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Yquem 2009

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Sauternes and Barsac
ColourSweet White
TypeStill
Grape VarietySauvignon Blanc/Semillon
Also available in the following mixed cases:

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Yquem

Label

Tasting Notes

Served from an ex-chateau bottle. The 2009 Chateau d'Yquem is one showstopper of a wine and perhaps it is only in a vertical that you realize this is up there among the legendary wines of the past - the 2001 included. It has a wonderful nose that expresses the Semillon component majestically: heady aromas of lemon curd, nectarine, jasmine and honeysuckle that all gain momentum in the glass. The oak is supremely well-integrated. The palate is extremely well-balanced with an unctuous entry. You are immediately knocked sideways by the palpable weight and volume in the mouth, which is almost ""bulbous,"" with layer upon layer of heavily botrytized fruit. It builds to a spicy finish with hints of marzipan and pralines in the background that lend it an untrammeled sense of exoticism. The 2009 is utterly fabulous and decadent, a star that will blaze brightly and undimmed for many years. Drink now-2060+. Tasted March 2014.

100
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (213), June 2014

In comparison to the 2010 vintage, the 2009 d'Yquem is more concentrated with a stunning "rôti," the consequence of noble rot in French. Developing a powerful, complex bouquet with aromas of pineapple, apricot, saffron, flowers, spices and orchard fruits, it’s dense and concentrated, full-bodied and layered with a crystalline texture complicated by notes of white truffles that reveal a racy, endless and a superb finish concluding with a pristine harmony. Readers with bottles in their cellars will have to be patient before opening this masterpiece with 155 grams of residual sugar.

100
Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com, October 2023

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. Drink 2022 - 2069.

100
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, March 2019

Lively greenish gold. Very indulgent nose that sends a tingle down the spine. Great tang and life as well as richness. So pure and flirtatious - not one of the sweetest but beautiful balance and refreshment, without being an 'aperitif style Sauternes'. Quite exceptionally persistent. Hints of blossom and real lift. Orange peel and real zest - great energy. Not heavy at all, This takes 2009 Sauternes to a new level. Extremely bright fruit. Long and rich. Not a fat style of Yquem. Date tasted 31st March 2010. Drink 2016-2046.

19+
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2010

Perfection again, with the monumental body and flavour of the vintage: but a magical winemaking touch avoids any heaviness and gives a crystalline Riesling-like purity of taste and texture which is thrilling! For me the most formally perfect Sauternes of the vintage and a glorious affirmation of the property's new style: as rich as ever but with more flexibility to express the best and most original aspects of the vintage.

19.5
James Lawther MW, Decanter.com, April 2010

What a fabulous wine. It's an explosion of fruit, yet it's very refined. I absolutely love the nose on this, with apricot tart, apple crumble, caramel and crème brûlée. Full-bodied, superripe and spicy, with mango, papaya, spices and sweet dried lemons. Incredibly long. It really rocks your socks off. Amazing. This could be even better than 2001.

97/100
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, April 2010
Read more tasting notes...

The 2009 Yquem has an almost ethereal nose, beautifully defined with scents of honey, honeysuckle, pear, fresh apricot and a hint of quince. It blossoms in the glass, gaining intensity and expanding across the ether. The immediate impression is not of a powerful, rich, botrytis-laden Yquem, but one that has semblances with the 2007 in terms of poise and precision, the acidity defining the wine in its youth and around that, subtle notes of honey, fig, pear, apricot and just a hint of ginger adding vibrancy and edginess towards the pure and tensile finish. As expected, there is extraordinary persistency, lingering in the mouth long after the wine has disappeared, yet it will remain long in the memory.

96/98
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (188), April 2010
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.