1998, Sauternes, Château d'Yquem
About Producer
Located in the heart of Sauternes, and at the commune's highest point, this 100ha estate dates back to 1593 when Jacques Sauvage, a local nobleman, was given feudal tenure over Yquem. It's one of his descendants, Françoise-Joséphine de Lur-Saluces who, in the teeth of the upheavals of the French Revolution, decided to select only berries infected with noble rot to produce a sweet wine, and subsequently developed the international reputation of Yquem. During his visit to Yquem in May 1787, Thomas Jefferson ordered a few hundred bottles of the 1784 vintage, for him and also for George Washington. The modern era of Yquem started with Bertrand de Lur-Saluces who took over the reins in 1919, before passing the torch in 1966 to his nephew Alexandre who then managed the property for almost four decades until 2004. With its acquisition by the LVMH group in 1999, a new chapter has started, and today Yquem is led by Pierre Lurton. In vintages when the crop is deemed unworthy, no Yquem is produced at all, as it happened nine times in the 20th century, and most recently, in 2012.
Varietals
Blend of 80% sémillon and 20% sauvignon blanc.
About Appellation
Sauternes appellation covers 2,200ha of vines and sit on gravel and pebbles on limestone soil with clay veins. The appellation includes wine from the five villages of Sauternes, Barsac, Bommes, Fargues and Preignac. The area benefits from a unique microclimate where cold waters of River Ciron meeting warmer currents of River Garonne generate autumnal mists that trigger the development of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) across the vineyards. Sémillon reigns supreme with 80% of the plantings, with sauvignon blanc and, in a tiny proportion, muscadelle playing the supporting role. It's home to 27 grands crus classés in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, with Yquem having the unique title of Premier Cru Supérieur.
Tasting Notes
Alluring nose of white orchard fruits, clementine peel, baking spices, crème brûlée and acacia flowers, voluptuous mouthfeel with lush texture, excellent precision and amazing fruit purity, multilayered flavours of pineapple, white peach, mango, beeswax and bitter orange marmalade intermingled with hints of candied ginger, well-knit acidity carrying through a long, suave finish. Though not the best vintage of Yquem in the 1990s, this 1998 is a sensational wine that has superbly matured. At 26 years old, it’s brimming with impressive class, confident drive and beguiling complexity, with enough vivacity in reserve to stay on a high plateau for decades to come. Showing a dazzling personality yet not remotely ostentatious, it’s deliciously sweet without ever straying into cloying, while holding power and freshness in faultless balance. As always with Yquem, I invariably find myself succumbing to its sensual charm and majestic beauty, even in a good but not blockbuster vintage. (07/2024)