Château d'Yquem Sauternes 2010 - 1er Cru Classé Supérieur (37,5cl)

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Slightly more austere than the 2011, but with incomparable aromatic breed, and always that perfect liqueur and ideal balance.

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.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

At Yquem, more than anywhere else, the precision of the harvest determines the greatness of the wine. First sorting from September 20 to 22, followed by a second, closer pass from September 27 to 30. Then a long pause, imposed by the drought of early autumn. Harvesting resumed on October 14, after the return of the rain needed for the noble botrytis to develop, followed by sunshine and easterly winds that concentrated the sugar in the berries perfectly. At this point, the vintage is truly underway. We stopped again on October 18, as the weather forecast predicted rain on the 24th. Francis Mayeur, the estate's technical director, decided to wait three days to allow the berries in the best plots to concentrate as much as possible. There was no question of "averaging the harvest" in this opulent, quantitative year; on the contrary, the idea was to make distinctions in the parcels, with "made-to-measure" selections of up to seven or eight batches, depending on the terroir, and thus offer a precise and diversified palette of botrytized grapes at their best. A new phase of sorting before the rains began on October 21, for three days: the peak of the harvest and the heart of the future 2010. It was therefore necessary to juggle with the weather, to have a sufficiently extensive vineyard to be able to work with lace, and to be willing to take risks. As a result, Sandrine Garbay, the in-house oenologist, was able to produce a wine of great classicism, undoubtedly one of the most accomplished of the decade. A bouquet as subtle as it is complex - yellow fruit, candied orange, lemon zest, brioche, light vanilla - is complemented by a palate of extreme elegance and near-perfect balance. The attack is soft and ample, the evolution silky and delicate, offering a very fine touch and, signature of the vintage, a remarkable freshness that gives the whole an airy side and infinite length. A star dancer.

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.

James Suckling

About the wine:

The purity of Botrytis in this wine is impressive, with dried fruits such as apple and mango. It then offers a spicy character. The wine is full-bodied and very sweet, yet incredibly fresh and lively. Such class and elegance. A perfectly cared-for wine. Everything in its place. Delicate and intense.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

Inviting, complex bouquet, marked by notes of preserved lemons, bitter oranges, quince and saffron. An earthy touch, with a hint of celery and scents that remind me of salted caramel. On the palate, the wine is youthful. All the elements are present, both in structure and sweetness. There's fullness, fatness, tension and sapidity. Nevertheless, it needs time, which is an almost invariable Yquem constant. You'll have to know how to wait for it, and there's hardly any need to hurry. 2024-2070

Jean-Marc Quarin

About the wine:

Golden yellow color. Intense, fine, subtle, noble, fresh and complex nose. A touch of warm butter as it evolves in the glass. Meticulous on the attack, airy in the mid-palate, particularly aromatic, fat and melting, the wine gains a wild energy between the middle and the finish. It finishes unputdownable and very good. A superb wine.

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is fruity, elegant and fresh. Fine notes of preserved lemon and hints of honey are combined with fine hints of quince, persimmon, stewed white fruit (nectarine, pear) and discreet hints of pastry, brioche and gingerbread. The palate is fruity, fine and well-balanced, with a lovely, fine mineral structure and a lovely finesse/delicacy. On the palate, this wine expresses fine notes of lemon, stewed white fruit (nectarine, pear) and fine notes of quenette, combined with a discreet hint of spice, cardamom and green tea. Good length and persistence.