When it comes to the very best dessert wines available in the world, there's naturally only one winery that truly dominates the world: Château d'Yquem from the Sauternes region of France. The winery boasts a long history, reminiscent of a novel, as it features a wealth of events and colorful personalities spanning more than four centuries. Château d'Yquem was practically English. During the Middle Ages, the estate actually belonged to the King of England, who was also Duke of Aquitaine at the time. In 1453, southwestern France returned to the French crown under Charles VII and has remained French ever since. A century and a half later, in 1593, a descendant of a local noble family, Jacques Sauvage, took control of Yquem. But its history stretches back much further, to around 1826, when a new cellar was built, and the winery flourished. The international reputation was developed for Chateau d'Yquem, which is still known today as the very best dessert wine in the world.
The dry white wine of Château d'Yquem
With an annual production of 10,000 bottles, Y (pronounced "ee-grek" in French) is a rare wine. It is made from the same excellent terroir and vines as Château d'Yquem. While the work in the vineyard is just as meticulous, the grapes are picked and the wine is made differently.
Y was traditionally made at the end of the harvest, with the last bunches on the vines. These grapes, affected to varying degrees by Botrytis cinerea, but never exceeding 15% potential alcohol, resulted in a very unusual white wine. This explains why it has been produced in small quantities and irregularly since 1959. Y changed in 1996, but without compromising its unique character, to be more in tune with the times by showcasing the qualities of freshness and crispness—essential for a modern great white wine. In 2004, the decision was made to produce Y every year. It is therefore a conscious decision to harvest certain plots of Sauvignon Blanc at the beginning of the harvest, ensuring that perfectly ripe bunches are picked. These are supplemented with Sémillon grapes picked at that fleeting stage when the grapes have reached peak ripeness, botrytis has just appeared, and the skins have turned pink. This is precisely the moment when the tannins of this grape variety are soft enough to allow the aromatic potential of the best clay soil plots to come through.
Much attention for this Y de Château d'Yquem 2021
The wine receives considerable attention during fermentation: light, precise pressing, temperature-controlled must racking, and alcoholic fermentation in a new, aesthetically pleasing, state-of-the-art barrel room reserved specifically for this wine. Fermentation and aging on the lees take place in barrels. Only a third of these are new, and the lees are regularly stirred (bâtonnage) for ten months. The final blend is made after tasting. It usually consists primarily of Sauvignon Blanc and a few batches of Sémillon.
Full and very powerful this Y de Château d'Yquem
The wine is incredibly complex and truly a treat, starting from the moment you open the bottle. A powerful aroma of preserved lemon and grassy notes, along with hints of grapefruit, apple, and lime, is also noticeable. On the palate, it's a wine with considerable depth, with beautifully rounded tannins that can develop for years in bottle.
2021
