| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Sauternes and Barsac |
| Colour | Sweet White |
| Type | Still |
The greatest young Yquem I have ever tasted from bottle. Yellow, with a golden hue and an almost green tint. Intense aromas of botrytis, spices and blanched almonds follow through to honey, maple syrup, dried apricot and pineapple. Full-bodied, sweet, thick and powerful, with layers of fruit and a bright, lively finish. Coats the palate yet remains exciting. So balanced and refined, showing the pedigree that only this Sauternes estate can deliver. Best after 2012. 10,000 cases made.
I have had the very good fortune to taste the 2001 d'Yquem perhaps a dozen times since its release and have never been less than absolutely floored by its combination of poise, purity, precision and layer upon intricate, jaw-dropping layer of flavor nuances. It is among a very small clutch of incredible wines that crash through the 100-point ceiling and rocket beyond the stratosphere! A testament to that magic that can be created when an uncommonly great vintage for Sauternes brings out the best of an extraordinary vineyard and is skillfully, sensitively crafted, the 2001 is a true wine rarity that must be tried to be believed.
Pale to medium lemon-gold, the nose is simply WOW—an absolute show-stopper, delivering vibrant, youthful lime cordial, pink grapefruit and lemon meringue pie scents followed up by suggestions of chamomile tea, saffron, cassis and nutmeg plus wafts of marzipan, crushed rocks and beeswax. The palate is beyond-belief intense, offering a myriad of decadent citrus fruit preserves and earthy/mineral-inspired nuances, instilling incredible depth, all punctuated by profound freshness and finishing epically long and exquisitely delicious. The alcohol this vintage is 13.6%, while the residual sugar is a whopping 150 grams per liter, beautifully balanced by a total acidity of 4.5 grams per liter of H2SO4. Obviously, the longer readers are willing to cellar this, the more they will get of that ethereal tertiary complexity/experience. This said, for those who love great Sauternes in its youthful/primary flushes, even at this very early stage in its evolution, the multifaceted 2001 d'Yquem will not disappoint. 2019-2100
Mid gold. Extremely embyronic. Intense and spicy on the nose. Wonderfully big and rich and almost over the top - lots of botrtytis and very very pure honey and pear juice essence. Great freshness - although we jumped from 1934 to 2001, the 2001 is so good that it easily stood up to the jump and didn't seem too callow. Just at the end there's a little note of chewiness. Wonderfully round and sumptuous. Great vivacity.Drink 2015-2050Date tasted 13th Feb 08
The 2001 Château d'Yquem, already a modern legend, is one of the most impressive wines released this year. Some have already made comparisons to such extraordinary Yquems as the 1967, 1959 and 1921. The sweet white shows incredible balance and power for a young Sauternes, with layers of ripe and very sweet fruit and long, bright acidity on the finish. It's a wine that already gives pleasure but will improve in the cellar for decades to come.
There are 10,000 cases of this perfect sweet white Bordeaux. The 2001 Yquem reveals a hint of green in its light gold color. While somewhat reticent aromatically, with airing, it offers up honeyed tropical fruit, orange marmalade, pineapple, sweet creme brulee, and buttered nut-like scents. In the mouth, it is full-bodied with gorgeously refreshing acidity as well as massive concentration and unctuosity. Everything is uplifted and given laser-like focus by refreshing acidity. This large-scaled, youthful Yquem appears set to take its place among the most legendary vintages of the past, and will age effortlessly for 75+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2100+.
Extremely perfumed, with pineapple, lime and vanilla as well as hints of apricot and peach. Full-bodied and very sweet, with an explosion of fruit on the palate. Goes on and on and has an electrifying finish. All this richness but incredible balance and harmony. I love it. Could be the new benchmark for sweet wines.
Medium depth of slightly greenish gold and obvious density so that it was not by any means translucent. Quite exceptionally rich, heady and unctuous on the nose. Extremely round and complete with just a hint of bitter orange/Oxford marmalade that gives it spine - though a very slight edge of bitterness at this early stage. A deeply reverberating wine with all the layers of super-ripe pears one would expect in a heavy botrytis year and the most magnificent satin texture. But this sample, I swear, even had a hint a roquefort in its undoubted depths. This is an incredibly long wine that caresses the palate - so why am I not giving it 20 out of 20? Because of that little note of bitterness on the finish which may very well dissipate and I'd be delighted to re-taste this on an annual basis so that I can review that score. This is a great Yquem - perhaps not quite as absolutely massive nor as unapproachable as I would imagine the 1967 was in 1971 - but which should enjoy a long, long life
