Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes 2001
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Chateau d`Yquem is often described as the greatest sweet wine in the world. After centuries of family ownership, Yquem was was bought by Louis Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy in 1999. Its former owner and director Alexandre de Lur-Saluce remains in charge. Yquem is located on the highest hill in Sauternes and enjoys the best growing conditions in the whole appellation. The 110-hectare vineyard is planted with 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. Only fully botrytized fruit is picked by the 150 highly skilled pickers and yields are so low that each vine produces only one glass of wine. Yquem is fermented in oak barrels (100% new) and is left in barriques to mature for up to 36 months. Intensely opulent when young, Yquem develops an extraordinary complexity and exotic richness when fully mature, with the best vintages lasting for over 50 years. Château d'Yquem is classified as a 1er Cru Classé supérieur.
Yquem spends 42 months in 100% new oak. No cask tasting is permitted, and the wine is not released until 5 years after the vintage. The 2001 Château d’Yquem is undoubtedly one of the greatest Sauternes ever made and has near limitless potential longevity
Weather in 2001: A picture perfect growing season, with a dry month of September (sunny and moderately warm) that was ideal for retaining acidity and freshness. A few showers came at just the right time and an anticyclone completed a fortuitous set of circumstances that induced widespread botrytisation. The grapes showed rare concentration and great purity. This is clearly a benchmark vintage.
Technical Information:
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon
Region: Bordeaux, Sauternes
Alcohol: 13.6 %
Closure: Cork
Drink: Now to 2100
Tasting Note: Pale to medium lemon-gold, the nose is simply WOW—an absolute show-stopper, delivering vibrant, youthful lime cordial, pink grapefruit and lemon meringue pie scents followed up by suggestions of chamomile tea, saffron, cassis and nutmeg plus wafts of marzipan, crushed rocks and beeswax. The palate is beyond-belief intense, offering a myriad of decadent citrus fruit preserves and earthy/mineral-inspired nuances, instilling incredible depth, all punctuated by profound freshness and finishing epically long and exquisitely delicious. - Tasted by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Anticipated maturity: 2010-2100.
Yquem spends 42 months in 100% new oak. No cask tasting is permitted, and the wine is not released until 5 years after the vintage. The 2001 Château d’Yquem is undoubtedly one of the greatest Sauternes ever made and has near limitless potential longevity
Weather in 2001: A picture perfect growing season, with a dry month of September (sunny and moderately warm) that was ideal for retaining acidity and freshness. A few showers came at just the right time and an anticyclone completed a fortuitous set of circumstances that induced widespread botrytisation. The grapes showed rare concentration and great purity. This is clearly a benchmark vintage.
Technical Information:
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon
Region: Bordeaux, Sauternes
Alcohol: 13.6 %
Closure: Cork
Drink: Now to 2100
Tasting Note: Pale to medium lemon-gold, the nose is simply WOW—an absolute show-stopper, delivering vibrant, youthful lime cordial, pink grapefruit and lemon meringue pie scents followed up by suggestions of chamomile tea, saffron, cassis and nutmeg plus wafts of marzipan, crushed rocks and beeswax. The palate is beyond-belief intense, offering a myriad of decadent citrus fruit preserves and earthy/mineral-inspired nuances, instilling incredible depth, all punctuated by profound freshness and finishing epically long and exquisitely delicious. - Tasted by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Anticipated maturity: 2010-2100.
