Chateau d’Yquem 2004 and 1998

It was the most pleasant of surprises when SWMBO and I were contacted through mutual friends by The Nadister if we’d like to share in drinking two bottles of Chateau d’Yquem.  It took a nano-second to think about it and reply ‘Yes!’  It wasn’t going to be a super-serious tasting, but 6 friends getting together, tasting and drinking the wines, with some appropriate food, and at place, because we had a fairly large table.  Even the glassware was supplied –Riedel Sommelier Sauternes stemware!  In these circumstances, a table is an easy one to share.

The Nadister has a collection of Yquems, but he chose two, from either side of the change of ownership from the Lur Saluces family, and LVMH, his theory being that the wines under the previous ownership were richer, weightier and more complex.  My theory was that the newer wines were more refined and elegant, thus better, and that they would develop the richness and complexities as seen in the older wines with some more bottle-age.  Clearly we need to do more research on this…

The two Yquems were from good but not necessarily outstanding vintages.  The 2004 Ch. d’Yquem Sauternes comes from one of my favourite drinking Sauternes vintages.  It’s not the richest or most intense or ageworthy year.  But is fresh, elegant, youthful and delightful, and delicious wines have come from it.  I’ve been lucky to have tasted the 2004 Yquem several times, and this bottle was brilliant, earning my praise as the other bottles that have come my way.  Light golden yellow colour, this was redolent of waxy, lanolin Semillon fruit first and foremost, still with primary notes, though nearly one and a half decades old.  Then a subtle marmalade and honied botrytis layer, with supporting oak.  Elegance and freshness of mouthfeel, but still with opulence and decadence.  You could tell it has plenty of time ahead, and it will develop those more complex flavours.  Everything about this is finesse.  If you want to be critical, it was a smaller-scale wine, but that’s harsh indeed. 

Then the 1998 Ch. d’Yquem Sauternes from a year where the harvest was split into two sessions by a period of rain.  Plenty of botrytis infection resulted.  This was darker in colour, golden yellow with a hint of orange.  Darker aromas and flavours with tropical fruits, crystallised fruits, honey, nectar and orange marmalade with the beginnings of barley sugar, toffee and a touch of caramel.  Lovely concentration and depth, more so than the 2004, and with a degree of power and linearity, and the softening of mouthfeel, but allowing greater opulence and richness show.  My previous experiences with the 1998 haven’t left the best impressions, especially with the 1997 next to it being brilliant, but this bottle was a glorious, altogether wine.  Not magical as one from a great year, but telling you it’s close to it.

The juxtaposition of the two years was instructive indeed.  Both extremely good to drink, and yet so different.  The Nadister is also a thinker.