2011 chateau d'yquem premier cru superieur, sauternes
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Why We're Buying
Only one property in Sauternes has ever earned the distinction as Premier Cru Supérieur. That estate: Château d'Yquem. The winemaking powerhouse has built a reputation for unmatched complexity and elegance, which has led to astronomical prices. In 2006, an investor paid $1.5 million for a single lot of Château d'Yquem wine.
Critics Scores
Wine Spectator
A lovely, creamy, tropical style, with mango, papaya and guava notes lending a caressing feel, while singed almond and warm piecrust accents blossom through the lush finish. Just when you think that's all there is, toasted coconut, fig, orange blossom and persimmon details kick in, lending length and dimension. The finish is ridiculously long. Best from 2020 through 2060.
James Suckling
Crazy minerality to this, with lots of dried mango, pineapple and papaya on the nose. Botrytis-spice and nutmeg undertones. Full body, very sweet, with superb depth of fruit and richness. It goes on for minutes. Turns dense and concentrated on the palate. Speechless. Better in 2019.
Wine Enthusiast
Rich, with intense flavors of botrytis, lemon and Seville orange peel. This wine has both freshness and sweetness, with a light touch.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tasted blind at the Sauternes 2011 horizontal tasting. The Château Yquem 2011 has a complex bouquet, one that is very well defined with hints of petrol infusing the rich honeyed fruit, later melted wax and fresh peach coming through. The palate is well balanced with a strong viscous entry. There is plenty of residual sugar here and I would have preferred a little more acidic bite to offset that rich, decadent finish (this is despite their correct policy of blending non-botrytized berries in order to increase acidity.) Powerful, burly even, I would give this several years in the cellar to allow this Yquem to mellow and enter its stride.
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2011 Château d’Yquem is a more restrained, elegant style of Yquem with beautiful, nuanced notes of caramelized citrus, apricot, white flowers, and a beautiful mineral-character that emerges more on the palate. Beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, with good acidity and plenty of complex, sweet, honeyed fruit, it’s all about complexity, nuance, and elegance. Feel free to drink this beauty any time over the coming 40-50 years.