12 bottles per lot
Details
Château d'Yquem
Château d'Yquem is unquestionably the finest sweet wine producer from Bordeaux, its reputation and quality highlighted by the fact that it was classified as the top ranking Château as a Premier Cru Suprieur in the 1855 classification and this remains indisputable today. Yquem remains the gold-standard for Sauternes and Barsac and the sheer complexity, richness and longevity of its wines continues to delight and enthuse wine aficionados the world over.
In 1593 the Sauvage family acquired the property and in 1785 Françoise Josphine de Sauvage d'Yquem married Come Louis Amédée de Lur-Saluces. From that point the Lur-Saluces ran the estate. In 1966 Alexandre de Lur-Saluces took over managing the estate and workedfor over 35 years driving improvements in both the vineyards and winery. In 1999 LVMH became main shareholders of the estate and since 2004 Pierre Lurton has been the general manager.
The location of the vineyards close to the Garonne and Ciron rivers enables the development of botrytis cinerea due to the alternating morning mists and afternoon sunshine that shrivels the grapes and concentrates the flavours and produces this delectable sweet wine. The 113 hectare vineyard consists of a pebble and gravel top soil that warms with the sun and a clay-subsoil with sufficient water reserves. Installation of drainage was necessary to prevent excessive levels of water. The vineyards are planted with 80% Smillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes are hand-selected by up to 140 pickers who pass through the vineyards up to ten times (tries) each vintage selecting only the grapes with noble rot. The aim is to obtain musts with a potential alcohol level of 20 degrees or 360 grammes per litre of sugar. Yields are extremely low, on average only 9 hectolitres per hectare. Fermentation takes place very slowly due to the high levels of sugar and can last between three to six weeks depending on the vintage. The final wine should be around 13.5% abv with 125 grammes per litre of residual sugar. The wines are aged for up to three years in oak barriques with approximately 15 rackings to remove the lees.
Château d'Yquem--Vintage 1990
Sauternes, 1er grand cru classé
In original wooden cases
Tasting note: Bottled in 1994. The biggest crop since 1893. Most recently, at Yquem: bright amber-gold with orange highlights; sweet, rich, orange blossom fragrance becoming increasingly caramelly; medium-sweet, rich texture, nutty flavour though lacking the opulence and rich sensuality of the '89. Last tasted Aug 2006 ****(*) Long life. M.B.
12 bottles per lot
Château d'Yquem is unquestionably the finest sweet wine producer from Bordeaux, its reputation and quality highlighted by the fact that it was classified as the top ranking Château as a Premier Cru Suprieur in the 1855 classification and this remains indisputable today. Yquem remains the gold-standard for Sauternes and Barsac and the sheer complexity, richness and longevity of its wines continues to delight and enthuse wine aficionados the world over.
In 1593 the Sauvage family acquired the property and in 1785 Françoise Josphine de Sauvage d'Yquem married Come Louis Amédée de Lur-Saluces. From that point the Lur-Saluces ran the estate. In 1966 Alexandre de Lur-Saluces took over managing the estate and workedfor over 35 years driving improvements in both the vineyards and winery. In 1999 LVMH became main shareholders of the estate and since 2004 Pierre Lurton has been the general manager.
The location of the vineyards close to the Garonne and Ciron rivers enables the development of botrytis cinerea due to the alternating morning mists and afternoon sunshine that shrivels the grapes and concentrates the flavours and produces this delectable sweet wine. The 113 hectare vineyard consists of a pebble and gravel top soil that warms with the sun and a clay-subsoil with sufficient water reserves. Installation of drainage was necessary to prevent excessive levels of water. The vineyards are planted with 80% Smillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes are hand-selected by up to 140 pickers who pass through the vineyards up to ten times (tries) each vintage selecting only the grapes with noble rot. The aim is to obtain musts with a potential alcohol level of 20 degrees or 360 grammes per litre of sugar. Yields are extremely low, on average only 9 hectolitres per hectare. Fermentation takes place very slowly due to the high levels of sugar and can last between three to six weeks depending on the vintage. The final wine should be around 13.5% abv with 125 grammes per litre of residual sugar. The wines are aged for up to three years in oak barriques with approximately 15 rackings to remove the lees.
Château d'Yquem--Vintage 1990
Sauternes, 1er grand cru classé
In original wooden cases
Tasting note: Bottled in 1994. The biggest crop since 1893. Most recently, at Yquem: bright amber-gold with orange highlights; sweet, rich, orange blossom fragrance becoming increasingly caramelly; medium-sweet, rich texture, nutty flavour though lacking the opulence and rich sensuality of the '89. Last tasted Aug 2006 ****(*) Long life. M.B.
12 bottles per lot
Brought to you by
Carolyn Holmes