2009 Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes
This may be the greatest Chateau d’Yquem ever released with 10 critic scores 97 points or higher, with 5 of the 10 reviews receiving 100 points.
100 points, Wine Advocate
Pale to medium-gold colored, the 2009 d'Yquem bursts from the glass with gregarious crème caramel, allspice, dried apricots, mandarin peel and pineapple upside down cake scents plus a fragrant undercurrent of fungi, acacia honey, candied ginger, musk perfume and frangipani. Full-bodied and full-on hedonic in the mouth, the rich, tightly wound layers are still amazingly youthful with bags of citrus sparks and an incredibly long, perfumed finish. Possessing a residual sugar of 157 grams per liter and 13.6% alcohol as well as a laser-focused line of freshness, the rock-solid structure and through-the-roof opulence here is simply mind blowing. Pure perfection. (LPB) (3/2019)
100 points, The Wine Independent
A blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, with 155 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2009 Yquem has a pale to medium straw-gold color. It waltzes out with gregarious notions of key lime pie, orange blossoms, and juicy white peaches, followed by suggestions of ginger ale, wet pebbles, and allspice. The big, concentrated, decadently rich palate is fantastically balanced, with a laser-precise line of freshness cutting through the tightly wound layers, finishing very long, with loads of citrusy sparks. (9/2023)
98-100 points, John Gilman
The most magical young vintage of this wine that I can ever recall tasting. Its beauty in ’09 lies in its haunting elegance and refined complexity at such an early age, which seems to me to be the barometer by which Yquem should be judged, as power is never an issue with this great terroir. The bouquet is absolutely fabulous, as it soars from the glass in an almost delicate mélange of fresh-cut pineapple, tangerine, an exotic touch of banana, acacia blossoms, a gloriously complex base of chalky soil, orange zest, delicate notes of honeycomb, a bit of pink grapefruit and an esthery topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, very pure and remarkably light on its feet, with perfect focus and balance, superb acids and simply stunning length and grip. I hope the wine does not pick up too much oak from its stay in barrel, as while there will be no issue with the depth of this wine supporting its oak, to risk losing some of this kaleidoscopic complexity to wood tones would be near tragic. A magical Yquem and probably the finest wine made in Bordeaux in 2009. (4/2010)
98-100 points, Wine Enthusiast
Barrel sample. The aromas are so rich and powerful, with great ripe apricots. There are honey, spice and beautiful sweet spiced pears. This is an extraordinary wine in an extraordinary year in Sauternes. (RV) (8/2010)
This may be the greatest Chateau d’Yquem ever released with 10 critic scores 97 points or higher, with 5 of the 10 reviews receiving 100 points.
100 points, Wine Advocate
Pale to medium-gold colored, the 2009 d'Yquem bursts from the glass with gregarious crème caramel, allspice, dried apricots, mandarin peel and pineapple upside down cake scents plus a fragrant undercurrent of fungi, acacia honey, candied ginger, musk perfume and frangipani. Full-bodied and full-on hedonic in the mouth, the rich, tightly wound layers are still amazingly youthful with bags of citrus sparks and an incredibly long, perfumed finish. Possessing a residual sugar of 157 grams per liter and 13.6% alcohol as well as a laser-focused line of freshness, the rock-solid structure and through-the-roof opulence here is simply mind blowing. Pure perfection. (LPB) (3/2019)
100 points, The Wine Independent
A blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, with 155 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2009 Yquem has a pale to medium straw-gold color. It waltzes out with gregarious notions of key lime pie, orange blossoms, and juicy white peaches, followed by suggestions of ginger ale, wet pebbles, and allspice. The big, concentrated, decadently rich palate is fantastically balanced, with a laser-precise line of freshness cutting through the tightly wound layers, finishing very long, with loads of citrusy sparks. (9/2023)
98-100 points, John Gilman
The most magical young vintage of this wine that I can ever recall tasting. Its beauty in ’09 lies in its haunting elegance and refined complexity at such an early age, which seems to me to be the barometer by which Yquem should be judged, as power is never an issue with this great terroir. The bouquet is absolutely fabulous, as it soars from the glass in an almost delicate mélange of fresh-cut pineapple, tangerine, an exotic touch of banana, acacia blossoms, a gloriously complex base of chalky soil, orange zest, delicate notes of honeycomb, a bit of pink grapefruit and an esthery topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, very pure and remarkably light on its feet, with perfect focus and balance, superb acids and simply stunning length and grip. I hope the wine does not pick up too much oak from its stay in barrel, as while there will be no issue with the depth of this wine supporting its oak, to risk losing some of this kaleidoscopic complexity to wood tones would be near tragic. A magical Yquem and probably the finest wine made in Bordeaux in 2009. (4/2010)
98-100 points, Wine Enthusiast
Barrel sample. The aromas are so rich and powerful, with great ripe apricots. There are honey, spice and beautiful sweet spiced pears. This is an extraordinary wine in an extraordinary year in Sauternes. (RV) (8/2010)
This may be the greatest Chateau d’Yquem ever released with 10 critic scores 97 points or higher, with 5 of the 10 reviews receiving 100 points.
100 points, Wine Advocate
Pale to medium-gold colored, the 2009 d'Yquem bursts from the glass with gregarious crème caramel, allspice, dried apricots, mandarin peel and pineapple upside down cake scents plus a fragrant undercurrent of fungi, acacia honey, candied ginger, musk perfume and frangipani. Full-bodied and full-on hedonic in the mouth, the rich, tightly wound layers are still amazingly youthful with bags of citrus sparks and an incredibly long, perfumed finish. Possessing a residual sugar of 157 grams per liter and 13.6% alcohol as well as a laser-focused line of freshness, the rock-solid structure and through-the-roof opulence here is simply mind blowing. Pure perfection. (LPB) (3/2019)
100 points, The Wine Independent
A blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, with 155 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2009 Yquem has a pale to medium straw-gold color. It waltzes out with gregarious notions of key lime pie, orange blossoms, and juicy white peaches, followed by suggestions of ginger ale, wet pebbles, and allspice. The big, concentrated, decadently rich palate is fantastically balanced, with a laser-precise line of freshness cutting through the tightly wound layers, finishing very long, with loads of citrusy sparks. (9/2023)
98-100 points, John Gilman
The most magical young vintage of this wine that I can ever recall tasting. Its beauty in ’09 lies in its haunting elegance and refined complexity at such an early age, which seems to me to be the barometer by which Yquem should be judged, as power is never an issue with this great terroir. The bouquet is absolutely fabulous, as it soars from the glass in an almost delicate mélange of fresh-cut pineapple, tangerine, an exotic touch of banana, acacia blossoms, a gloriously complex base of chalky soil, orange zest, delicate notes of honeycomb, a bit of pink grapefruit and an esthery topnote of bee pollen. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, very pure and remarkably light on its feet, with perfect focus and balance, superb acids and simply stunning length and grip. I hope the wine does not pick up too much oak from its stay in barrel, as while there will be no issue with the depth of this wine supporting its oak, to risk losing some of this kaleidoscopic complexity to wood tones would be near tragic. A magical Yquem and probably the finest wine made in Bordeaux in 2009. (4/2010)
98-100 points, Wine Enthusiast
Barrel sample. The aromas are so rich and powerful, with great ripe apricots. There are honey, spice and beautiful sweet spiced pears. This is an extraordinary wine in an extraordinary year in Sauternes. (RV) (8/2010)
