Château d'Yquem Sauternes 2022 - 1er Cru Classé Supérieur

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Yquem enjoys a unique status in Bordeaux production, virtually beyond critical judgment. The hundred or so hectares farmed are divided between Semillon and Sauvignon, on gravelly hilltops with a more clayey subsoil. There are no small or even average vintages for this cru, which is uncompromising. In fact, the 2012 vintage was not produced, as the quality was not deemed high enough for the cru. The LVMH group (which took it over in 1999 with Pierre Lurton at the helm, having arrived in 2004), like the Lur-Saluces family (now at Château de Fargues), can't even imagine the possibility of taking the easy way out! Now more than ever, Yquem has earned its place as the Premier des Premiers vins du Sauternais. The arrival of Sauvignon in the blends, the flexible adaptation of ageing to the nature of the vintage, and of course a unique agronomic know-how make each vintage an even more precise and balanced feast than in previous decades, satisfying both our senses and our intelligence.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

A superb 17th-century fortified manor house surrounded by vines, set at the top of hills overlooking the Garonne valley, Château d'Yquem has - uniquely for a grand cru - remained in the same family, the Sauvages and then the Lur-Saluces, for almost four hundred years. By the 18th century, the estate had become the jewel in the crown of the Sauternes region. In addition to its stability, the estate benefits from an extremely varied and nuanced terroir, made up of a multitude of small hills, with vines at the top of the plateau and others in the middle and at the bottom of the slope. This diversity makes it possible to adapt to the vagaries of the climate, and is the source of the great complexity of Yquem wines. Classified as a Premier Cru Supérieur in 1855, the only one in its category, it has belonged to the LVMH group since 1999, which entrusted its management to Pierre Lurton in 2004. Conversion to organic farming is scheduled for 2019.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Blended with 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, Château d'Yquem 2022 is a serious contender for the title of wine of the vintage. It reveals a remarkably delicate, complex and energetic bouquet of rose, candied citrus, exotic fruit and orange marmalade. It's full-bodied, dense and deep, with perfect balance, sublimated by a heart of fleshy fruit, lively acidity and beautiful gastronomic bitterness, as well as dry extracts that lead to a long, airy, delicately perfumed and refined finish. Lorenzo Pasquini and his team have perfectly understood the vintage, favoring the 3rd trials, fully exposed to Botrytis cinerea, in the blend, bringing density and precision as well as an energetic and beautifully balanced interplay between bitterness and sweetness. Residual sugar reaches 160 grams per liter, making it the 2nd highest since the emblematic 1945 vintage. 2034-2074

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

Recognized as the world's most famous sweet wine, Yquem has been owned since 1999 by the LVMH group, headed by businessman Bernard Arnault. The château is now run by Pierre Lurton, also head of Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion. Before him, from 1967 to 2004, Alexandre de Lur Saluces wrote some of the finest pages in the history of the only premier cru classé supérieur in 1855, following in the footsteps of his forebears. For this wine has been perhaps the most consistent in Bordeaux for a hundred years. Even in small vintages and difficult periods, Yquem has held its ground through to its incomparable ageing. It owes this to its unique terroir, which reacts to botrytis development like no other, and to the men who have understood and exploited its qualities. If Yquem doesn't necessarily impress when young, it irreparably widens the gap with its neighbors after a few years of ageing. Tasting an old vintage of the château is an experience every sweet wine lover should have.

James Suckling

About the wine:

A perfect Yquem, once again, after the 2021, which is fresher and more refined than the 2022. The sensation of sweetness is very pronounced. Lots of botrytis, with turmeric, saffron, cream, toasted meringue, pine nuts, spices and dried mango. This is a powerful, seductive and opulent wine. Richer and more ornamented this year than 2021, but with great charm and harmony. Long and spicy, with a hint of petroleum on the finish. Wow. The 2nd most concentrated Yquem after 1945, according to the winemaker. Around 160 grams of residual sugar. It's already very approachable, but will be even better in 5 or 6 years. It will live forever.

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

The bouquet is powerful, heady, dominated by notes of dried apricot from the Hunza valley, mirabelle plum clafoutis, lemon tart and exuberant flowers. On the palate, the wine is pulpy, sensual, with a thrilling shiver of saltiness that contrasts with the sugar. While salt and sugar are often classed as highly addictive foods, they are nothing compared to this wine, which is almost like a drug to which you become immediately addicted.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

An elegant, deep bouquet, with a subtle plurality in which each element plays a fundamental role. The woodiness is also evident in a logic of finesse, even with 100% new wood, as usual, and a 22-month ageing period, bearing in mind that fermentations also take place in barrels. Hints of nougat, gentian, white-fleshed fruit, bitter orange and a touch of grapefruit underline the complexity and freshness. With aeration, Yquem 2022 continues to gain in complexity. Root notes (celery), roasted pineapple, mirabelle plums and a touch of saffron are all present. Highly concentrated, the wine is creamy, deep and fresh. It owes this last point to a salinity as invigorating as it is salivating, as well as to fine bitters consolidating the wine's persistence and ageing potential. The result is a Yquem of extraordinary balance, perfectly managing the 2nd highest sugar content (160 gr/l), after the 1945, in the estate's history. 2027-2092

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

Combining incredible power, sweetness and opulence with racy acidity and a hint of bitterness on the finish, counterbalancing the richness of honeyed fruit. It only takes one puff and one sip to discern that this is one of Château d'Yquem's great vintages. That's saying a lot, given all the fabulous vintages the estate has produced. The palate reveals a richness of honeyed fruit, Indian spices and a liveliness not found in any other sweet wine. The wine envelops the palate, teeth and gums, leaving a tangy finish that lingers for 60 seconds or more! A legend in the making! Like all great Château d'Yquem vintages, you can enjoy it in its youth, with its ripe, sweet fruit revealing a unique honeyed purity, or save it for your grandchildren. Drink between 2027 and 2100.