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100
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100
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100
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Tasting Notes
Great wines are not born just anywhere. At Château d’Yquem, a rare equilibrium of climate and terroir creates a wine like no other. As the only estate classified as Premier Cru Supérieur in the 1855 classification, Yquem represents the pinnacle of Sauternes. The estate’s delicate and unique microclimate allows for the formation of noble rot, shaping a wine of remarkable elegance and complexity.
2022 Vintage – “A Crazy Year, A Crazy Vintage. A truly extraordinary year, redefining the passage of time at Yquem."
The 2022 vintage was shaped by extreme heat and prolonged drought, accelerating grape ripening and promising a concentrated, sun-kissed expression of Yquem. A long-awaited rainfall on 15th October enabled the crucial development of Botrytis cinerea, essential for noble rot. This unique sequence of events resulted in a wine of exceptional depth and longevity.
Château d’Yquem 2022 is an exquisite reflection of this radiant vintage. The nose unfolds with roasted pear, candied lemon, and orange marmalade, interwoven with delicate floral notes of linden and frangipani. On the palate, vibrant apricot jam meets layers of beeswax, caramel, and quince paste. A subtly saline and bitter-edged finish enhances the signature candied bitter orange, hallmark of Yquem’s greatest vintages.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity
Classification: Dessert
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon
Vintage: 2022
Bottle Size: 1.5L (Magnum)
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux, Graves
Alcohol %: 14.0%
Cellaring: 15 Plus Years
Scores
100 / 100"A perfect Yquem again after the 2021, which is fresher and more refined than the 2022. The perception of sweetness is super-knit. Lots of botrytis, with turmeric, saffron, cream, roasted meringue, pine nuts, spices and dried mangoes. This is a powerful, seductive and lush wine. Ornamented and richer this year than 2021, but there is so much charm and harmony. Long and spicy, with a hint of petrol at the end. Wow. The second most concentrated Yquem after 1945, according to the winemaker. About 160 grams of residual sugar. So approachable now, but better in five or six years. It will live forever. - James Suckling"
- James Suckling
100 / 100
"(Sauternes; 80% Sémillon; 20% Sauvignon Blanc; the final yield is around the historic average of 10 hl/ha; 160 g/l of residual sugar, the second highest ever recorded after the legendary 1945 vintage; pH 3.90, on a par with the 2019; 13.5% alcohol; 100% new oak though you have nothing directly to indicate that). The highest proportion of Sémillon since 2018. A wine of incredible aromatic purity, that reminds me most of the 2009. Apricot. Toasted brioche. Even a little eucalyptus and medicinal herbal elements, but very subtly. An aromatic brilliance. Saffron, honey. Angelica. Frangipane. Nutty. Butterscotch. Beurre noisette. Roasted pineapple, that lovely slight hint of crème brulée burnt sugar bitterness and a hint of the orange Seville marmalade notes to come. Almost a little hint of candied rose petals. Rose Turkish delight. A trace of grapefruit zest which is incredible in a wine so intensely sweet and solaire. So fresh despite the incredible density. What I love is the way the acidity grips and takes in charge the wine from the mid-palate to the very long distant finish. Very saline on the finish – more and more so, with almost a hint of liquorice! The freshness sensation is sensational! The freshness here is integral to the power and puissance of the wine, unlike any other wine of the appellation. As if the salinity is more and more concentrated as the scope of the spherical core slowly reduces in amplitude towards the finish. I love too the return to the notes of roasted pineapple, lime zest and grapefruit on the finish. So salivating in its sapid freshness on the finish. - Colin Hay"
- The Drinks Business
100 / 100
"Combining incredible power, sweetness, and opulence with racy acidity and a touch of bitterness on the backend offsetting all the rich, honey-slathered fruits, it takes only a single sniff and sip to discern that this is one of the great vintages produced by Chateau d'Yquem. That says a lot, considering all the fabulous vintages the estate has crafted. The palate showcases its wealth of honeyed fruits alongside Indian spices and a vibrancy found in no other sweet wine. The wine envelops your palate, teeth, and gums leaving you with a zesty finish that lingers for a full 60 seconds and more! This is a legend in the making! Like all great vintages of Chateau d'Yquem, you can enjoy this with pleasure in its youth, with its sweet, ripe fruits showcasing a unique sense of honeyed purity, or you can save it for your grandchildren. Drink from 2027-2100. - Jeff Leve"
- The Wine Cellar Insider
