2015 d'Yquem
By Chateau d'Yquem
2015 d'Yquem from Chateau d'Yquem, Sauternes, Bordeaux
The esteemed 2015 vintage from Chateau d'Yquem encapsulates a legacy of winemaking that is simply spellbinding. This formidable year stands as a beacon amongst its peers, establishing an elevated benchmark within the prestigious lineage of Sauternes that Chateau d'Yquem has impeccably maintained over the centuries.
Botrytis Brilliance: A Vintage to Remember
The gloriously indulgent 2015 vintage benefitted from the propitious clutches of botrytis cinerea—a mold that is the lifeblood of Sauternes, encouraging the development of the complex, concentrated flavors for which the region is celebrated. The 'noble rot’ yielded grapes that produced a symphony in a glass, mesmerizing investors and connoisseurs alike with its harmonious balance and beguiling subtlety.
Captivating Climate: The Artist's Palette of Weather
The weather patterns of 2015 played their part with artful precision; an initially warm spring paved the way for an earlier than usual flowering, while the summer was hot but peppered with vital rainfalls—providing relief and setting the stage for perfect botrytis conditions. The cool nights of late summer ensured the preservation of necessary acidity, balancing the intense sweetness magnificently.
Chapters in each bottle of 2015 d'Yquem unfold revealing layers of luscious apricot, acacia honey, mandarin zest, and a subtle whisper of ginger spice. Its unctuous palate is lifted by a bright vein of acidity through to a finish that possesses enviable length and a haunting persistence.
An Inimitable Investment Opportunity
Fine wine investors searching for a stellar combination of prestige and performance need look no further than the 2015 d'Yquem. Whether enjoyed in its supple youth or after years of careful cellaring, where it will undoubtedly gain further complexity and depth, this Sauternes stands as a paragon among sweet wines—a resplendent jewel in the crown of Bordeaux viticulture.
One would be remiss not to consider this particular vintage when diversifying one’s portfolio with tangible assets that also promise an exemplary vinous adventure. Surely, as time gently crafts its narrative upon this liquid gold, the magnificence of the 2015 d'Yquem will be seen shining ever brighter.
Market price (GBP)
£3,170.00
12x75cl
Highest score
100
POP score
158.5
Scores and tasting notes
This is an incredible young Yquem that is so vinous like a great vintage of Montrachet but then on the palate it turns to Yquem with spice, dried fruit and mushroom as well as sweet fruit. Last for minutes. Acidity is all there giving it a dynamic vibrance that jolts your senses. Special wine. It has a little more than than 140 grams of residual sugar, less than the legendary of 2001. But is very close in greatness. Let’s wait and see.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com
Following a very long harvest stretching nearly two months, the 2015 Château d'Yquem came in at 13.9% alcohol and 144 grams per liter of residual sugar, sporting a pH of 3.65 and six grams per liter of tartaric acid. None of these numbers, however, even remotely begin to tell you how profound this wine is. The nose opens with electric notes of ripe pineapples, green mango, orange blossoms and lemon tart with hints of fungi, lime zest, crushed rocks and jasmine. The freshness on the palate is just astonishing, permeating and lifting layer upon layer of tropical fruits and earthy notions, all encased in a sumptuous texture and culminating in a very, very long, mineral-tinged finish. Truly, this is a legendary vintage for d'Yquem. I've been conservative with my drinking window here, and I would not be at all surprised if our descendants are drinking this vintage well into the next century.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 27 April 2018
The 2015 Château d'Yquem is a blend of 75% Semillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc that was picked on the gravelly soils as early as 3 and 4 September until 21 October, four tries through the vineyard. It delivers 144 grams per liter of residual sugar, with six-grams of tartaric acid, a pH 3.65 and 13.9% alcohol. It has a show-stopping bouquet that is beautifully defined and very complex and exuberant, infused with greater mineralité than recent vintages - intense but not as flamboyant as say the 2009 Yquem at this stage. The palate boasts absolutely stunning balance. This is a Yquem without a hair out of place: fantastically pure, botrytised fruit caressing the mouth. That is as per normal. What distinguishes this Yquem is the sense of electricity that is imbued by that razor-sharp acidity. There is just unbelievably tension here and to be frank, there is little point in me continuing to write this note, because it is simply an astonishing Yquem that will rank alongside the 2001 and 2009.
Neal Martin - eRobertParker.com, #224, April 2016
The vintage at Yquem was the earliest since 1893, starting on the 3rd of September and continuing for another seven weeks. The result is one of the best ever wines from the château, combining exotic flavours of pineapple, tangerine and mango underpinned by a core of acidity and scented vanilla oak. Every bit as good as 2001, 2009 and 2014. Drink: 2020-36
Tim Atkin - timatkin.com