2020 "Y" d'Yquem
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Tasting notes
The 2020 Y de Yquem has a pretty nose with yellow fruit, Satsuma and traces of dried honey, opening nicely in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a viscous entry and lower acidity than its peers but clean fruit. It concludes with a welcome stem-ginger and lemongrass-tinged finish. Very fine. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin, Vinous
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. One of the freshest in this flight on the nose, but sweet and simple on the palate. (JH)
The 2020 Y de Yquem has a pretty nose with yellow fruit, Satsuma and traces of dried honey, opening nicely in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a viscous entry and lower acidity than its peers but clean fruit. It concludes with a welcome stem-ginger and lemongrass-tinged finish. Very fine. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
“There was just a touch of botrytis on the Sémillon this year,” commented Pierre Lurton on the 2020 Y. This off-dry style has 7 grams per liter of residual sugar and a racy pH of 3.2. The blend this year is 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon. It needs a swirl or two to release notes of preserved limes, white peaches, fresh grapefruit, and orange blossom with underlying suggestions of honeysuckle, wet pebbles, and beeswax. The medium to full-bodied is fabulously intense with a satiny texture and loads of tightly wound nuances contributing to the exciting tension, finishing very long and with a swish of opulence.
About the producer
The undisputed finest sweet wine in the world, Château d'Yquem is the only Premier Cru Supérieur estate in Sauternes, classified in 1855. With a long history stretching back to the Middle Ages, the château is entwined with that of the Lur-Saluces family – who remain involved today.