New Arrivals
Advanced Search
wine regions
quick links

Yquem 2005

Sauternes/Barsac, First Growth

Excel download

View All Vintages of this Wine

Units Size Case size GBP Price: Quantities Buy
Tasting Notes

The pale to medium lemon-gold colored 2005 d'Yquem opens with a provocative, mineral and earth-tinged nose of chalk dust, wet pebbles and dried wild mushrooms over a core of warm apricots, green mango, honeyed toast, ginger and pink grapefruit plus wafts of honeycomb, orange blossoms and saffron. The palate confirms the wine is still a little closed and shut down, offering achingly gorgeous glimpses at the tightly wound, intricate layers structured with a racy acid line and wonderfully creamy texture, finishing incredibly long and perfumed. This decadent flavor bomb still needs a good five to seven years in bottle before it is set to go off, but oh what a spectacle it will give then

Score: 97

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025 - 2065 30 August 2019

Tasted at the château, the 2005 Chateau d’Yquem delivers a similar performance as last year. Lucid in colour, the bouquet is detailed with very pure honey, vanilla and almond scents, still a little new oak to be fully assimilated but demonstrating superb focus. The palate is virtually identical to last year's bottle: exquisite balance and perfectly judged acidity, but perhaps just gaining a little richness and viscosity over the last 12 months. There is an appealing completeness to this Yquem and whilst I would not place it amongst the likes of 2001 or 2009, it comfortably sits just behind.

Score: 97

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2020-2050 01 June 2015

Served from an ex-chateau bottle. The 2005 Chateau d’Yquem is similar to the 2006 in that it deserves aeration. The bouquet is well-defined, although there is clearly some new oak that will need another two or three years to fully integrate. The aromatics seem to show a little more botrytis than the 2006, richer and headier. The palate is unctuous on the entry, beautifully balanced and lacquers the mouth in pure honeyed fruit interlaced with white pepper, quince jus and nectarine. Comparing the two, the 2006 has a little more tension and race, although the 2005 has a touch more persistency. The 2006 may well turn out to be the better of the two vintages in the long run (hence the plus sign), although the 1995 is a Yquem with panache to spare. Drink now-2040. Tasted March 2014.

Score: 96

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2014-2040 01 June 2014

This has a deliciously pure feel, with juicy, inviting green plum, ginger, heather, creamed pineapple and Jonagold apple flavors all melded together and gliding through the lengthy finish, which echoes with lilting flowers and dried citrus notes. Best from 2015 through 2045.

Score: 97

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2015-2045 31 July 2012

Yield of 12 hl/ha - almost record high levels! Quite deep gold. Wonderfully deep nose - never smelt anything as intense and glorious as this! Extraordinary!!! Deep yet lively. Exciting depth of pear juice and zest - tangerine peel too. Great astringency. 2001 was more concentrated. This is more transparent. Lovely dancing stuff, but already in the super-nuanced Yquem idiom. Lighter than some vintages but with great lacy complexity. Wonderful green, lively notes and some real explosiveness - 13.5 per cent. Energy drink! Coiled like a taut spring. Drink 2015-50

Score: 20

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2015-2050 10 April 2006

Floral, lemon, apple and cream with dried pineapple and apricot. Full-bodied, but very focused and refined. It starts slowly and then, wham! It goes on and on. Spicy, dried fruits and spices. Full-bodied, medium-sweet. So long and exciting. Incredible. It is very close to 2001. We will see.

Score: 95 - 100

James Suckling, Wine Spectator 01 April 2006