2017 Château d'Yquem, Sauternes, Bordeaux

Tasted blind. Pale gold. Subtle, refined nose. Wonderful intensity and superb balance on the palate. The sweetness is matched by grip and subtly savoury spices. There is plenty of botrytis, but its earthy complexity is woven superbly into the wine. There is great potential here.

This is a great Yquem, delivering thrilling purity and intensity. The nose offers intense aromas of fresh and dried apricot and peach pastry, as well as freshly baked creme brulee, candied and fresh orange and kumquat. Some marmalade, too. Smooth, glossy texture with flavors of grilled orange, dried apricot and an exceptionally long finish with a powerful, driving push to the end. A flicker of toasty-oak influence arrives late, but this wine has completely consumed the oak. The 2017 Yquem is a very powerful wine from a very rich and exceptional vintage. The acidity has a big hand in balancing the richness. Pithy finish. The phenolics deliver some great depth. Rain at the beginning of September prompted an extensive infection of noble rot. The harvest lasted from September 26 to October 13. Great quality and one of the best since the legendary 2001. Drink or hold.

The 2017 d'Yquem is simply stunning, evoking both a minty and fresh bouquet with aromas of apricot, baked pear, saffron, honeycomb and flowers. Full-bodied, rich and seamless, it’s perfectly balanced with a beautiful bittersweet mid-palate and a long, endless finish with aromas of crème brûlée, salted butter caramel and vanilla pod. This blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc contains 148 grams of residual sugar.

Still very youthful with light golden colours, showing flashes of green in the glass. Intensely aromatic with tropical fruit notes, pineapple, roasted apricot, honey and lime zest. Full-bodied and rich on the palate with plenty of botrytis notes showing through. Although unctuous and weighty, this Yquem retains plenty of acidity which freshens the palate and balances the concentrated fruit. Sandrine Garbay noted that 2019 reminded her of 2017, with the 2019 showing a little more opulence. Served with a dish of roasted pollock and smoked mussels, this was a wonderful combination, showing the sweetness and purity of Yquem. Residual Sugar: 148g/L.

A blend of 75% Semillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc, with 148 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.8, the 2017 Yquem has a pale lemon-gold color. It is a little shy to begin, featuring delicate scents of chalk dust, coriander seed, and lemongrass, leading to a profound core of apricots, fresh Bosc pears, and blanched almonds, plus a hint of wet slate. Full-on unctuous, the tension in the mouth is exhilarating, creating layer upon layer of stone fruits, minerals, and spices, finishing with epic length and amazing depth. It is powerful, with an alcohol level of 14% this year.