1995 Château d'Yquem Sauternes
| Vineyard: | Château d'Yquem |
| Retail Price: | |
| Varietal: | Semillon |
| Style: | Sweet Wine |
| Region: | France > Bordeaux |
| Other Vintages: | 2008 2007 2007 2006 2006 2006 2005 2005 2005 2004 2003 2003 2003 2003 2002 2001 2001 2000 2000 1999 1999 1999 1999 1999 1999 1998 1998 1997 1997 1996 1996 1996 1994 1994 1993 1993 1992 1991 1991 1990 1990 1990 1990 1989 1989 1988 1987 1986 1986 1986 1985 1985 1984 1983 1983 1983 1982 1982 1982 1981 1981 1981 1980 1980 1980 1979 1979 1978 1977 1976 1976 1976 1975 1975 1975 1973 1971 1971 1971 1970 1970 1969 1968 1967 1967 1967 1966 1966 1965 1963 1962 1961 1961 1960 1960 1959 1959 1959 1958 1958 1957 1956 1955 1955 1955 1955 1954 1953 1953 1950 1949 1948 1948 1947 1947 1946 1945 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1931 1929 1928 1928 1927 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1916 1911 1908 1905 1900 1870 1865 1861 1861 1847 1846 1846 1831 1831 1811 NV |
| Drink By: | 2013 |
WINEMAKER'S NOTE
Sauternes is a tiny appellation, only about 2% of the Bordeaux vineyards, located 20 kilometres southeast of Bordeaux. It is difficult to understand with any certainty, due to the lack of written documents, what originally motivated winegrowers to let their grades "rot" on the vine to produce a different kind of wine. Apparently, late harvest wines already existed in the 16th and 17th centuries. This sort of wine became widespread in Sauternes in the 18th and 19th centuries due to the read more...Sauternes is a tiny appellation, only about 2% of the Bordeaux vineyards, located 20 kilometres southeast of Bordeaux. It is difficult to understand with any certainty, due to the lack of written documents, what originally motivated winegrowers to let their grades "rot" on the vine to produce a different kind of wine. Apparently, late harvest wines already existed in the 16th and 17th centuries. This sort of wine became widespread in Sauternes in the 18th and 19th centuries due to the interest shown by connoisseurs such as Thomas Jefferson and Grand Duke Constantine, who induced winegrowers to wort their grapes in order to single out those most affected by "noble rot". Sauternes is different from other sweet wines for two reasons. First of all, Sauternes has a unique interplay of soil, topography, and microclimate which promotes the regular growth of Botrytis cinerea perhaps more than anywhere else. Second, the vineyards are harvested in several "waves" in order to pick only the most botrytised grapes each time. The wine starts out quite assertively on the palate with mineral flavours and a rich, complex flavour profile. Perfectly balanced, this wine's incredible complexity will become more accessible in a few more years' time. (hide)
Expert Reviews
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Wine.comRich, opulent concentrated and full-bodied. Medium gold with a honeyed, oaky, flowery, tropical fruit bouquet, magnificent and unique.
User Tasting Note
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jqspyvery close to 1996 on initial tasting. on day 2 the full potential and colour comes alive. again standing the ground of the great Sauternes the 1995 first gives off a perfectly balanced nose that all around the table acknowledged as superiority complex and mature and the follow through matches with confidence.