Château d’Yquem: A Great New Year’s Toast

Thanks to the International Wine Review’s assistant editor Harvey Leifert, we enjoyed a real treat this New Years—a 30 year old bottle of Château d’Yquem that he purchased in Paris a few years ago and kept in his cellar until the right moment, which fortunately for us was this past weekend. What a treat! My notes are as follows:

Château d’Yquem 1979 Sauternes 92 points
Pure amber color with a nose reminiscent of peat-infused Scotch whiskey and English orange marmalade. Beautiful silky mouth-feel with flavors of botrytis, tangy apricot, and butterscotch. Great balance of sweetness and acidity and a long, refined finish. A stunning wine from a less than stunning vintage.

Happy New Year!