Sandrine Garbay (the Senior Winemaker since 2004) says that the 2009 Chateau d’Yquem is the greatest that she has tasted.
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The International Reviews Follow:
100 pts, Neal Martin in 2014
One of only 3 Chateau d’Yquem’s currently rated 100 points from the last century on Robert Parker’s website
“The 2009 Chateau d’Yquem is one showstopper of a wine and perhaps it is only in a vertical that you realize this is up there among the legendary wines of the past – the 2001 included. It has a wonderful nose that expresses the Semillon component majestically: heady aromas of lemon curd, nectarine, jasmine and honeysuckle that all gain momentum in the glass. The oak is supremely well-integrated. The palate is extremely well-balanced with an unctuous entry. You are immediately knocked sideways by the palpable weight and volume in the mouth, which is almost “bulbous,” with layer upon layer of heavily botrytized fruit. It builds to a spicy finish with hints of marzipan and pralines in the background that lend it an untrammelled sense of exoticism. The 2009 is utterly fabulous and decadent, a star that will blaze brightly and undimmed for many years. Drink now to 2060
19+ pts. Review by Jancis Robinson in 2010, jancisrobinson.com
“Lively greenish gold. Very indulgent nose that sends a tingle down the spine. Great tang and life as well as richness. So pure and flirtatious – not one of the sweetest but beautiful balance and refreshment, without being an ‘aperitif style Sauternes’. Quite exceptionally persistent. Hints of blossom and real lift. Orange peel and real zest – great energy. Not heavy at all, this takes 2009 Sauternes to a new level. Extremely bright fruit. Long and rich. Not a fat style of Yquem.”
98 pts, Wine Spectator in 2014
“The aromas are closed today, but the core is loaded with apricot, nectarine and orange notes, bolted by a citrus zest spine and backed by toasted almond and piecrust accents on the finish. A large-scale Yquem that shows the richness of the vintage.”
No tasting notes at the moment
