White Bordeaux

The 1988 is a backward-styled Yquem, built along the lines of the extraordinary 1975. With a honeyed, smoky, orange/coconut/pineapple-scented nose, this powerful wine possesses full body, layers of highly concentrated, extracted flavors, considerable botrytis, and a sensational finish.

Score: 96 Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), December 2003

A sensational Yquem, 1997 may be this estate's finest effort since 1990 (although I would not discount the 1996 turning out to be nearly as good). The 1997's light gold color is accompanied a gorgeous perfume of caramel, honeysuckle, peach, apricot, and smoky wood. Full-bodied and unctuously-textured, with good underlying acidity as well as loads of sweetness and glycerin, it looks to be a great vintage for this renowned Sauternes estate. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2055.

Score: 96 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (146), April 2003

It's been a long time since the preeminent yquem has delivered such a powerful and well balanced sweet wine. The 1997 is deceptively refined, yet thick and extravagant. It is holding back loads of character and structure and needs many years of bottle age. It now shoes subtle aromas of honey, spices and intense botrytis. Full bodies, thick and fruity, it coats your palate with sweet orange peel and lemon rind character. Don't touch it until at least 2008. The wine will be released in october, and is available as futures now.

Score: 95 James Suckling, Wine Spectator (126), April 2003

Masses of acidity. Thick, very complex, very sweet. Massive but very young. 13.5%

Score: 19 - 20

JancisRobinson.com, Jancisrobinson.com Maturity: 2018-205027 March 2012

Not darker than any other 2001 Sauternes. Butterscotch and orange peel but not excessive sweetness on the nose. Some barley sugar and then on the palate such a lot of richness and weight and complexity. The merest hint of mouse but awfully lovely. Not quite as fat as Climens.

Score: 18

JancisRobinson.com, Jancisrobinson.com Maturity: 2015-203530 March 2011

Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 10-Year On horizontal. The nose is very tight at first with scents of dried honey, yellow flowers and melted butter with fine definition: very complex and cerebral. The palate is medium-bodied with a vibrant, zesty entry, good acidity with apricot, orange zest and white peach towards the well defined finish. Exquisite balance and poise although it needs years in bottle. Tasted March 2011. (97+ Points)

Score: 97

Neal Martin, erobertparker.com 01 May 2011

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.

Score: 100

James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2012+15 November 2005

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.

Score: 100

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate Maturity: 2010-2100+30 April 2005

Neal Martin

94

Served from an ex-chateau bottle. Picked in one trie, the 2003 Chateau d’Yquem is slightly deeper in color compared to the 2004. It is attired with an intriguing bouquet with Manuka honey, quince, honeycomb and a touch of nougat, though it does not have the pixilation of a top vintage. The palate is unctuous right from the start: gloopy in texture with hedonistic ripe honeyed fruit laced with orange zest and a strong spicy note on the finish. It has moderate length, but finishes with plenty of glycerine in the mouth. This is certainly the finest 2003 Sauternes.

Another ideal Christmas Present  - for the person who's not sweet enough...

3 bottles each La Tour Blanche / Doisy Vedrines / Rieussec / Suduiraut

Proprietor Berenice Lurton continues to turn out one of the utterly profound wines from the Barsac Sauternes region. The 2006 is not up there with their perfect 2001, but it is a beautiful wine and stands out as one of the top wines of 2006. Medium gold, with a slightly more advanced color than I am used to seeing in a young Climens, the wine displays waxy honeyed pineapple and delicate marmalade and citrus notes with a restrained use of new oak. The wine cuts a full-bodied swath across the palate with terrific acidity, freshness, and moderate sweetness. This is a beauty, but perhaps on a much faster evolutionary track than some of their greatest vintages.

While no surprise here, this wine, which will be bottled in 2009, is certainly this estate’s greatest effort since their 2001. It completely outclasses everything from the appellation, but even when you’re number one, that’s often hard to do. This light gold wine offers up a sensational smorgasbord of aromas including huge honeyed pineapple and other caramelized tropical fruit flavors, massive richness, and a viscous, unctuous texture with the oak beautifully integrated. The wine has enough acidity to buttress its full-bodied mouthfeel, but this is not by any means the sweetest or most alcoholic of the d’Yquems I have tasted. In fact, in the range of d’Yquems, this is a powerful wine, but it is one built more on finesse and elegance, a la the 1988. Nevertheless, this wine will prove to have 50+ years of longevity. The finish, the mid-palate, the sensation of looking at a skyscraper of Semillon with a small dosage of Sauvignon, is impressive. Like all of the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes, one can drink this young, but the nuances and complexities really don’t emerge for at least a decade, especially in the case of a wine such as this. Bravo!

Score: 96 - 98

Robert Parker, robertparker.com 01 March 2009

93-96 RPRobert Parker, Wine Advocate # 176 93 WSRich, powerful, perfumed aromas of lemon pie, cooked apple and melon lead to a full body, with a fabulous density that persists. Gorgeous, with lovely richness and balance. Best after 2011. James Suckling,Wine Spectator 2010

Rating

92

Release Price

$45 - 55

Drink Date

2012 - 2022

Reviewed by

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

23rd Dec 2011

Source

199, The Wine Advocate

A stunningly rich nose of melons, honeysuckle, pineapple and orange rind are followed by a fresh, well-proportioned, medium to full-bodied dry white Graves to drink over the next decade or more.

A blend of 84% Semillon and 16% Sauvignon Blanc, this wine displays oodles of figs, melon, crushed rock, white flowers and grapefruit. Its excellent texture, medium to full body make for a beautiful example of dry white Graves. Anticipated maturity: now-2025.

A beautiful 1,000-case blend of 83% Semillon and the rest Sauvignon Blanc from the owners of La Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion, this beauty exhibits oodles of marmalade, honeysuckle, caramelized melons and candle wax in a medium-bodied, authoritative style. Drink it over the next decade or more.

This full-bodied blend of 54% Sauvignon Blanc and 46% Semillon has a level of concentration and intensity that makes it the dry white wine of the vintage. Loads of minerality, a hint of subtle spice, but mostly just pure orange marmalade, candle wax, honeysuckle and caramelized melons make for a full-bodied, distinctive style of wine to drink over the next 50+ years.

Score: 98 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (205), March 2013

A blend of 54% Sauvignon Blanc and 46% Semillon, this singular, compelling white exhibits notes of orange blossoms, lemons, melons, crushed rocks, spice and flowers. It is a sensational, provocative, full-bodied dry white to enjoy over the next 40 years.

Score: 94/97 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194), May 2011

Tasted at Chateau Haut-Brion. There is a slight floral aspect to the nose of the Haut Brion Blanc with hints of almond, white chocolate and fresh pear underpinned by fine minerality. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp citric fruit on the opening. It is slightly more phenolic than recent vintages, just a hint of white pepper tingling on the tongue with a well-balanced finish that is persistent. Good potential. Tasted November 2012.

Score: 95 Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com, February 2013

The 2011 seems to be a close cousin of the 2001 and possibly 1988. Light gold, restrained but very pure, noble and intense bouquet of honeysuckle, caramelized apricot, white peach with a subtle hint of toasty oak. It builds slowly but beautifully to a full-bodied wine and long finish. This vintage is about restraint and perfect balance despite the 144 grams of residual sugar. Some vintages are more exuberant or flamboyant-2011 is racy and compelling. Of course these wines can be drunk young, but expect the 2011 to age for 50 -75+ years in a good cellar. Robert Parker, 15/9/13

Score: 97