Ratings & Tasting Notes:

100 points James Suckling
Review Date: 01/2023
This has taken on a golden amber color, with fantastic intensity and complexity of aromas. Mushroom, candle wax, white truffle, chamomile, honey, vanilla bean, marmalade, smoke, toast, apricot and pineapple. Powerful, rich and intense, yet sharp and almost savory, demanding attention. Goes on and on.

100 points Wine Advocate
Review Date: 08/2019
I have had the very good fortune to taste the 2001 d’Yquem perhaps a dozen times since its release and have never been less than absolutely floored by its combination of poise, purity, precision and layer upon intricate, jaw-dropping layer of flavor nuances. It is among a very small clutch of incredible wines that crash through the 100-point ceiling and rocket beyond the stratosphere! A testament to that magic that can be created when an uncommonly great vintage for Sauternes brings out the best of an extraordinary vineyard and is skillfully, sensitively crafted, the 2001 is a true wine rarity that must be tried to be believed. (LPB)

100 points The Wine Independent
Review Date: 09/2023
The 2001 Yquem has a pale to medium gold color. The nose is a little closed to begin, slowly emerging with a complex array of notes of mango preserves, baked peaches, saffron, salted almonds, and candied ginger, followed by wafts of jasmine, honeycomb, and crème caramel. The palate is super-sweet, concentrated, and multi-layered, delivering wave after wave of opulent stone and tropical fruit flavors, supported by amazing tension and a satiny texture, finishing with epic length and lingering mineral notes. This is a wine I’ve tasted many times and it has never been less than the epitome of a Sauternes experience that is as cerebral as it is hedonic. The residual sugar is 150 grams per liter, which is on the high side, yet, incredibly, it wears this richness with such energy. (LPB)

100 points Vinous
Review Date: 06/2021
Just weeks after tasting the 2001 Château d’Yquem at the estate, another bottle was served at a lunch in London and it was perfection. The aromatics are practically identical and likewise the palate, but this bottle, which had been decanted, displays a scintilla more tension, perhaps more “vibrancy” that so effortlessly counterbalances the richness. Irrespective of points, it is simply one of the most magnificent wines of any kind that can pass your lips. (NM)

100 points Jeb Dunnuck
Review Date: 02/2023
A brilliant sweet wine that tops out on my scale, the 2001 Château D’Yquem is now fully mature yet still vibrant and pure, with an incredible nose of honeyed marmalade, caramelized tropical fruits, rising bread, marzipan, and lavender. Incredibly complex, full-bodied, and unctuous on the palate, it’s one of those rare wines that can deliver incredible richness and decadence while staying pure, light on its feet, and perfectly balanced. A wine that every wine lover should taste once in their life, it should be just about immortal.

100 points Wine Spectator
Review Date: 11/2005
The greatest young Yquem I have ever tasted from bottle. Yellow, with a golden hue and an almost green tint. Intense aromas of botrytis, spices and blanched almonds follow through to honey, maple syrup, dried apricot and pineapple. Full-bodied, sweet, thick and powerful, with layers of fruit and a bright, lively finish. Coats the palate yet remains exciting. So balanced and refined, showing the pedigree that only this Sauternes estate can deliver. Best after 2012. *Collectible, Ranked #10 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2005* (JS)

Cult Wines International Notes:

Château d’Yquem stands alone as the only estate in Sauternes to be granted the prestigious title of Premier Cru Supérieur in the 1855 Classification, a testament to its centuries of unrivaled quality. Perched on the highest hill in the appellation, the estate’s history is inextricably linked to the Lur-Saluces family, who stewarded the property for over two centuries before its acquisition by LVMH in 1999. The winery is legendary for its uncompromising standards, famously refusing to release a vintage if the quality does not meet its exacting requirements. This dedication to excellence is fueled by the unique mesoclimate of the Ciron and Garonne rivers, which generates the morning mists necessary for Botrytis cinerea, or “noble rot,” to flourish. By painstakingly harvesting only the most perfectly affected berries through multiple passes (tries) in the vineyard, Yquem produces a wine of extraordinary concentration, complexity, and nearly infinite longevity.

The 2001 vintage is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in the history of Château d’Yquem, often compared to the legendary 1921 or 1937 harvests. The growing season began with a rainy winter and a mild spring, followed by a remarkably dry and warm summer that allowed the fruit to reach optimal ripeness. However, the true magic occurred in September, when a series of light rains followed by dry, sunny spells triggered an explosive and uniform development of noble rot. The harvest took place under ideal conditions, allowing the pickers to select fruit with staggering sugar levels and vibrant acidity. The resulting wine is a masterpiece of balance, featuring a luminous golden hue and an explosive bouquet of dried apricots, honeysuckle, and orange marmalade. With its seamless integration of luscious sweetness and piercing freshness, the 2001 Yquem is a monumental vintage that continues to evolve with majestic grace.

Bottle Size:

750 mL

Storage History:

Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.

Condition:

Please note: The bottle shown is the exact bottle being sold.

Some label imperfections as shown. Perfect fill level, wine color, clarity & capsule condition.