12 bottles per lot
Details
CHATEAU D'YQUEM
Yquem came into the possession of the Lur-Saluces family by marriage in 1785. This illustrious estate remained under family control until 1996 when family shareholders sold their majority shareholding to LVMH. The very capable Comte Alexandre de Lur-Saluces lead the estate in modern times and oversaw many of the 20th century's great d'Yquems: the legendary 1967, 1971, 1976, 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1990.
Offered in original wooden case
Recently removed from excellent cellarage
Château d'Yquem--Vintage 1967
Sauternes, 1er grand cru classé. Château-bottled
Original tissues and straws. Levels base of neck or better
Tasting note: Picking 26th September - 25th October. This was Comte Alexandre de Lur Saluces' first major vintage and one of which, understandably he is inordinately proud.
Like a fine mature first growth Médoc or a classic Montrachet, its bouquet opens up and blossoms in the glass. When it is first poured: honey; after ten minutes, pineapple; after 30 minutes, an almost indescribable scent, 'ambrosial' always comes to mind. After an hour, sublime. I am of course privileged but I hope not spoiled. On each of the almost 50 occasions I have tasted the '67 Yquem I have relished its qualities, though there have been some very noticeable variations, of colour and more particularly of taste, which I put down either to condition (storage) or more often the food context.
I first tasted the '67 at the château in the spring of 1973. Alexandre de Lur Saluces opining that it was 'one of the best Yquem's this century'. Glorious I thought, but early days. Initially its colour was a medium pale gold, deeper than the '66 but from the start a fascinating nose. Many notes around ten years of age: 'magnificent', 'mint and muscat' 'lanolin' (the Sémillon content), 'honeyed botrytis' of course. Botrytis cinerea or noble rot always adds several dimensions to the bouquet and flavour. In the late 1970s, the '67 was a more buttery gold. Always sweet of course. I noted in 1981: 'seems now fully on its plateau of perfection', well knit, harmonious, perfect balance and the essential counter-balancing acidity.
Perfection with feuilleté au foie de canard frais et truffe at the dinner at the Dolder Grand in 1983 to launch in Switzerland, my first Great Vintage Wine Book. And a year later, Prinz Metternich and Comte Alexandre jointly hosted at Schloss Johannisberg an unprecendented dual vertical tasting, opening with the 1967 Ch d'Yquem and Schloss Johannisberg's Trockenbeerenauslese of the same vintage. Each was perfect in its own way, Yquem having, in Walter Eigensatz's words, the colour of burnished gold; fuller and heavier on the nose which, however, unravelled itself gloriously, perfection after 90 minutes in the glass. Continuing through the 1980s, deepening in colour, amber, old gold; orange blossom and ripe peaches noted several tomes; rich, ripe; great length, superb aftertaste.
More recently, the oldest and by far the most concentrated and impressive at an Yquem vertical at Aspen (1994), '5 star' (1995), a fragrant, 'dancing', lime blossom bouquet; perfect weight and finesse at Rodenstock's Yquem marathon and gracing a grand dinner at Ch Haut-Brion (both in 1998); the best wine at a strange tasting in Paris, and, most recently, a magnum at Len Evans' 70th birthday 'Single-Bottle Club' dinner in the Hunter Valley, showing a bit of age, caramelly and crusty like our host (actually magnificent). Last noted Sept 2000 *****. Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine
12 bottles per lot
Yquem came into the possession of the Lur-Saluces family by marriage in 1785. This illustrious estate remained under family control until 1996 when family shareholders sold their majority shareholding to LVMH. The very capable Comte Alexandre de Lur-Saluces lead the estate in modern times and oversaw many of the 20th century's great d'Yquems: the legendary 1967, 1971, 1976, 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1990.
Offered in original wooden case
Recently removed from excellent cellarage
Château d'Yquem--Vintage 1967
Sauternes, 1er grand cru classé. Château-bottled
Original tissues and straws. Levels base of neck or better
Tasting note: Picking 26th September - 25th October. This was Comte Alexandre de Lur Saluces' first major vintage and one of which, understandably he is inordinately proud.
Like a fine mature first growth Médoc or a classic Montrachet, its bouquet opens up and blossoms in the glass. When it is first poured: honey; after ten minutes, pineapple; after 30 minutes, an almost indescribable scent, 'ambrosial' always comes to mind. After an hour, sublime. I am of course privileged but I hope not spoiled. On each of the almost 50 occasions I have tasted the '67 Yquem I have relished its qualities, though there have been some very noticeable variations, of colour and more particularly of taste, which I put down either to condition (storage) or more often the food context.
I first tasted the '67 at the château in the spring of 1973. Alexandre de Lur Saluces opining that it was 'one of the best Yquem's this century'. Glorious I thought, but early days. Initially its colour was a medium pale gold, deeper than the '66 but from the start a fascinating nose. Many notes around ten years of age: 'magnificent', 'mint and muscat' 'lanolin' (the Sémillon content), 'honeyed botrytis' of course. Botrytis cinerea or noble rot always adds several dimensions to the bouquet and flavour. In the late 1970s, the '67 was a more buttery gold. Always sweet of course. I noted in 1981: 'seems now fully on its plateau of perfection', well knit, harmonious, perfect balance and the essential counter-balancing acidity.
Perfection with feuilleté au foie de canard frais et truffe at the dinner at the Dolder Grand in 1983 to launch in Switzerland, my first Great Vintage Wine Book. And a year later, Prinz Metternich and Comte Alexandre jointly hosted at Schloss Johannisberg an unprecendented dual vertical tasting, opening with the 1967 Ch d'Yquem and Schloss Johannisberg's Trockenbeerenauslese of the same vintage. Each was perfect in its own way, Yquem having, in Walter Eigensatz's words, the colour of burnished gold; fuller and heavier on the nose which, however, unravelled itself gloriously, perfection after 90 minutes in the glass. Continuing through the 1980s, deepening in colour, amber, old gold; orange blossom and ripe peaches noted several tomes; rich, ripe; great length, superb aftertaste.
More recently, the oldest and by far the most concentrated and impressive at an Yquem vertical at Aspen (1994), '5 star' (1995), a fragrant, 'dancing', lime blossom bouquet; perfect weight and finesse at Rodenstock's Yquem marathon and gracing a grand dinner at Ch Haut-Brion (both in 1998); the best wine at a strange tasting in Paris, and, most recently, a magnum at Len Evans' 70th birthday 'Single-Bottle Club' dinner in the Hunter Valley, showing a bit of age, caramelly and crusty like our host (actually magnificent). Last noted Sept 2000 *****. Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine
12 bottles per lot
Special Notice
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