CHATEAU D'YQUEM 1er Cru Classe Superieur - Sauternes 1949 Bottle (01*)

Description

* High Shoulder/No Wrapper
The 1949 Château d’Yquem is a rare and extraordinary example of vintage Sauternes, exemplifying exceptional richness, finesse, and aging potential. Its luminous amber-gold hue hints at decades of refinement, revealing fragrant notes of apricot, honeycomb, preserved citrus, and subtle vanilla and spice. On the palate, it is luxuriously velvety with layers of lush fruit, caramel, and oak, culminating in a glorious, lingering sweetness. Critics acclaim its brilliance: Vinous awards it 98 points for its divine, energetic profile and extraordinary persistence. This vintage, shaped by a unique climate with low yields and high quality, is a timeless masterpiece. An age-defying icon, it promises to evolve beautifully over the coming decades, maintaining its elegance and character for nearly a century.

*****

This rare 1949 Château d’Yquem is a sublime example of vintage Sauternes, showcasing exceptional richness and finesse. Its luminous amber-gold colour hints at decades of ageing, revealing fragrant notes of apricot, honeycomb, and preserved citrus fruits, intertwined with delicate vanilla and spice. On the palate, it is luxuriously velvety, offering layers of lush fruit, caramel, and subtle oak, with a glorious, lingering sweetness. Truly outstanding, an iconic, age-defying masterpiece that exemplifies the pinnacle of Sauternes craftsmanship.

VINOUS 98 points
Drinking Window 2023 - 2070
From: Vinous Table: Noble Rot - Mayfair, London, UK (Jun 2023)
The 1949 Yquem is a vintage that I have not encountered. I will quote the official château website, which gives a succinct overview of the vintage… “This year had record temperatures as well as drought conditions that caused the biggest forest fire France has ever known. Showers in May and June limited water stress, and light showers in early September gave rise to botrytis. The whole crop was brought in thanks to just two passes [between September 27 and October 17]. Yields were low, but quality high.” Well, this bottle was divine. Iridescent in color, the bouquet explodes from the glass with a chorus line of Seville orange marmalade, quince and a distant tang of an outdoor lido, a trait that I often find in Sauternes in this era. The aromatics are brilliantly defined. The palate is tensile and energetic, a Yquem with real edge, tangy marmalade and freshly sliced apricot, a little drier on the finish than the 1947 but with otherworldly persistence. It is a fabulous Sauternes that will gallop to a century-old without breaking a sweat.