Château d'Yquem 2007

An exceptional vintage makes for an exceptional Yquem. This wine deserves a place among the estate’s timeless greats, thanks to its remarkable balance between luscious richness, alcohol and acidity. It proves worthy of the magnificent 1988.

VINUM 6/2008 - Never before at en primeur have we tasted an Yquem that, in addition to its well-known attributes such as elegance, balance, delicacy, precision and fruit, also boasts such great complexity, density and pedigree. A magnificent wine, built for eternity—yet already a pleasure to taste today.

Tasted single blind against its peers. Under blind conditions, the Yquem 2007 shines like a diamond. Nevertheless, it is initially rather taciturn on the nose, eventually opening up beautifully with touches of lemon curd, Mirabelle, and clear honey. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine definition and there seems to be a great deal of energy and vigor dispensed for your pleasure. There is such race and nervosity, and then that finish just purrs with harmony and focus. This Yquem feels just so alive and vivacious, yet there is an effortless quality here that is unmatched by its peers. Tasted January 2011.

Intense, with a wide range of maple, hazelnut-singed piecrust and apple crumble notes, all offset beautifully by a taut orange zest accent that imparts tension and length to balance the broad, rich core. Ends with a viscous feel and lingering energy. -- Non-blind Yquem vertical (July 2014). Best from 2015 through 2040. 10,000 cases made.

Soft gold in colour, packed full of generous stone fruit, nectarine and white peach, honeysuckle, white truffle, saffron-laced lemon curd, bitter orange peel, all wrapped up in the satiny texture that makes drinking Yquem feel like the most indulgent of moments. The 2007 vintage was a fairly generous 18hl/ha yield, with 130g/l residual sugar. Winemaker Sandrine Garbay.

There was only one way to finish: by switching over to Sauternes for the 2007 d’Yquem. This is a vintage I have tasted several times. Lucid amber in color, it has a reticent nose at first, though it blossoms with aeration to reveal captivating aromas of mirabelle, dried honey and beeswax. A subtle adhesive scent loiters backstage. The palate is medium-bodied with vanilla pod and almond on the entry, and very tensile with a seductive viscosity toward the close. Touches of nougat and white chocolate lace the finish of one of the finest Yquems of this decade. Glorious to drink now and doubtless glorious to drink in 50 years’ time!

Unctuous and equally racy, this full, rich, deep glass of sweet pleasure hits all the right marks. Layers of ripe, fleshy, tropical fruits slathered in honey, along with roasted almonds, vanilla, coconut, candied orange rind, and overripe pineapples from start to finish. In a decade, this will be off the hook.

Deep gold, with an intense Botrytis nose of saffron and dried apricot. The satiny damask texture is sensuous and extravagant in its sheer volume. Long and intense flavour that continues to develop. Quince tart, roasted walnuts, notes of cinnamon, star anise and spicy white radish. There is a bitter phenolic on the finish, very pronounced, which, for me, is the marker of Yquem. RL

Pale golden yellow. Compact and intense bouquet. Classic notes. Mirabelle plum, apricot, honey, lemon. As is often the case with very young Yquem, starchy notes appear. A racy attack on the palate with marked sweetness and plenty of volume. Dense, opulent body. It’s always remarkable how well Yquem can bring together power and finesse. Fruit-supporting structure on the finish. Intense, long aftertaste. A remarkable wine. Wait.

Yquem: the luck of the number 7 Many great, legendary Yquem vintages end with the number 7. Like 1787, 1847, 1867, 1937, 1947, 1967, 1997, and now 2007… Pierre Lurton: “At Yquem, every harvest date and metric has been recorded precisely for more than 100 years. We therefore have very detailed data that helps us with analyses. As soon as harvest began, we knew we were operating at a very high level, because the first lots lined up with comparisons to the 1997 vintage. The harvest itself unfolded smoothly, and in the end the analyses showed parallels with the historic 1967 vintage. So this is once again a great Yquem vintage ending with the number 7.” Luminous yellow with mustard‑green highlights. Powerful, vanilla‑tinged bouquet showing a concentrated charge of ripe yellow fruits behind, plenty of mirabelles, yellow nectarines, ripe apricots, lots of honey; given the immense richness of the fruit load, the botrytis still shows somewhat in the background. On the palate, the tremendous richness continues but immediately shifts to elegance and fullness; charm spreads over the rich, intensely sweet extract, giving the wine a fine, sublime dimension; at its core, lots of minerality and breed. A great yet delicate Yquem, perfectly focused. On the one hand, it may already offer pleasure after 5 years. But its best time will surely come only after 20 or even 30 years. (20/20). 13: For dinner at Yquem. A stronger, more compact Yquem. For now, totally closed. So waiting is the best solution.

Silky, dense, opulent, complex, mineral bouquet: apricots, subtle grapefruit, mirabelles, honey, chalk. A silkier, denser, creamier, fresher palate with powerful, full, fine sweetness, good fruit, a creamy, finely opulent structure, well-integrated acidity, multifaceted aromatics, and a very long, dense finish. Can improve further. 19/20 drink - 2080

Soft gold in colour, packed full of generous stone fruit, nectarine and white peach, honeysuckle, white truffle, saffron-laced lemon curd, bitter orange peel, all wrapped up in the satiny texture that makes drinking Yquem feel like the most indulgent of moments. The 2007 vintage was a fairly generous 18 hl/ha yield, with 130 g/L residual sugar. Winemaker Sandrine Garbay.

A blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, with 137 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2007 Yquem has a pale to medium gold color. It slips sensuously from the glass with open-knit scents of apricot preserves, persimmon butter, and Golden Delicious apples, followed by hints of baking bread, aniseed, and wood smoke. The palate is concentrated, with alluring stone fruit and spiced apple layers, supported by just enough freshness, finishing long and opulently spicy.

Magnificent grape ripeness, an astonishing overall balance that preserves finesse, freshness, and purity despite the wine’s richness; perfectly integrated oak, remarkable length—in short, the expected pinnacle!

Golden yellow color. Nose of mint, pepper, then tea, as in the 1983. Silky from the attack, very fruity and flavorful, it offers a fine texture with plenty of taste and a long, savory and aromatic finish. It’s very good!