1990 Château d'Yquem Sauternes Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

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1990 Château d'Yquem  (Sauternes) 99 This bottle was riveting. Bordering on perfection, the incredible blend of concentration, intensity, sweetness, vibrance, purity, length, and most importantly, its racy lift makes this one of life's great, sweet treats. Drink from 2023-2075. This bottle was riveting. Bordering on perfection, the incredible blend of concentration, intensity, sweetness, vibrance, purity, length, and most importantly, its racy lift makes this one of life's great, sweet treats. Drink from 2023-2075. 3,602 Views   Tasted Sep 1, 2023  • Buy This Wine For The Lowest Price DOWNLOAD TASTING NOTE | Post to 1990 d’Yquem continues gaining complexity. Now you find an enthralling perfume packed with roasted apricots, overripe pineapple, butterscotch, creme brûlée, toasted marshmallow, spice, flowers and honey. On the palate the unctuous wine is poised perfectly between its waves of sweet honeyed fruit and racy acidity. As good as it is now, it’s only going to get better over the following 3-5 decades or longer! 1990 d’Yquem continues gaining complexity. Now you find an enthralling perfume packed with roasted apricots, overripe pineapple, butterscotch, creme brûlée, toasted marshmallow, spice, flowers and honey. On the palate the unctuous wine is poised perfectly between its waves of sweet honeyed fruit and racy acidity. As good as it is now, it’s only going to get better over the following 3-5 decades or longer! 5,397 Views   Tasted Aug 2, 2021 From a half bottle, purchased on release, the wine is loaded with buttery, pineapple, apricots, orange and honey, with floral accents and a hint of butterscotch. Plus, rich, round, sweet and lively, the wine is just starting to show its secondary development. Talk about pure pleasure in a glass. From a half bottle, purchased on release, the wine is loaded with buttery, pineapple, apricots, orange and honey, with floral accents and a hint of butterscotch. Plus, rich, round, sweet and lively, the wine is just starting to show its secondary development. Talk about pure pleasure in a glass. 6,310 Views   Tasted Feb 3, 2019 Served in Reidel Sommelier glasses, the aromatics exploded with an array of secondary notes. I mention the glasses, because I have never experienced all the buttered popcorn, creme caramel, Cointreau, brown sugar, crème brulee, melted butter and white chocolate aromas that were sitting on top of the honey coated, tropical fruits before. Dense, but not overbearing, rich, but not cloying, fresh, but never overly acidic, everything was in perfect balance and harmony. The scary thing is, the wine is just starting to enter its second phase of development. What happens in the next 30 years is going to be even better! Served in Reidel Sommelier glasses, the aromatics exploded with an array of secondary notes. I mention the glasses, because I have never experienced all the buttered popcorn, creme caramel, Cointreau, brown sugar, crème brulee, melted butter and white chocolate aromas that were sitting on top of the honey coated, tropical fruits before. Dense, but not overbearing, rich, but not cloying, fresh, but never overly acidic, everything was in perfect balance and harmony. The scary thing is, the wine is just starting to enter its second phase of development. What happens in the next 30 years is going to be even better! 8,659 Views   Tasted Oct 5, 2017 Like all great wine, this just keeps improving with age. I should age as well. Rich, luscious, opulent and concentrated, there is intensity of flavor, purity of fruit and a complexity few other wines offer. The finish, with its perfect blend of honey coated fruits and bracing acidity must keep you busy for at least 50 seconds. At 27, this is just starting to open. You can drink this now, wait a decade or save it for your grandchildren. Me, I'm not waiting, this is a beauty. Like all great wine, this just keeps improving with age. I should age as well. Rich, luscious, opulent and concentrated, there is intensity of flavor, purity of fruit and a complexity few other wines offer. The finish, with its perfect blend of honey coated fruits and bracing acidity must keep you busy for at least 50 seconds. At 27, this is just starting to open. You can drink this now, wait a decade or save it for your grandchildren. Me, I'm not waiting, this is a beauty. 6,917 Views   Tasted Jul 6, 2017 Floral, honey, creme brulee, apricot, nectarine and orange make a beautiful, complex perfume. Viscous and intense. Very concentrated. Lots of ripe tropical pineapple, peach, pear, apricot and cherry fruit that seems drenched in honey and topped with vanilla. Mouth coating. It does not have acidity found in the 01. But the wine is not cloying. The finish is long, pure and the way to end a splendid night of wines and friendship, both old and new. Floral, honey, creme brulee, apricot, nectarine and orange make a beautiful, complex perfume. Viscous and intense. Very concentrated. Lots of ripe tropical pineapple, peach, pear, apricot and cherry fruit that seems drenched in honey and topped with vanilla. Mouth coating. It does not have acidity found in the 01. But the wine is not cloying. The finish is long, pure and the way to end a splendid night of wines and friendship, both old and new. 6,168 Views   Tasted Oct 11, 2013 Golden honey in color, potent scents of toast, honey, fresh baked croissants, grilled nuts, pineapple, apricot and white peaches waft from the glass. Rich, unctuous, sweet, dense, ripe pineapple, mango, apricot, spice, vanilla and over ripe peaches drenched in honey coat your palate. This is a delicious, ripe, sweet Chateau d'Yquem that will age and improve for decades. Golden honey in color, potent scents of toast, honey, fresh baked croissants, grilled nuts, pineapple, apricot and white peaches waft from the glass. Rich, unctuous, sweet, dense, ripe pineapple, mango, apricot, spice, vanilla and over ripe peaches drenched in honey coat your palate. This is a delicious, ripe, sweet Chateau d'Yquem that will age and improve for decades. 13,694 Views   Tasted Aug 5, 2011 The wine is a thrill to put your nose in. That is if you’re turned on by ripe apricots, peaches, nectarines, pineapple, flower, honey, grilled nuts and coconut aromatics. Thick, rich, dense and concentrated, this powerful wine fills every nook and cranny in your mouth with fat sensations of ripe fruit, dripping with honey and roasted nut flavors. The intense long finish has enough acidity to keep everything in balance. The wine is a thrill to put your nose in. That is if you’re turned on by ripe apricots, peaches, nectarines, pineapple, flower, honey, grilled nuts and coconut aromatics. Thick, rich, dense and concentrated, this powerful wine fills every nook and cranny in your mouth with fat sensations of ripe fruit, dripping with honey and roasted nut flavors. The intense long finish has enough acidity to keep everything in balance. 7,945 Views   Tasted Nov 1, 2010 Remains youthful. The wine is a thrill to put your nose in. That is if you’re turned on by ripe apricots, peaches, nectarines, pineapple, flower, honey, grilled nuts and coconut aromatics. Thick, rich, dense and concentrated, this powerful wine fills every nook and cranny in your mouth with fat sensations of ripe fruit, dripping with honey and roasted nut flavors. The intense long finish has enough acidity to keep everything in balance. Remains youthful. The wine is a thrill to put your nose in. That is if you’re turned on by ripe apricots, peaches, nectarines, pineapple, flower, honey, grilled nuts and coconut aromatics. Thick, rich, dense and concentrated, this powerful wine fills every nook and cranny in your mouth with fat sensations of ripe fruit, dripping with honey and roasted nut flavors. The intense long finish has enough acidity to keep everything in balance. 8,390 Views   Tasted Nov 18, 2009 Massive levels of ripe, tropical, honeyed fruit with the perfect amount of acidity to give it lift. As good as it is, it's going to keep improving for decades Massive levels of ripe, tropical, honeyed fruit with the perfect amount of acidity to give it lift. As good as it is, it's going to keep improving for decades 6,828 Views   Tasted Jun 6, 2008 Layer after layer of the richest, sexiest, lush, tropical fruit you ever tasted all dipped in honey. As concentrated and powerful as it is, you never tire from sipping it as there's enough acidity to offer it lift. It’s an amazing, decadent, tasting sensation! Layer after layer of the richest, sexiest, lush, tropical fruit you ever tasted all dipped in honey. As concentrated and powerful as it is, you never tire from sipping it as there's enough acidity to offer it lift. It’s an amazing, decadent, tasting sensation! 6,782 Views   Tasted Mar 2, 2007 Deeply colored, offers flawless balance, intense sweetness and the perfect amount of acidity to keep it fresh. This is incredibly thick and concentrated with aromatics of honeyed pineapples, coconut custard and spicy apricots. Still very young and primary. Deeply colored, offers flawless balance, intense sweetness and the perfect amount of acidity to keep it fresh. This is incredibly thick and concentrated with aromatics of honeyed pineapples, coconut custard and spicy apricots. Still very young and primary. 6,869 Views   Tasted Jun 15, 2005

When to Drink Chateau d'Yquem, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau d'Yquem can be enjoyed on the young side with no decanting. Of course, the wine is sweet, but there is so much, incredible, racy acidity, the wine always feels fresh, and never cloying, which makes it quite fun to enjoy young. With Chateau d'Yquem and frankly, all Sauternes, the temperature is more important than decanting.

Chateau d'Yquem is delicious on release. But d'Yquem does not reach full maturity for 35-50 years, or even longer in the best vintages! That is when the magic happens! But that is unrealistic for 99% of the world's wine drinkers. So, enjoy it on any special occasion that calls for it.

Serving Chateau d'Yquem with Wine and Food Pairings

Chateau d'Yquem is best served at 14 degrees Celsius, 57 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. The wine will naturally, slowly warm in the glass, while it develops more aromatic complexities and fleshes out.

Chateau d'Yquem can be served with seafood dishes, especially shellfish, lobster, crab, and oysters on the half shell. Foie gras is a perfect pairing with its natural sweet, salty and savory characteristics. Chateau d'Yquem can also be paired with roasted chicken, veal, and pork dishes that are either spicy or prepared with a touch of sweetness.

Spicy Asian cuisine, raw fish, like sushi or sashimi, and cheese, both hard and soft also make great pairings with Chateau d'Yquem.

Chateau d'Yquem Dry White Wine

Chateau d'Yquem also produces a dry, white Bordeaux wine called "Y," which is pronounced (Ygrec). The wine is only made in select vintages. The first vintage for the production of dry, white wine at Chateau d'Yquem took place in 1959.

To make the dry white Bordeaux wine of d'Yquem, the fruit the estate uses does not only come from declassified grapes. Most of the berries are picked before the harvesting of the grapes for the production of Chateau d'Yquem has started.

When harvesting for Ygrec, the vines and grapes are chosen prior to harvest. However, while one bunch of Sauvignon Blanc on the vine is designated for Ygrec, the remaining bunch can be used for d'Yquem, if the necessary amount of noble rot develops.

For the Semillon used in Ygrec, the grapes are harvested just prior to the full development of noble rot.

Close to 80% of the parcels used to produce their dry white wine can change from vintage to vintage.

The blend of "Y" is normally close to 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. Interestingly, this is almost the complete opposite of the grape blend that is placed in Chateau d'Yquem! Since 2000, it has become more common to see vintages of "Y," than in previous years.

This is due to an increase in production. However starting with 2005, Ygrec has been made in every vintage. Today, slightly less than 1,000 cases are produced of "Y" each year.

To produce the dry white Bordeaux wine from d'Yquem, the wine is vinified in stainless steel vats. In fact, in 2012, the estate added several new, gleaming, stainless steel for the vinification. There is no malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged in 50% new, French oak barrels for an average of 10 months.

During its aging time, the wine is aged on its lees. This marks a major change in the wine, as previously, the wine was aged for up to 18 months in barrel before bottling.

Starting with the 2011 vintage, the chateau completely redesigned the label for "Y". The dry white wine of Yquem, "Y" is sold as a Bordeaux Superieur Blanc. Chateau d'Yquem does not produce a second wine. Instead, they declassify unwanted grapes or wine.

While the estate strives to make vintages of Chateau d'Yquem every year, that is not always possible. Chateau d'Yquem ended up declassifying the entire harvest and did not make wine in the following vintages, 1910, 1915, 1930, 1951, 1952, 1964, 1972, 1974, 1992, and 2012.

Even with as many as thirteen separate passes in the vineyards, as the grapes were not up to their high standard to produce a wine worthy of Chateau d'Yquem, they did not produce any wine in those years.

So, what does Chateau d'Yquem do with the declassified wine? In the past, declassified grapes that were not used in the production of their dry, white wine "Y", were sold off in bulk and used to produce a generic, Sauternes wine.

Today, declassified grapes are also used to produce a special blend of declassified d'Yquem that is only available to employees through internal sales at the property. The wine is not meant to be sold as a commercial product. The wine is classed as a generic AOC Sauternes wine.

www.yquem.fr