“The 1989 d'Yquem is a magical wine”
- 99 pts Wine Advocate99 pts RPWA
- 99 pts Vinous99 pts Vinous
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1989 Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes 750 ml
- Curated by unrivaled experts
- Choose your delivery date
- Temperature controlled shipping options
- Get credited back if a wine fails to impress
The Pinnacle of a 20-Year Tasting
On Halloween of 2023, Wine Advocate’s Bordeaux-born critic Yohan Castaing sat down for a vertical tasting at Château d’Yquem—“the only Bordeaux wine in a class by itself,” in the words of Robert Parker. 20 vintages of the world’s most precious and painstakingly made sweet wine were poured, and at the end of the day, only four topped 99 points. The marvelous 1989 was one of them.
“One of the high points of this vertical tasting, the 1989 d'Yquem is a magical wine,” began his assessment, which detailed a wine packed with aromas of quince, apricot, pineapple, menthol, flowers and white truffles, “a full-bodied, concentrated and seamless palate,” and “a long, perfumed, ethereal finish.” It earned 99 points from Castaing, and from Vinous.
Yquem enjoys its position in the wine world largely because of the unique conditions and extraordinary effort required to make it. The autumn mists at the property encourage the grapes to form what the French call pourriture noble—“noble rot”—which aids evaporation and concentrates flavors. The soils at Yquem lie on undulating slopes and comprise clay, gravel, and a deep bed of limestone.
The vineyard crew passes through and selectively picks each row an average of six times before harvest is complete, and yields are minuscule—just nine hectoliters per hectare. The grapes are gently pressed three times before getting transferred to 100% new oak barrels, where the wine ages for three years before bottling.
Yquem has had admirers for centuries, including Thomas Jefferson. When you cellar or sip a bottle, you’re participating in one of the most sacred traditions in wine.