Chateau D'Yquem 2008
How do you describe Chateau d’Yquem? Liquid Gold? ....Perhaps just simply the best sweet wine in the world? For it is the best, quite clearly, and by a long way. No other Sauternes possesses the power, the concentration, the sheer depth of character. The others do not achieve the weight, the richness or the lusciousness of Yquem, the combination of ripe fruit and delicious fresh acidity which gives Yquem the balance to match its breed. CLIVE COATES, The Finest Chateau of Bordeaux
Yquem, Château d’, the greatest wine of sauternes and, according to the famous 1855 classification, of the entire bordeaux region. It is sweet, golden, and apparently almost immortal. JANCIS ROBINSON MW
Chateau d'Yquem. It is unassailable in the world of sweet wines. Nothing comes close and nothing, nothing can give you that feeling with such regularity that the transfer of grapes into wine is a miracle. Proof, assuming you believe in a higher power, that he/she/they have had a hand in gifting this remarkable wine to the human race. Turning mould into gold!
What's the reason it's that much better than its peers? Don't get me wrong, there are many great sweet wines out of Sauternes, Barsac, Germany, Austria etc etc, but nothing can roll into one wine the sheer power, the race and energy played off against decadence and hedonism. Then, on top of that you have to talk about the panoply of aromatics and flavours that range from a fruit basket which includes apricot, citrus, sometimes guava as well as coconut. Strangely into all this you'll find nuance of mushroom and loads of spice, love that spice!
The oak is perhaps the most beautifully aligned in any wine I ever taste. It's ever present but ever part of the wine rather than standing outside. I love Neal Martin's line below where he describes the 2008 as having an, unbridled, joyous botrytized fruit struck through with a silver thread of acidity.
That thread of acidity is all important; driving the wine, keeping it fresh, wrangling and choreographing those flavours so they all sing in unison. Each taste can carry a key change too, introducing a new direction in the wine that makes it all the more alluring.
Anyway, with that all said I was offered a small parcel out of Bordeaux a couple of months ago which are now Australia-bound on a container ship which, at last check, was just through the Suez canal. I jumped on the parcel for a few reasons. One, well read the above and that's reason number one. Two, it's d'yquem that's been sleeping peacefully in the cellars at the chateau since bottling so I know provenance is impeccable. Three, it's ready to start drinking, sure its got time to cellar still if you prefer but given so many of us are holding recent vintages we don't want to touch, this is a great opportunity to drink one that's approaching readiness. Finally 2008 is a great vintage (read the reviews below) and in terms of pricing, they are cheap!
They're 750ml bottles that are $810 in a six-pack. That's about $400 below market rate for the most recent vintages.
If you would like to place an order please feel free to either email me directly. As I said, it's a small parcel so orders will be taken on a strictly first in first served basis.
The wine will not arrive in time for Christmas unfortunately but it will be here in early January 2023.
Cheers
Michael
Yquem, Château d’, the greatest wine of sauternes and, according to the famous 1855 classification, of the entire bordeaux region. It is sweet, golden, and apparently almost immortal. JANCIS ROBINSON MW
Chateau d'Yquem. It is unassailable in the world of sweet wines. Nothing comes close and nothing, nothing can give you that feeling with such regularity that the transfer of grapes into wine is a miracle. Proof, assuming you believe in a higher power, that he/she/they have had a hand in gifting this remarkable wine to the human race. Turning mould into gold!
What's the reason it's that much better than its peers? Don't get me wrong, there are many great sweet wines out of Sauternes, Barsac, Germany, Austria etc etc, but nothing can roll into one wine the sheer power, the race and energy played off against decadence and hedonism. Then, on top of that you have to talk about the panoply of aromatics and flavours that range from a fruit basket which includes apricot, citrus, sometimes guava as well as coconut. Strangely into all this you'll find nuance of mushroom and loads of spice, love that spice!
The oak is perhaps the most beautifully aligned in any wine I ever taste. It's ever present but ever part of the wine rather than standing outside. I love Neal Martin's line below where he describes the 2008 as having an, unbridled, joyous botrytized fruit struck through with a silver thread of acidity.
That thread of acidity is all important; driving the wine, keeping it fresh, wrangling and choreographing those flavours so they all sing in unison. Each taste can carry a key change too, introducing a new direction in the wine that makes it all the more alluring.
Anyway, with that all said I was offered a small parcel out of Bordeaux a couple of months ago which are now Australia-bound on a container ship which, at last check, was just through the Suez canal. I jumped on the parcel for a few reasons. One, well read the above and that's reason number one. Two, it's d'yquem that's been sleeping peacefully in the cellars at the chateau since bottling so I know provenance is impeccable. Three, it's ready to start drinking, sure its got time to cellar still if you prefer but given so many of us are holding recent vintages we don't want to touch, this is a great opportunity to drink one that's approaching readiness. Finally 2008 is a great vintage (read the reviews below) and in terms of pricing, they are cheap!
They're 750ml bottles that are $810 in a six-pack. That's about $400 below market rate for the most recent vintages.
If you would like to place an order please feel free to either email me directly. As I said, it's a small parcel so orders will be taken on a strictly first in first served basis.
The wine will not arrive in time for Christmas unfortunately but it will be here in early January 2023.
Cheers
Michael