Tasting Notes
Vinous 94+
The 2015 d’Yquem feels a little disjointed on the nose at first, but it coalesces nicely to reveal smoke, dried honey, saffron and orange rind aromas. The palate is well balanced with a viscous opening, the acidity nicely judged with lime, orange rind and quince toward the finish that shuts down quickly. Some readers may be surprised by my score, but Yquem often closes down and consequently suffers in blind tastings like this. It will surely come back but it will need cellaring to show its rip-roaring best. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.
Anticipated maturity: 2030-2075
Robert Parker 100
Following a very long harvest stretching nearly two months, the 2015 Chateau d’Yquem came in at 13.9% alcohol and 144 grams per liter of residual sugar, sporting a pH of 3.65 and six grams per liter of tartaric acid. None of these numbers, however, even remotely begin to tell you how profound this wine is. The nose opens with electric notes of ripe pineapples, green mango, orange blossoms and lemon tart with hints of fungi, lime zest, crushed rocks and jasmine. The freshness on the palate is just astonishing, permeating and lifting layer upon layer of tropical fruits and earthy notions, all encased in a sumptuous texture and culminating in a very, very long, mineral-tinged finish. Truly, this is a legendary vintage for d’Yquem. I’ve been conservative with my drinking window here, and I would not be at all surprised if our descendants are drinking this vintage well into the next century.
Anticipated maturity: 2025-2065