Yquem 1991

The 1991 Yquem is a vintage that I have not tasted for some 14 years. Several parcels survived the frost on 21 April that enabled an Yquem to be made from three tries through the vineyard. Deep in colour, it has a tangy marmalade and adhesive scented bouquet that oddly reminds me of the 1991 Doisy Daëne. The palate is balanced with orange peel, tangerine and a touch of pineapple, as I noted before, almost Barsac-like on the short but commendable finish. Fine. 2021-2030

Yquem's 1991 is a beautifully made, medium gold-coloured wine with a gorgeous nose of crème brûlée, roasted coffee, and sweet, honeyed pineapple and other assorted fruits. Full-bodied, unctuously-textured, and rich, but not yet revealing the complexity or enormous weight of such vintages as 1990, 1989, and 1988, this classic, outstanding Yquem will always have to live in the shadow of its three predecessors. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2040.