The glorious and unique dry white from Yquem. With an annual production of 10,000 bottles a year, Y (Ygrec in French) is a rare and wondeful wine. It is made from the same outstanding terroir and the same vines as Château d'Yquem. Although work in the vineyard is every bit as meticulous, the grapes are picked and the wine made in a different way.
Ygrec was formerly made at the end of the harvest, with the last bunches left on the vines. These grapes, affected to varying degrees by botrytis cinerea, but never with more than 15% potential alcohol, resulted in a very unusual wine. This explains why it has always been produced in small quantities and on an irregular basis since 1959. Ygrec changed starting in 1996, but without compromising its unique character, to be more in tune with the times by displaying the qualities of freshness and crispness – essential for a modern great white wine. It was decided in 2004 to make Ygrec every year. It is thus by deliberate choice that they now harvest certain plots of Sauvignon Blanc at the beginning of the vintage, making sure to pick perfectly ripe bunches. These are completed by Sémillon grapes picked just at that fleeting stage when the grapes have reached maximum ripeness, botrytis has just appeared, and the skins have turned a pinkish colour. This is the precise moment when this grape variety's tannins are soft enough for the aromatic potential of the best plots of clay soil to come through.
The wine receives close attention during fermentation: light, precise pressing as well as temperature-controlled must racking and alcoholic fermentation in a new aesthetically pleasing, state-of-the-art vat room set aside just for this wine. The end of fermentation and ageing on the lees take place in barrels. Only one third of these are new, and the lees are regularly stirred (bâtonnage) for ten months.
The final blend is made after tasting. It usually consists predominantly of Sauvignon Blanc and a few lots of Sémillon.
Pierre Lurton, head winemaker says “Ygrec is sometimes elusive and unable to be classified - it is not rare for people to find it somewhat reminiscent of Alsace or Burgundy.”
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Ygrec 2011
JancisRobinson.com
There seems to be no doubt in anybody’s mind, especially mine, that Sauternes is by far the best part of the Bordeaux 2011 vintage. The wines have superbly fresh acidity and beautiful fruit aromas yet also great sweet concentration and classic botrytis character, all totally in what we might call the modern style of great Sauternes. As such, I find it a superb vintage, not quite at the absolute level of 2001, nor with the sheer opulence of 2005 and 2009, but not far off, and, by its remarkable freshness, very different in style from any of these.
Ygrec 2012
16.5 - Julia Harding - JancisRobinson.com
80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Sémillon. Alcoholic fermentation in French oak barrels (starting in vats). Aged for 10 months (1/3 new oak) on the lees with bâtonnage. RS 6.2 g/l.
Subtle but honeyed on the nose. Rich and tastes almost a little off dry on the palate (confirmed by the numbers). Spicy and full bodied. Lots of freshness but also has a note of barley sugar as if there were some botrytis. (JH)
Julia Harding. November 2015.
Ygrec 2014
93 points - Neal Martin - RobertParker.com
Drinking Window: 2017 - 2035
The 2014 Ygrec is a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon with seven grams per liter of residual sugar. It has an attractive nose with scents of nettle, dandelion, gooseberry and grass clippings, the Semillon taking a back seat to the Sauvignon Blanc at the moment. The palate is very well balanced with the 20% new oak nicely integrated (the remainder is matured in two-year-old Yquem barrels). It is very refined with lovely passion fruit and kumquat notes towards the second half where finally the Semillon makes its presence felt, with touches of brioche and lemongrass developing in the glass. What a gorgeous Ygrec.
Neal Martin. June 2016.
Ygrec 2015
92 points - Neal Martin - RobertParker.com
Drinking Window: 2023 - 2040
The Sauvignon Blanc (75% of the blend) was picked quickly from 25-27 August this year, the Sémillon on 3 and 4 September. It has six grams per liter of residual sugar and the pH, a sizzling 3.20. It has an intriguing bouquet of melted wax, white flowers and hints of sea spray, that marine influence becoming quite strong with aeration. The palate is fresh on the entry with fresh ginger and lemongrass, lively in the mouth with shades of orange rind and sour lemon towards the persistent finish. I would afford this several years in bottle and I suspect you will end up with a very distinctive dry Bordeaux from the most famous Sauternes estate.
Neal Martin. April 2017.
Ygrec 2017
92 points - Neal Martin - Vinous
Drinking window: 2020 - 2038
The 2017 Y de Yquem was picked very early from 16 August to 25 August. It was released the week prior to my visit. Side by side, the bouquet is almost identical to the 2018 with green apple and hints of yellow flower, the Sauvignon Blanc very expressive (75% of the blend). The palate is sweet and a little more viscous thanks to the additional gram of residual sugar compared to the previous vintage with hints of nectarine and apricot laced with lemongrass towards the persistent finish. Excellent.
Neal Martin. September 2019.
Ygrec 2018
91 points - Neal Martin - Vinous
Drinking window: 2020 - 2036
The 2018 Y de Yquem is a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon bottled at the end of August. It offers light grass clipping and green apple scents on the nose, the Sauvignon Blanc defining the aromas. The palate is fresh on the entry, light and crisp with touches of pineapple and dried apricot, a hint of grilled walnut towards the finish. This actually improves with aeration, gaining some delightful praline and subtle white chocolate notes.
Neal Martin. September 2019
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