THE PRODUCER
Often described as the king of all sweet wines. d’Yquem was owned by the Lur
Saluces family from 1795 until 2009 when it acquired fully into by the LVMH
group. Alexandre de Lur-Saluces is still in charge of the daily running of the
estate.

Yquem lords it over the entire appellation – not just in reputation and price,
but also from its position at the geographical peak of the commune, somehow
appropriately overlooking the chateaux below.

The 110 hectares of vineyards rolling down from the chateau buildings have a
mystical power that somehow seems to invite the noble rot to weave its magic on
the grapes - 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc – turning them into a golden
liquor which the gods would have traded their own nectar for. Grape yields are
so low that each vine is said to only produce one glass of wine.

D’Yquem – the only estate to be classified as ‘1er Cru Classe Superieur’ – is
fermented in oak barrels and matured for up to 30 months in 100% new barriques.
Intensely concentrated and unbelievably luscious, d’Yquem achieves a balance
with its fine acidity and structure that lasts for decades, indeed a century or
more in great vintages. Simply a necessary vinous experience.

THE WINE

D’Yquem – only estate to be classified as ‘1er Cru Classe Superieur’ – is made
from only the ripest – and perfectly affected by noble rot – fruit, which is
growing on the hilly vineyards surrounding the chateau. The blend varies with
vintage conditions but most often comprises up to 75% Semillon with the
remainder Sauvignon Blanc. Fermentation takes place in 100% new French oak
barrels and is followed by maturation for up to 30 months, also in 100% new
barriques.

Intensely concentrated and unbelievably luscious and aromatically complex,
d’Yquem achieves a compelling balance with its fine acidity and structure that
lasts for decades, indeed a century or more in great vintages. Often referred to
as a nectar and drink of the gods, d’Yquem is simply an exquisitely necessary
vinous experience!

INFORMATION
Type:Sweet White
Vintage:1989Country:FranceRegion:Bordeaux Left BankSub region:SauternesGrape:
Semillon & Sauvignon BlancStyle:Lush & BalancedSweetness:Sweet
ABV:13.5%Drinking window:1996 - 2050Size:750mlFood match:Blue Cheeses


CRITICS SCORES
We choose our wines based on a range of criteria(seehow we choose our wines)of
which critic scores is justone. Rather than simply highlight the best score to
promote a wine, our average critic score is calculated from the scores provided
by several respected wine critics, who we follow for specific regions. They do
not represent all critic scores and, wherever possible, we try and give more
weight to more recent reviews. Where appropriate we consider market-based scores
like Global Wine Score or Wine Searcher Average scores.

As a rule, we look to offer wines that achieve a92/100average critic score or
better and frankly a lot of very good wines simply don’t make the cut. As a
high-end provider we want to reflect that positioning in the quality of wines we
offer. Such wines are only a tiny fraction of those generally on offer in the
market. We believe that an average score is a more conservative and
representative approach, but it is still subjective and only offered as a guide
to our customers, who will (and should) do their own research. We will add
individual critic scores to our website in the future.