Château d’Yquem: 2014, 2010, 2002, 2001, 1997, 1995, 1988, 1957 & 1944

Following the success of two previous all-Château d’Yquem dinners in 2018 and 2022, Grace very kindly hosted a third back again at Nicolas on 20 March 2024, featuring a stupendous line-up that included, once again, the 1957 (Dr Ngoi had wiped out all the château’s remaining six bottles some years ago) plus the mouth-watering rarity of a 1944! This time, Nicolas has boldly paired the wines with a standard menu that included red meat, proving that a good Sauternes can go with anything. All the wines were singing. Suffice to say, these are ageless beauties that seduce unfailingly without wearing you out. Many thanks, Grace and Dr Ngoi and everyone else, for your immense generosity and for digging deep.

2014 “Y” d’Yquem, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Pale. Distant floral lift of fig and green fruits. Equally subtle on the medium palate where understated layers of white fruits and minerally elements impart lean precision underscored by refined acidity and a distinct salinity. Impeccably balanced, developing further intensity of longans over time. Excellent.

2014 Château d’Yquem. Good colour. Gentle glow of tropical fruits on the nose, matched by a sleek palate of longans and lychees laid on an understated minerally base. Highly integral and agile, a little lean initially before fleshing out in a blaze of pears, nectarine and pineapples. Similar in DNA as Ygrec of the same vintage, but this wine is all about its beguiling bouquet. Considerably lighter and fleet-footed than usual but it may yet turn out to be a great d’Yquem.

2010 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Edward. Dull golden hue. This wine is more in the manner of traditional d’Yquem, opening with classic tones of apricot, cinnamon and maple fruit in a luscious concentrated opulence, almost cloying in its full ripeness, yet delicate enough in its glowing definition of seamless layers of fruit, acidity and subtle minerals. A reflection of the vintage and an older style.

2002 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Winfred. Luminous gold, proffering a restrained glow of honeyed toast from its bold detailed presence, laced with wonderfully sleek acidity that added a touch of elegance to the deep velvety layers of succulent opulence. Superb.

2001 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Peter Tan. Poured from a pair of half bottles, this seminal vintage of d’Yquem is notably more developed, sporting a heavier tint of gold with dense nutty flavours topped with a medicinal hint. Still remarkably deft and agile, displaying sharp delineation with effortless grace within a rounded sheen of white incense that teased with fleeting intensity. Not at all heavy.

1997 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Stephan. Highly luminous, opening with a lovely glow of mandarins and kumquat well-replicated with agile presence and fleeting intensity, its slick acidity imparting superb freshness on the clean streamlined palate, impeccably balanced even as it developed further notes of brioche and honeysuckle.

1995 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Gisela and Ted. Rather heavy in color. Distinctly mature on the nose and palate, its autumnal character imparting darkish shades to the medium-full presence of orange peel and apricot, superbly refined and well-balanced with understated attack and intensity. Drinking beautifully.

1988 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Tsun Yan. Good colour. Fabulous bouquet of liquored honey that belies its delicate tone, wonderfully fleet and transparent and still amazingly fresh in spite of its obvious maturity. Very evenly proportioned and impeccably balanced, boasting understated detail with a suggestion of cigar burnt ends from subtle layers of refined minerally elements. Outstanding.

1957 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Ex-château. Rather heavily tinted, as expected. Compared to a previous tasting in 2018 (also ex-château from Dr Ngoi), this bottle is much fresher and livelier, its demure restraint on the nose masking an incredible lithe agility on the silky smooth palate, still imbued with superb acidity and amazingly fresh citrus and kumquat within an understated complex, delivered with aristocratic poise. Immaculately proportioned, turning a little more savoury over time as it finished with excellent linearity. One is truly drinking the distilled essence of noble rot, stripped of all excesses and distraction. Still has the legs to go on for years. A feminine beauty. Superb!

1944 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Mr Nasrat. Tasted with palpable anticipation, the 1944 is very darkly coloured, proffering a restrained sweet warmth with a distinct note of capsicum and exotic spice. The medium palate remains lively enough, still imbued with fresh acidity, though, like any eighty-year-old, it has become highly introspective, having shed all excesses to leave a distilled integral essence throughout its lovely length, finishing with a dominant note of bitter lemon. Ageing very gracefully, indeed. Probably vinified shortly after the Liberation of Paris that year, one can almost taste the spirit and confidence of imminent Allied victory. Thank you very much for such a wonderful privilege, Sir!