1970 d'Yquem
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Tasting notes
The 1970 Yquem comes from a vintage overshadowed by that year’s reds and subsequent Sauternes vintage. Lorenzo Pasquini, who took over as head winemaker from Sandrine Garbay last year, told me that this contains 102g/L residual sugar. With light greenish tints on the rim, this bottle offers enticing scents of crème brûlée, orange rind and mandarin, a dab of rose water emerging with time. The palate is fresh on the entry with Seville orange marmalade, rooibos and dried honey. It is not a complex Yquem, yet it is very commendable for the vintage. I admire how it blossoms in the glass. Bottles should be opened now and over the next decade. This is certainly the best bottle that I have encountered.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 1970 Yquem is a vintage that I have not tasted for many years. It is not a great vintage for Sauternes, one overshadowed by the following year and by the reds. Now at 48 years of age, it has a relatively light bouquet for an Yquem, certainly less rich than the 1971 or 1975, offering gooseberry and quince notes, and just a fleeting glimpse of beeswax and saffron. Like a car stuck in third gear, but it still gets you from A to B. The palate is balanced and citrus-driven, with orange peel and a touch of marmalade, although I find the finish conservative and missing genuine complexity. It’s not a poor Yquem, but the word that best describes it is “half-hearted.” Based on this showing, bottles ought to be consumed in the near future.
Rich and very sweet with more than a hint of orange peel. (JR)
Harvested from 25 September to 24 November – very long picking period. Rosy pink copper colour. Quite gold and burnt. A bit of astringency on the finish. Not especially sweet – would be good with a suitable savoury course – maybe chicken in a creamy sauce. Long. (JR)
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.