"99/100 Neal Martin, Vinous
From: Cellar Favorite: 2023 Yquem & Y de Yquem (Mar 2026)
The 2023 Yquem, a blend of 70% Sémillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc, contains 154 grams per litre of residual sugar—less than the 2022. As usual, the 2023 was matured in 100% new oak, mainly French, with a small percentage from Austria. The nose is so seductive that it should come with a warning sticker. Pure and mellow, it offers beguiling scents of wild honey, quince jelly, almond shavings and that signature hint of saffron destined to accentuate with age. It displays wonderful definition, though it does not have the “aromatic drama” of the previous vintage. The palate has exquisite balance and poise that belies the depth of this Yquem, though it is less exuberant, less ostentatious than the 2022. It is really the umami sensation that defines the 2023, how it caresses, almost soothes the grateful taste buds, vanilla and flecks of white chocolate lingering on the aftertaste. This will probably drink a little sooner than the 2022. If the 2023 does have a fault, it’s that it is so flattering in its flush of youth that it will be difficult to resist. Sublime."
The vineyard of Chateau d’Yquem extends to over 100 hectares, with the Chateau sitting at the highest point in Sauternes. Planted on a mixture of gravel, limestone and clay, it is the clay that is reputed to add extra density to the fruit of d’Yquem. The vineyards are planted with Semillon (80%) and Sauvignon Blanc (20%), and are only harvested when noble rot has properly set in. It can take the pickers up to 7 or 8 passes through the vineyard during the autumn to harvest the fruit in appropriate condition – sometimes resorting to picking individual berries as opposed to bunches.
