2022 Château d'Yquem
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Tasting notes
So bright on the nose, 2022 d'Yquem has redolent of confit lemon, grapefruit zest, candied orange peel, apricot, spearmint and turmeric with a scattering of white flowers; acacia, white rose and lily. Full-bodied, fleshy and so deep, the concentration is evident, but belied by an ethereal quality to the wine, a vivacity and elegance that skip across the palate. The sense of breadth on the palate quickly focuses, with a precise balance of fleshy fruits, sweet preserves and an invigorating, bright acidity – more confit fruit, mint, apricot and grapefruit. A dance of unctuous, concentrated sweetness, refreshing bitterness and delicate salinity drives you back to the glass.
Critic scores
Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
Neal Martin, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Yquem has a much more extravagant and complex bouquet, with ample botrytis and hints of pineapple, fresh fig and quince coming through with time. The palate is well balanced, with a viscous entry and fine acidity, rich but tensile, with marmalade and quince towards the harmonious finish. Very promising. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.
From a hot vintage, described by estate director Lorenzo Pasquini as a rollercoaster. Very extended harvest with grey rot threatening around 10 October but it all changed on 15 October when a south-east wind stopped the rot. By 18 October it was 34 °C, the highest-ever temperature for October in Sauternes. This concentrated the sugars which were the highest since 1945. There were just three picking passages through the vineyard when sometimes there are seven. They 'played with bitterness' to counteract the relatively low acidity. RS 160 g/l (the average is 135–150). it doesn't taste like a hot-vintage, super-sweet wine at all. So vibrant and lively! We were served this as an aperitif under the trees with a succession of canapés that appeared by magic to demonstrate Yquem's versatility: top-quality jamon and melon, kobe beef and caviar(!), melting foie gras and orangey squid. (These were all arguably better matches than the oysters served with this wine by Yannick Alléno at the dinner before Wine Paris, observes this completely spoilt diner.) (JR)
The first time I have tasted this vintage, as it was only released earlier this year, and it is a wonderful wine, generous, luscious, but absolutely balanced despite the heat of the vintage, with a twist of grated citrus, pineapple, white tea, bitter almond and candied orange peel. Layers of marmalade, white truffle, salted tarte tartin, a beautiful push and pull of opulence and acidity that is so essential in a vintage as concentrated as this. Will power through the years, no question. 160g/l residual sugar. Lorenzo Pasquini estate director.