2015 Yquem
Buying options
Tasting notes
75% Sauvignon 25% Semillon. Picked from across the Yquem vineyard, rather than a separate site. Incredibly concentrated and vibrant on the nose with tropical fruit and pineapple character. Gorgeous acidity that perfectly balances the weight and richness that are the hallmarks of the 2015 vintage. Very ripe and fruit driven that makes it stunning now, but with hints of savoury and herbacous complexity that should develop with ageing. Very Impressive length, keeps you coming back for more. White wine buyers will want to snap this up. Only 10,000 btls per vintage.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Tim Atkin MW
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Quite a discreet nose. Dense and dramatic – stewed-fruit element. Just a little hot on the end. Savoury but we thought 12 (which turned out to be Rieussec) was the Yquem! (JR)
The 2015 Yquem has a powerful bouquet with yellow plum, peach skin and marmalade aromas. It's a little primal, but there is wonderful delineation. The palate is very well balanced, with real weight and density. Its acidity keeps this fresh. There is a lacquer of vanillary oak on the finish, but there is wonderful sustain and it is a serious long-term proposition. Tasted blind at the 2015 Bordeaux Ten-Year-On tasting.
A blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc with 144 grams of residual sugar, the 2015 d'Yquem offers up a multifaceted, entrancing bouquet with aromas of jasmine, lime leaves, grilled bread, saffron, ripe orchard fruits, lemon oil and spices. Crystalline and pure, it’s full-bodied, seamless and layered, with excellent concentration on the mid-palate (thanks to clay soils), concluding with an energetic yet saline finish brought by calcareous soils. This is an opulent but charming vintage for Château d'Yquem, and it could reach the optimum score with a minimum of 20 years of aging. Harvest began on September 3rd and finished on October 21st.
About the producer
The undisputed finest sweet wine in the world, Château d'Yquem is the only Premier Cru Supérieur estate in Sauternes, classified in 1855. With a long history stretching back to the Middle Ages, the château is entwined with that of the Lur-Saluces family – who remain involved today.