Château d'Yquem 1991

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of Château d'Yquem 1991

Tasting

Colour
Revealing a beautiful medium golden hue, this wine displays a luminous brilliance that reflects a harmonious evolution over the years.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with indulgent notes of tropical fruits, pineapple and peach, enhanced by touches of honey and dried fruits. Subtle nuances of crème brûlée, roasted coffee, vanilla and sweet spices further enrich this warm and complex olfactory palette.

Palate
With a smooth and velvety texture, the palate offers a beautiful richness. Fruity and spicy flavours intertwine with notes of caramel and toasted almond, leading to a flavourful finish of remarkable persistence.

Food and wine pairing

This sweet wine pairs wonderfully with pan-seared foie gras or foie gras terrine, as well as with roasted poultry accompanied by fruit or sweet spices. It also enhances blue cheeses such as Roquefort, and is an ideal match for lightly sweetened fruity desserts, such as an apricot tart, a pineapple cake or a crème brûlée.

Serving and cellaring

To fully appreciate Château d'Yquem 1991, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 10 and 12°C, after allowing it to breathe for one to two hours in a medium-sized glass. This vintage is best enjoyed until around 2020, although bottles kept under optimal conditions can still offer wonderful tasting experiences today.

The refinement and richness of a Premier Cru Supérieur from Sauternes

The estate

The history of Château d'Yquem truly begins in 1593, when the Sauvage family acquired the tenure rights to the estate. Located in Sauternes, in the Bordeaux region of France, this legendary estate is the only property to be elevated to the rank of Premier Cru Supérieur in the 1855 classification. Today, the estate belongs to the LVMH group. Governance is overseen by Pierre Lurton, President, and Lorenzo Pasquini, Managing Director since May 2025. The château is world-renowned for its extreme quality standards and its exceptionally long-lived sweet wines.

The vineyard

Rising to an altitude of 80 metres, the estate spans 126 hectares, including 113 hectares of vines planted on an exceptional geological mosaic at the heart of the Sauternes appellation. The soils consist of warm gravel at the surface and a clay-rich subsoil with significant water reserves, drained by an extensive network spanning 100 kilometres. The local microclimate, characterised by morning mists and sunny afternoons, favours the development of botrytis cinerea. Vine management follows traditional methods, with exclusively organic fertilisation, manual soil work and very severe pruning to limit yields.

The vintage

The year 1991 was marked by severe spring frost in late April, which nevertheless spared the plots located on the estate's hillsides. This was followed by a hot, dry summer, ideal for ripening, before a rainy September. Despite these challenging weather conditions, the harvest took place over just three passes, yielding small volumes but grapes of remarkable quality.

Winemaking and ageing

As soon as they arrived at the winery, the grapes for Château d'Yquem 1991 were pressed several times to extract the most concentrated juices. Fermentation took place entirely in barrels, allowing for precise temperature control. The wine was then carefully aged for twenty months in barrels, with regular topping up and numerous rackings, before being bottled during the third winter.

Grape varieties

75% Semillon
25% Sauvignon Blanc