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New Arrival: Chateau d’Yquem 2006

The best things in life are not free. In fact, they tend to be a bit pricey. Pick up a bottle while this remarkable wine is still drinkable. Which in this case may be over a century.

Château d'YquemI must confess to being less-than-fully qualified to speak with any authority about this recent arrival in the store. Few wines routinely are described as “sublime” or “the best (not one of the best, but the best)” of their kind. But so it is with Chateau d’Yquem. If you are fortunate enough to have tried this legendary Sauternes, or if this is on your “I swear on my soul I am going to taste this someday” list, you probably know more about the wine than I do, and I have little of interest to tell you, except that we have several bottles on hand if you’d like to stop by and ponder or purchase them. But if you’re not familiar with this remarkable wine, here is a little background. First of all, it is definitely of note that Chateau d’Yquem is the ONLY Sauternes that is classified as a Premier Cru Supérieur. Just one of many acknowledgments of its exceptional and unique qualities. The estate has been home to a vineyard since 1711 when it came under the full ownership of Léon de Sauvage d’Yquem, but what is it that otherwise makes this chateau so special? Primarily, it is the area’s delightful susceptibility to Noble Rot , which requires unique alternating wet and dry periods prior to harvest. This results in raisin-like berries that are then literally picked individually, resulting in a much smaller yield – about one glass of wine per vine. It is said there simply are no “bad” years of Chateau d’Yquem, only less divine ones. The wine is renowned for its incredible balance, concentration and complexity, and perhaps more importantly, its longevity. The good years may not show their best qualities for over a decade, revealing ever more subtle overtones over time. If properly cellared, they will keep well for over a century. As an example of this longevity, Michael Broadbent was lucky enough to sample – in tastings decades apart – d’Yquem vintages that were themselves nearly a century apart, and still give accolades like (referring to the 1921) “A colossus. Perhaps the most staggeringly rich Yquem of all time, certainly since the towering 1847“. Not many wines can lay claim both to being around for over a century and be the best of their kind, year after year, decade after decade. Clearly, a bottle of Château d’Yquem is a great investment, if not a joy to look forward to. If you’re interested in a purchase, contact us for pricing. Our single bottle price will be competitive with any other US retailers, and if you’re interested in three or more bottles, we can talk.