Château d'Yquem 2016

This is exotic, with very lush and seductive notes of coconut, honeysuckle, creamed white peach, glazed pear, mirabelle plum and yellow apple, all woven together seamlessly. Beautifully caressing in feel, with a long acacia echo on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2040.

Despite a rich botrytis character, this balances impact with delicacy. Clear citrus on the nose with a hint of flint and smoke, allowing the soft white flowers and lime blossom to steal up on you slowly. There are caramel notes through the mid-palate and great persistency, as ever. Extremely elegant. This was the driest summer since 1898, and the harvest at Yquem lasted a full two months, from 4th September (for the dry white Y d'Yquem) through to 4th November for the final selection of botrytis berries. The final yield is 20hl/ha, the highest in recent years against their average of 9hl/ha, with 40% going into the grand vin compared to 50% last year. 135g/l residual sugar and 3.9pH. 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. The 2015 will be released this September.

A very classic Yquem. Breathtakingly wide spectrum of floral honey, exotic fruit (passion fruit, mango and pineapple), caramel and marzipan aromas. But none of this is a jot too much. In fact, the wine is extremely precise and finely nuanced. Wonderful freshness and textural complexity, in spite of the considerable concentration and extravagance. Very suave and sensual finish that goes on and on. Drink or hold.

The 2016 vintage experienced three months without rain, giving greater ripeness to the fruit. RS 138 g/l. Mid gold. More noticeably acetic than the 2021 vintage, as well as more burnt-sugar character on the finish. Preserved orange, orchard fruit, thick texture, floral scent on the finish. Not as beautiful as the 2021, with a bit more bulk and intensity. (RH)

Chateau d'Yquem is great at any age, and this just-released beauty is no exception to that rule. The wine combines high levels of sweet, ripe, tropical fruits, honey-coated apricots and pineapple with freshness, giving the wine lift and vigor. This is going to offer superb drinking for at least 50 or more years.

Light golden yellow. On the nose, fine nuances of ripe pineapple and candied orange zest, delicate oak spice, sweet yellow peach, some apricot underlay, and a hint of honey. Juicy, ripe yellow tropical fruit, subtle canned peach, powerful and opulent, restrained by a salty minerality, a sturdy, pristinely made great sweet wine.

The 2016 Chateau D’Yquem is pure magic, and dessert wines don’t get much better. Showing a pale gold hue and a blockbuster bouquet of honeyed tangerines, tart apricots, wet stone, white flowers, and honeysuckle, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an opulent texture, vibrant acidity, and again, an incredible sense of minerality, despite having no shortage of sweetness or depth. The 2016 is a classic blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon that reached 14.2% alcohol with 135 grams of residual sugar. It’s already complex and approachable yet will age for 3–4 decades.

A very hot and utterly untypical summer with record-breaking drought which, thanks to the water reserves stored in the clay soils, had no negative impact on the vines. A proud alcohol level of 14.2% vol. and a residual sugar of 135 g/L were achieved in a protracted harvest from September 27 to November 4. 75% of the grapes were picked in the last two weeks. Medium yellow with golden highlights and a green shimmer. Beguiling perfume: freshly cooked Williams pear, followed by mirabelle tart and quince juice. On the oily palate, endowed with incredible balance and finesse: plenty of mandarin oil and vineyard peach compote, paired with acacia honey on the finish. A symphony that starts over again and reaches its climax in a never-ending finale. Magnificent, very close to perfection. 19.5/20

Kunz barrel sample 17: creamy, concentrated, finely mineral, complex bouquet, mirabelles, delicate apricot notes, honey, Alka-Seltzer, cooked pears. Dense, well-opulent, multi-layered palate with a creamy structure, powerful fruit, opulent sweetness, dense, varied aromatics, very well-integrated acidity, very long, powerful finish.

Creamy, concentrated, finely mineral, complex bouquet with mirabelle plums, subtle apricot, honey, Alka-Seltzer, cooked pears. Dense, well-opulent, multi-layered palate with a creamy structure, powerful fruit, opulent sweetness, dense and varied aromatics, very well-integrated acidity, very long, powerful finish. 19/20 2025 - 2060

The 2016 Yquem has a pale lemon-gold color, with 135 grams per liter of residual sugar, 14.2% alcohol, and a pH of 3.8. It gallops out with energetic scents of lemon curd, peach preserves, and lime cordial, followed by suggestions of crème caramel, allspice, candied ginger, and pineapple upside-down cake. Exotic fruits and spices explode on the palate, with a decadently creamy texture and amazing freshness, delivering layer upon layer, finishing with great energy and tons of mineral sparks. So decadent!

The estate built its blend mostly from the mid-harvest selection passes, remarkable for their airy character, and once again managed to combine power, purity, and drinkability at a level unique in Sauternais. There will be a bit more power in the 2015. The 25% Sauvignon contributes to the freshness of the aromas.

He has moved away from the pastry notes of his youth to refocus on a hint of citron and mandarin. Its power settles in with confidence, in pure fruit nourished by a sensual liqueur. This imparts a masterful balance.

Aged for two years, 100% new barrels. Bottling took place in early September 2018. Golden yellow. Lots of freshness in Yquem’s bouquet, with notes of white pepper and chalk. It reveals itself slowly, showing wafts of cocoa beans, lemongrass, and mirabelle plum. With aeration I also detect hints of dried apricot, toasted almonds, crème brûlée, and a delicate floral touch with a bit of lily of the valley. The attack is broad and creamy, marked by beautiful aromatic intensity. On the palate, the wine displays many facets, in terms of sweetness, breed, and liveliness. The aromatic expression is intense from the first sip through to the finish. I find the minerality and the same aromatic hallmarks on the finish. The latter is lively, rich, balanced, and persistent. I haven’t mentioned palate balance, and that is indeed the key word for this Yquem. It lacks a certain echo, a touch of acidity on the finish to underscore the freshness and fruit even more, but this takes nothing away from the grandeur of Yquem.

Sunshine-yellow color. Superb, delicate and subtle nose. Complex nuances of pear, pineapple, and mango, plus a touch of lime—very rare in Sauternes. The meticulous texture is striking from the first sip. Immediately caressing, the wine melts at mid-palate and is ultra-perfumed. The quality of the body and the aromas are mesmerizing. It’s incredible to achieve such nobility and pleasure through noble rot. Very long finish.

The nose is fruity, fresh and shows lovely elegance. It reveals notes of candied lemon, kumquat and candied pear, combined with fine touches of peaches in syrup, hints of white flowers, as well as discreet hints of sweet spices, fresh almond and a very discreet hint of honeysuckle. The palate is fruity, nicely balanced, elegant and precise, offering lovely smoothness, a pleasing roundness, fine definition, tension, attractive freshness, delicacy and a fine grain. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of candied vineyard peach and candied pear, and, more lightly, lychee, combined with fine touches of exotic fruit/pineapple in syrup, as well as subtle hints of almond, dried fruit and very discreet floral nuances. Good length. Very beautiful, gourmand persistence. A touch of pink lychee, exotic fruits and a discreet hint of nuts linger on the finish. A hint of almond on the retro-olfaction. (2024+)

95–97. Barrel Sample. The bouquet opens with aromas of honey and citrus, offering richness and freshness at the same time. The mouthfeel is opulent, with honeyed flavors. There is some acidity underneath, although decadence and concentration are its defining attributes. It will age for decades.