2020 Chateau d'Yquem

Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon

France / Bordeaux / Graves / Sauternes

$225
RP 94
Size:
Quantity:

Availability: 12

1er Grand Cru Classé Supérieur

2020 Chateau d'Yquem, Sauternes, France.

Vintage Notes

Weather
A warm and rainy spring triggered vegetative growth as of 10 May, almost 15 days earlier than usual. A wet yet cool month of June then ensued, followed by a hot, dry summer, which was fortunately mitigated by spring water reserves.

September sunshine led to a generous first round of picking, particularly for the Sauvignon Blanc grapes, providing all their aromas and the fine acidity invaluable to each blend.

Late September rainfall was conducive to the even spread of Botrytis cinerea yet we had to wait until the weekend of 18 October, with a spell of five days of sunshine and strong south-easterly winds, to achieve a spectacular concentration of fully botrytised grapes.

In these perilous conditions, the expertise and experience of the teams was decisive in capturing the essence of these two passes, which constituted the very heart of the vintage and bestowed it with an ethereal, delicate character.

The harvest
16 days of harvesting in 5 successive passes, from 14 September to 29 October, interrupted by heavy rainfall.

Oenological data
• Grape varieties: 75% Sémillon, 25% Sauvignon Blanc
• Bottling date: 24 and 25 August 2022
• Alcohol by volume: 14% Vol
• Total acidity: 5.59 g/L H2T
• Residual sugar: 135 g/L
• pH: 3.79

RP 94

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2020 d'Yquem presents a fresh bouquet with aromas of white fruits, orchard fruits and mango, complemented by a hint of spring flowers. It’s perfectly balanced and moderately weighted compared to other vintages, making it a tense, penetrating d’Yquem. Despite the challenges of the growing season and a brief harvest (which began on September 30th and concluded on October 12th), d'Yquem's team managed to produce a mere 40,000 bottles, a modest yield in recent years. Reviewed by Yohan Castaing, Issue date: October 2023. Drinking window: 2023 - 2040.

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FREE SHIPPING INSURANCE: We provide FREE carrier insurance for lost or damaged shipments (per carrier terms and conditions.)

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
RP 94

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2020 d'Yquem presents a fresh bouquet with aromas of white fruits, orchard fruits and mango, complemented by a hint of spring flowers. It’s perfectly balanced and moderately weighted compared to other vintages, making it a tense, penetrating d’Yquem. Despite the challenges of the growing season and a brief harvest (which began on September 30th and concluded on October 12th), d'Yquem's team managed to produce a mere 40,000 bottles, a modest yield in recent years. Reviewed by Yohan Castaing, Issue date: October 2023. Drinking window: 2023 - 2040.

2020 Chateau d'Yquem, Sauternes, France.

Vintage Notes

Weather
A warm and rainy spring triggered vegetative growth as of 10 May, almost 15 days earlier than usual. A wet yet cool month of June then ensued, followed by a hot, dry summer, which was fortunately mitigated by spring water reserves.

September sunshine led to a generous first round of picking, particularly for the Sauvignon Blanc grapes, providing all their aromas and the fine acidity invaluable to each blend.

Late September rainfall was conducive to the even spread of Botrytis cinerea yet we had to wait until the weekend of 18 October, with a spell of five days of sunshine and strong south-easterly winds, to achieve a spectacular concentration of fully botrytised grapes.

In these perilous conditions, the expertise and experience of the teams was decisive in capturing the essence of these two passes, which constituted the very heart of the vintage and bestowed it with an ethereal, delicate character.

The harvest
16 days of harvesting in 5 successive passes, from 14 September to 29 October, interrupted by heavy rainfall.

Oenological data
• Grape varieties: 75% Sémillon, 25% Sauvignon Blanc
• Bottling date: 24 and 25 August 2022
• Alcohol by volume: 14% Vol
• Total acidity: 5.59 g/L H2T
• Residual sugar: 135 g/L
• pH: 3.79

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