pineapple), caramel, and marzipan. But none of this is excessive. In fact, the wine is extremely precise and finely nuanced. Wonderful freshness and complexity of texture, despite significant concentration and extravagance. A very smooth and sensual finish that lingers and lingers. Drink now or keep.

Jeb Dunnuck

About wine:

Château d'Yquem 2016 is pure enchantment, an exceptional dessert wine. Pale gold in color, it offers an exuberant bouquet of honeyed mandarins, tart apricots, mineral notes, white flowers, and honeysuckle. On the palate, it reveals a rich and generous fullness, an opulent texture, lively acidity and remarkable minerality, without lacking in sweetness or richness. This 2016 vintage is a classic blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon, with an alcohol content of 14.2% and 135 grams of residual sugar. Already complex and accessible, it will keep for 3 to 4 decades. 2019-2054

Yves Beck

About wine:

Aged for two years, 100% new barrels. Bottled in early September 2018. Golden yellow. Very fresh Yquem bouquet with notes of white pepper and chalk. It slowly reveals aromas of cocoa beans, lemongrass, and mirabelle plums. After aeration, I also detect hints of dried apricots, toasted almonds, crème brûlée and a delicate floral sensation with a touch of lily of the valley. The palate is full-bodied, creamy and marked by a beautiful aromatic intensity. On the palate, the wine reveals many facets, whether in terms of sweetness, breed or liveliness. The aromatic expression is intense, from the first sip to the finish. I find the minerality and olfactory characteristics in the finish. The finish is lively, rich, balanced and persistent. I don't mention the notion of balance on the palate, but this is the key word for this Yquem. It lacks a certain return, a touch of acidity on the finish to further emphasize the freshness and fruit, but this does not detract from the greatness of Yquem. 2026-2066

Vert de Vin

About wine:

The nose is fruity, fresh, and elegantly refined. It offers notes of candied lemon, kumquat, and candied pear, combined with subtle hints of peach syrup, white flowers, and discreet hints of sweet spices, fresh almonds, and a very subtle hint of honeysuckle. The palate is fruity, nicely balanced, elegant, precise and offers a lovely smoothness, a nice roundness, a beautiful definition, tension, a lovely freshness, delicacy and a fine texture. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of candied vine peach, candied pear and, more subtly, lychee, combined with delicate hints of exotic fruits/pineapple in syrup, as well as subtle hints of almond, dried fruit and very subtle hints of flowers. Good length. Very beautiful and delicious persistence. Presence of a hint of pink lychee, exotic fruits, and a subtle hint of nuts on the finish. Presence of a hint of almond on the retro. (2024+)