2019 Chateau d'Yquem

Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon

France / Bordeaux / Graves / Sauternes

$390
V 98
Size:
Quantity:

Availability: 9

1er Grand Cru Classé Supérieur

2019 Chateau d'Yquem, Sauternes, France

Timeless History

Our 2019 in a few words

“Yquem 2019 is a perfect balance between freshness and concentration.
The high proportion of Sauvignon Blanc brings a floral element and a distinctivenote of lemon verbena.
This vintage is extremely seductive in its vibrant youth and will travel gracefully through time.”

WEATHER CONDITIONS
Although February and March 2019 were fine and dry, the beginning of the growing season was dominated by very cool temperatures.
Fortunately, flowering occurred over the course of six days in early June, during a spell of warm, dry weather. Late June saw the onset of very warm weather conditions which lasted virtually without interruption until the 15th of August (with 50 days of temperatures at least 3.6°C above the seasonal average). This heatwave provoked vigorous growth, allowing the vines to compensate for their fairly slow start to the growing season.
In the meantime, a drought began to take shape. Sauternes saw only 2.5 mm of rainfall until the 26th of July, when the region received an extraordinary 112 mm of rain, which fully replenished the soils’ water reserves. The rain lasted for several hours, and a further 40 mm fell between the end of July and the 12th of August, soaking deep into the sandy-gravel terroirs. With the threat of a drought now lifted, ripening progressed rapidly as the warm temperatures continued and the
weather turned dry again.

HARVEST
Between the 26th of August and the 5th of September, the fine weather conditions allowed us to pick the grapes destined for “Y” with a perfect balance of richness and freshness. This relatively early harvest proved to be crucial to ensuring the quality of Y 2019, as subsequent warm weather
caused the acidity in the grapes to dissipate. The heat returned in earnest, and between the 13th of September and the 5th of November the Sauternes region experienced 55 days of temperatures at least 3°C above the seasonal average. No more rain fell until the 20th of September, and as yet there was no sign of Botrytis cinerea. Fortunately for us, between the 21st and the 25th of September, the temperatures remained warm while 38 mm of rain fell, triggering the splendid development of noble rot throughout the entire vineyard.
A wonderful high -pressure system arrived in the first week of October, bringing with it warm, dry and windy conditions, which helped the grapes in the great clay terroirs gain in concentration. The Sauvignon Blanc was tested on the 7th of October, and on the 10th harvesting finally began for Yquem 2019.
Over the course of five days, one of which was a Sunday, the expertise of our pickers enabled us to capture the essence of a very fine vintage combining ample fruit, freshness and concentration. The extraordinary window of opportunity provided by the weather then suddenly closed. On the 14th of October, we received 40 mm of rainfall. Our perfect knowledge of the different plots in the vineyards allowed us to focus our efforts exclusively on the best terroirs. The more fragile terroirs were picked, and the grapes had already begun to spoil. The more fragile terroirs were harvested between showers on the 17th, 18th, 21st and 22nd of October.

OVERVIEW
After a cool and rainy spring, warm conditions prevailed all the way through to November 2019. In Sauternes in particular, the downpour in late July removed the risk of drought and ensured that the development of the harvest was defined by the unique properties of the soils. The extremely tight window of favourable picking conditions, lasting just five days, obliged us to focus exclusively on the healthiest plots, with not a moment to spare for superfluous passes. Thanks to the wide variety of our soils, the experience and availability of our teams and our perfect knowledge of the terroir, offer a success as rare as it is remarkable.

Alcohol content: 14.4 % Vol – Residual sugar: 138g/L – Total acidity: 5,5 g:/L H2T – pH: 3.90s.

V 98

Vinous

Owners LVMH took the decision to delay the release of the 2019 Yquem until spring 2022. It was tasted with winemaker Sandrine Garbay in London. After the summer drought when Sauternes received just 2.5mm of rain until 26 July, that day saw a 112mm deluge that replenished underground reserves and gave ripening the push it needed. Dry and warm conditions prevailed throughout September when there was no sign of botrytis infection. That was finally provoked by 38mm of rain between 21 and 25 of September, followed by warm clement weather. After minor picking of Sauvignon Blanc on 7 of October, the main harvest began in earnest on 10 October. Pickers worked over the following five days, including Sunday. Time was of the essence because, as forecasts predicted, the weather suddenly changed on 14 of October with 40mm or rain. After that, the picking teams skirted between showers between 17 and 22 of October, though by now the fruit had begun to deteriorate. Therefore, the key aspect of this Yquem is the extremely tight picking window. The final blend contains 138g/L residual sugar, which is slightly less than the previous vintage, with 5.5g/L total acidity and 14.4% alcohol. Tasting the 2019, I noticed that it has a slightly paler hue compared to recent vintages (though I never read too much into the colour of young Sauternes.) For certain, it has a highly-aromatic bouquet that is beguiling in purity, enticing aromas of honeysuckle and saffron, soon joined by camomile, white flowers and orange blossom. It has wonderful delineation and gains intensity with aeration. The palate is supremely well-balanced with fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious and armed with just the right amount of viscosity, this Yquem is surprisingly understated at first but gains presence, offering irresistible flavours of layers of honey, lemongrass, lemon thyme and orange pith. Yquem is so tempting in its youth, but I feel that this vintage will repay those with the nous to cellar for at least a decade. Reviewed by Neal Martin, Issue date: February 2022. Drinking window: 2032 - 2080.

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FREE WINE STORAGE: We provide FREE 6 Months wine cellar storage from date of purchase. Please choose this option at checkout and we will coordinate shipping for a later date.

SHIPPING: During warm summer weather, we recommend to only ship within the United States with Same Day or Next Day Air service to protect the wines from environmental damage. If you would like to waive this protection by shipping Ground, we will request a waiver be signed.

PACKAGING: Our premium wines need optimal temperature consistency, therefore are packaged in EPS foam shippers with gel pack (when needed) and shipped only during ideal weather temperatures.

For OWC (Original Wooden Case) orders, wine bottles will be removed from case and shipped inside a foam shipper box for safety (unless otherwise requested). The wooden case will be shipped separately at Ground service. If faster service is necessary please contact us.

WEATHER HOLD: In adverse temperature conditions, we reserve the right to withhold shipment until ideal temperatures return unless we receive explicit instructions via email to release the wines, voiding any guarantee. We will contact you if a hold is necessary.

FULFILLMENT: Shipments are via UPS.

  • Orders received Monday - Thursday before 2:00 p.m. will typically ship the same day.
  • Orders received Thursday 2:00 p.m. ~ Sunday will ship on Monday.

DELIVERY:

  • Same Day service within Los Angeles Metro area may be available if order is placed before noon, but not guaranteed. Please contact us directly at (626)714-7006 to facilitate expedited service.
  • During extreme temperatures, all shipments are recommended for Next Day Air.

Adult Signature: By law, all shipments of alcohol must be received and authorized by an adult. Our delivery carriers will not release packages without an adult signature and additional charges may be incurred if the package requires withholding or redirection.

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We ship within the United States to: Alabama (AL), Alaska (AK), Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Kentucky (KY), Louisiana (LA), Maine (ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Mississippi (MS), Missouri (MO), Montana (MT), Nebraska (NE), Nevada (NV), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New Mexico (NM), New York (NY), North Carolina (NC), Ohio (OH), Oklahoma (OK), Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), South Carolina (SC), South Dakota (SD), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Vermont (VT), Virginia (VA), Washington (WA), West Virginia (WV), Wisconsin (WI), and Wyoming (WY).

  • CRITICAL REVIEWS
  • WINEMAKER NOTES
V 98

Vinous

Owners LVMH took the decision to delay the release of the 2019 Yquem until spring 2022. It was tasted with winemaker Sandrine Garbay in London. After the summer drought when Sauternes received just 2.5mm of rain until 26 July, that day saw a 112mm deluge that replenished underground reserves and gave ripening the push it needed. Dry and warm conditions prevailed throughout September when there was no sign of botrytis infection. That was finally provoked by 38mm of rain between 21 and 25 of September, followed by warm clement weather. After minor picking of Sauvignon Blanc on 7 of October, the main harvest began in earnest on 10 October. Pickers worked over the following five days, including Sunday. Time was of the essence because, as forecasts predicted, the weather suddenly changed on 14 of October with 40mm or rain. After that, the picking teams skirted between showers between 17 and 22 of October, though by now the fruit had begun to deteriorate. Therefore, the key aspect of this Yquem is the extremely tight picking window. The final blend contains 138g/L residual sugar, which is slightly less than the previous vintage, with 5.5g/L total acidity and 14.4% alcohol. Tasting the 2019, I noticed that it has a slightly paler hue compared to recent vintages (though I never read too much into the colour of young Sauternes.) For certain, it has a highly-aromatic bouquet that is beguiling in purity, enticing aromas of honeysuckle and saffron, soon joined by camomile, white flowers and orange blossom. It has wonderful delineation and gains intensity with aeration. The palate is supremely well-balanced with fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious and armed with just the right amount of viscosity, this Yquem is surprisingly understated at first but gains presence, offering irresistible flavours of layers of honey, lemongrass, lemon thyme and orange pith. Yquem is so tempting in its youth, but I feel that this vintage will repay those with the nous to cellar for at least a decade. Reviewed by Neal Martin, Issue date: February 2022. Drinking window: 2032 - 2080.

2019 Chateau d'Yquem, Sauternes, France

Timeless History

Our 2019 in a few words

“Yquem 2019 is a perfect balance between freshness and concentration.
The high proportion of Sauvignon Blanc brings a floral element and a distinctivenote of lemon verbena.
This vintage is extremely seductive in its vibrant youth and will travel gracefully through time.”

WEATHER CONDITIONS
Although February and March 2019 were fine and dry, the beginning of the growing season was dominated by very cool temperatures.
Fortunately, flowering occurred over the course of six days in early June, during a spell of warm, dry weather. Late June saw the onset of very warm weather conditions which lasted virtually without interruption until the 15th of August (with 50 days of temperatures at least 3.6°C above the seasonal average). This heatwave provoked vigorous growth, allowing the vines to compensate for their fairly slow start to the growing season.
In the meantime, a drought began to take shape. Sauternes saw only 2.5 mm of rainfall until the 26th of July, when the region received an extraordinary 112 mm of rain, which fully replenished the soils’ water reserves. The rain lasted for several hours, and a further 40 mm fell between the end of July and the 12th of August, soaking deep into the sandy-gravel terroirs. With the threat of a drought now lifted, ripening progressed rapidly as the warm temperatures continued and the
weather turned dry again.

HARVEST
Between the 26th of August and the 5th of September, the fine weather conditions allowed us to pick the grapes destined for “Y” with a perfect balance of richness and freshness. This relatively early harvest proved to be crucial to ensuring the quality of Y 2019, as subsequent warm weather
caused the acidity in the grapes to dissipate. The heat returned in earnest, and between the 13th of September and the 5th of November the Sauternes region experienced 55 days of temperatures at least 3°C above the seasonal average. No more rain fell until the 20th of September, and as yet there was no sign of Botrytis cinerea. Fortunately for us, between the 21st and the 25th of September, the temperatures remained warm while 38 mm of rain fell, triggering the splendid development of noble rot throughout the entire vineyard.
A wonderful high -pressure system arrived in the first week of October, bringing with it warm, dry and windy conditions, which helped the grapes in the great clay terroirs gain in concentration. The Sauvignon Blanc was tested on the 7th of October, and on the 10th harvesting finally began for Yquem 2019.
Over the course of five days, one of which was a Sunday, the expertise of our pickers enabled us to capture the essence of a very fine vintage combining ample fruit, freshness and concentration. The extraordinary window of opportunity provided by the weather then suddenly closed. On the 14th of October, we received 40 mm of rainfall. Our perfect knowledge of the different plots in the vineyards allowed us to focus our efforts exclusively on the best terroirs. The more fragile terroirs were picked, and the grapes had already begun to spoil. The more fragile terroirs were harvested between showers on the 17th, 18th, 21st and 22nd of October.

OVERVIEW
After a cool and rainy spring, warm conditions prevailed all the way through to November 2019. In Sauternes in particular, the downpour in late July removed the risk of drought and ensured that the development of the harvest was defined by the unique properties of the soils. The extremely tight window of favourable picking conditions, lasting just five days, obliged us to focus exclusively on the healthiest plots, with not a moment to spare for superfluous passes. Thanks to the wide variety of our soils, the experience and availability of our teams and our perfect knowledge of the terroir, offer a success as rare as it is remarkable.

Alcohol content: 14.4 % Vol – Residual sugar: 138g/L – Total acidity: 5,5 g:/L H2T – pH: 3.90s.

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