In Bond Fine Wine. 2023 Château Yquem, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France. First Growth • White sweet white bordeaux in 6x75cl. Top critic score: 100/100 (JA). Sold in bond by Albany Vintners, independent fine wine merchants.
Chateau d'Yquem stands alone at the summit of Sauternes, and in Bordeaux, as the only estate to be ranked Superior First Growth in the 1855 Classification. Its documented history begins in 1593, while its reputation was already international by the 18th century: Thomas Jefferson ordered the 1784 for George Washington. The celebrated 1847 was sold for four times the previous record price for a Bordeaux barrel, the monumental 1921 was widely regarded as one of the greatest sweet wines ever made, and other landmarks include 1967, 1975, the trio of 1988,1989,1990 and the near-mythical 2001. The vineyard occupies the appellation's highest hill where Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc benefit from autumns mists that encourage noble rot (botrytis cinerea). Harvesting is painstaking. Pickers make repeated passes (tries) through the vines selecting individual grapes only when perfectly botrytised and concentrated. Without the correct conditions, Yquem is not released, such as in 2012. The quantity produced is small from yields averaging 9 hl/ha, or just one glass per vine. Yquem itself is extraordinarily rich with freshness, precision and remarkable longevity, evolving over decades from citrus, flowers and tropical fruit towards honey, saffron, spice and toasted nuts. Since 1959 Yquem has also produced 'Y' (pronounced Ygrec) its rare dry white wine, produced from the same exceptional terroir.
Yohan Castaing (WA) — 100/100 · Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com, 2026-03-05 · Drink 2026-2076
With 153 grams per liter of residual sugar—placing it among the 10 most concentrated vintages in the château’s history—the 2023 d'Yquem ranks among the finest wines bottled here under Lorenzo Pasquini’s direction. It unfurls from the glass with a complex, vibrant and remarkably pure bouquet of pineapple, guava, mango, confit citrus, beeswax and spices. Full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it comb…
James Suckling (JS) — 100/100 · JamesSuckling.com, 2026-03-01 · Drink 2026+
Perfect aromas carry through to every milliliter of this wine, showing intense orange peel, honey, butterscotch, saffron, smoke and peat, with hints of coffee and dried apples. Full-bodied but weightless and silky, with an excellent balance of fruit, sweetness and spices. Some peanut brittle, dried oranges and lemons at the end. I can't get over how wonderful this is now, but it can age forever.…
Neal Martin (NM) — 99/100 · Vinous, 2026-03-01 · Drink 2030-2090
The 2023 Yquem, a blend of 70% Sémillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc, contains 154 grams per litre of residual sugar—less than the 2022. As usual, the 2023 was matured in 100% new oak, mainly French, with a small percentage from Austria. The nose is so seductive that it should come with a warning sticker. Pure and mellow, it offers beguiling scents of wild honey, quince jelly, almond shavings and that…