Château d'Yquem, 1er C Sup. Sauternes (37.5 cl) - 2019

First of all, due to the unusually high proportion of Sauvignon (45%!), it is one of the most aromatic and fine Yquem in history, with its nuances of citron, lemon of Menton, lemon balm, verbena and fresh mint, which make it surprisingly similar to its prestigious Barsac counterparts. But make no mistake, on the palate this is a great Sauternes, with its sovereign liqueur of dried apricot, beggar's wort and exotic fruit flavours; we find this combination of power and elegance, in a burst of quiet strength, which carries it and lengthens it for very long minutes on the palate, whether you spit it out (a near crime!) or not. It should be noted that the integration of the ageing for such a young wine is exceptional, one does not feel any note of wood either on the nose or on the palate, on the other hand the texture is considerably refined and stretched by a very high class stave. Twenty years ago, for such a demanding vintage, we would have witnessed the birth of a very good Yquem; today, given the expertise of the Château and the progress made in technical matters, it is truly a great wine that has been produced, but at the price of an immense sacrifice in terms of sorting and volumes produced: the production is minuscule but the excellence is there indeed!