Château d'Yquem Sauternes 2019 - 1er Cru Classé Supérieur

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Yquem enjoys a unique status in Bordeaux production, virtually beyond critical judgment. The hundred or so hectares farmed are divided between Semillon and Sauvignon, on gravelly hilltops with a more clayey subsoil. There are no small or even average vintages for this cru, which is uncompromising. In fact, the 2012 vintage was not produced, as the quality was not deemed high enough for the cru. The LVMH group (which took it over in 1999 with Pierre Lurton at the helm, having arrived in 2004), like the Lur-Saluces family (now at Château de Fargues), can't even imagine the possibility of taking the easy way out! Now more than ever, Yquem has earned its place as the Premier des Premiers vins du Sauternais. The arrival of Sauvignon in the blends, the flexible adaptation of ageing to the nature of the vintage, and of course a unique agronomic know-how make each vintage an even more precise and balanced feast than in previous decades, satisfying both our senses and our intelligence.

Decanter

About the wine:

Château d'Yquem 2019 contains the highest proportion (45%) of Sauvignon Blanc of any modern Yquem. Sauvignon blanc adds freshness, acting as an excellent balance to the succulent, soft and voluptuous palate. Intense peach and apricot, combined with lemon and orange zest, make this wine very appealing to drink immediately - an ideal vintage to start Yquem's "flagship" project. However, it would be a shame not to give it more than 10 years of maturation to see how it evolves. Very well, I think. The growing season was both hot and humid, with mildew a major threat. After a rather dry September, 40 mm of rain fell at the end of the month, resulting in a very short harvest window. All Yquem grapes were picked in two batches over a one-week period. Residual sugar: 138g/L. 2025-2060

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

2019: a very hot, dry year, with a deluge of rain at the end of July that restored the soil's water reserves and brought forward berry ripening. Then the heat returned, above seasonal norms, with very little rain. Botrytis was slow to set in, and it wasn't until the rains of late September that the noble rot began, followed by an ideal anticyclonic phase in early October. A narrow "sorting window" opened up between October 10 and 22, with only five days left to harvest in the healthiest plots. In the glass, a Sauternes with an exceptionally high proportion of Sauvignon Blanc (45%), which no doubt explains the admirable freshness that emanates from its aromas of bitter orange, tangerine zest, exotic fruit, verbena and menthol. A full, suave attack opens onto a mouth that's certainly very rich, but with the same superb freshness as on the nose, and a long, spicy finish of pepper and ginger. A highly expressive, brilliant Yquem of absolute balance. 2030-2050

About the domain :

A superb 17th-century fortified manor house surrounded by vines, set at the top of hills overlooking the Garonne valley, Château d'Yquem has - uniquely for a grand cru - remained in the same family, the Sauvages and then the Lur-Saluces, for almost four hundred years. By the 18th century, the estate had become the jewel in the crown of the Sauternes region. In addition to its stability, the estate benefits from a highly varied and nuanced terroir, made up of a multitude of small hills, with vines at the top of the plateau and others in the middle and at the bottom of the slope. This diversity makes it possible to adapt to the vagaries of the climate, and is the source of the great complexity of Yquem wines. 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. Conversion to organic farming is scheduled for 2019.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the domain :

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

About the domain :

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 run by Pierre Lurton, also head of Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion. Before him, from 1967 to 2004, Alexandre de Lur Saluces wrote some of the finest pages in the history of the only premier cru classé supérieur in 1855, following in the footsteps of his forebears. For this wine has been perhaps the most consistent in Bordeaux for a hundred years. Even in small vintages and difficult periods, Yquem has held its ground through to its incomparable ageing. It owes this to its unique terroir, which reacts to botrytis development like no other, and to the men who have understood and exploited its qualities. If Yquem doesn't necessarily impress when young, it irreparably widens the gap with its neighbors after a few years of ageing. Tasting an old vintage of the château is an experience every sweet wine lover should have.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

At 45%, Yquem 2019 boasts the highest proportion of Sauvignon Blanc in the château's history! In the Sauternes context, the hot, dry weather in September certainly enabled a fine rise in berry concentration in September, but we had to wait until early October to benefit from rainfall conducive to the development of botrytis, but its spread was very slow. Finally, the harvest window was very short, running from October 7 (some Sauvignon plots) to October 13. The wine was aged in 100% new barrels for 21 months. The wine has 138g of residual sugar and a total acidity of 4.5. A complex bouquet that gradually reveals itself. Hints of basil, mint, Ricola candy and white pepper. On aeration, orange blossom and pineapple. The wine has body, density and a pleasant, refreshing vivacity, despite a lower-than-usual acidity. It's a Yquem that can be enjoyed in its youth, but this in no way detracts from its ageing potential. 2026-2059

Jean-Marc Quarin

About the wine:

Pale yellow color. Intense, fine, subtle, complex, deep and noble nose. This splendid aromatic ambience is difficult to describe. The palate opens onto a world of airy subtlety. Very complex, silky, crystalline, the wine melts on the palate before offering, oh surprise, the roasted nobility of candied grapes on the finish. Impossible to spit out. Blend: 45% Sauvignon and 55% Semillon. Residual sugar: 138 gr/l. pH: 3.90. Low yield of 10 hl/ha. Selection: 50% of the harvest. This is the second vintage after 2013 to have so much Sauvignon in the blend. Harvested in 7 days.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

Pale yellow and golden in color, the wine makes a statement on the nose with its spectacular display of flowers, honeysuckle, candied apricots, orange peel, pineapple, mango, lemongrass, vanilla and spice. Perched at the corner of richness, sweetness and acidity, the wine is opulent, fresh, sweet, rich and, above all, lifted, so that everything seems optimistic and racy on the finish. As this wine has plenty of energy and drive, it will be easy to pair with a wide range of cuisines. You can enjoy it young, without much age, or even ageless, for its sweetness and exuberance. Or age it for its secondary characteristics and nuances. Made from a blend of 55% Semillon and 45% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2019 has the highest percentage of Sauvignon Blanc ever used in d'Yquem. More Sauvignon Blanc is found this year due to the shorter picking window. But as you'll see from my notes or by tasting the wine, it works really well here! Drink between 2025 and 2075.