1986 Château d'Yquem
- 83 WS
- 18 JR
- Variety
White Bordeaux Blend
Wine Spectator | Rating: 83
From an outstanding year in Sauternes, this Yquem has some honey character but fails to take off. It's a bit flat on the nose, lacking in acidity, turns a little dry on finish.--Yquem vertical.Author: Per-Henrik ManssonJancis Robinson | Rating: 18
Rich and sweet seeming. Waxy, rich and deep ' quite different from the Haut-Brion whites. Not heavy.Author: Jancis RobinsonBordeaux Book(1998) | Rating: 98
There is no other wine in the world like it, and there is no other luxury wine that can possibly justify its price as much as Yquem. The remarkable amount of painstaking labor necessary to produce the nectar known as Yquem is almost impossible to comprehend. This is a fascinating effort. With greater evidence of botrytis than the colossal 1983, but less power and alcohol, the 1986 Yquem tastes reminiscent of the 1975, only more precocious, as well as more concentrated. Several highly respected Bordeaux negociants who are Yquem enthusiasts claim the 1986 Yquem is the greatest wine produced at the property since the legendary 1937. Its enthralling bouquet of pineapples, sauteed hazelnuts, vanillin, and ripe apricots is breathtaking. Compellingly concentrated, the breadth as well as depth of flavor seemingly know no limits. This full-bodied, powerful, yet impeccably balanced Yquem should provide memorable drinking for 40-55 more years. Like the 1983, this is another winemaking tour de force. Last tasted, 4/91.Author: Robert Parker
Self | Rating: 98
Drink Dates: 2000-2040Author: JDF1960Self | Rating: 98
Author: JohnnymdSelf | Rating: 95
Classic Yquem but with more finesse than power. Very concentrated, delicious with a long, long finish. This bottle was wonderful, but not as wonderful as the last.Drink Dates: 2009Author: Ricknat1Self | Rating: 97
Is this the best d'yquem? Probably not. Merely delicious. Not as unctuous as some but wonderfully smoothAuthor: ScooterSelf | Rating:
Oxidized and flat - cork showed slight leakage but I'm surprised this bottle was dead given how slight the leakage was; not drinkable; NRAuthor: Daniel BSelf | Rating: 97
Still young, but incredibly rich!Author: Stephen G41
White Bordeaux blends are most commonly composed of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and come in a range of dry and sweet styles. Sémillon contributes body while Sauvignon Blanc adds high acidity, a characteristic that is particularly important in the sweet wines of Bordeaux.
Sauternes is one of the world’s most prestigious regions for sweet wine production, made possible by Sémillon’s affinity for noble rot. Wines from world-renowned Château d’Yquem are fermented and matured in new oak for up to three years and can age for decades in bottle. These wines display complex aromas of melon, honey, apricot, citrus peel, mango, and butterscotch and develop added complexity and aromas with age.
The best dry wines from this blend come from producers such as Château Haut-Brion, Château Pape Clément, and Domaine de Chevalier in Pessac-Léognan and Graves. These wines are typically fermented and matured in new oak and display a full-bodied richness with concentrated nutty flavors overlaying the fruit.
Collector Data For This Wine
- 1667 bottles owned
- 313 collectors
- Average collector rating: 97
(Out of 313 collectors)