Sweets & Fortifieds and Additional Finds

Timed Online Auction, 28 May - 10 June 2024

Sweets

Sold for

ZAR 14 070
Lot 58
  • d'Yquem; Sauternes; 1989; 1 (1 x 1); 750ml


Lot Estimate
ZAR 8 000 - 15 000
Selling Price
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
ZAR 14 070
Location
Wine Storage

About this Item

1989 Sauternes
1 (1 x 1) 750ml

Château d`Yquem, often described as the greatest sweet wine in the world and the only Sauternes First Growth of Bordeaux. Few wines in the world have produced consistently noble quality for more than 4 centuries.

Established in 1593, the property consists of a 110-hectare vineyard planted with 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The wines are created from botrytized fruit that is picked by hand in several passes ‘tiers’ by up to 150 harvesters. Château d'Yquem is the product of meticulous work in the vineyard, along with the estate’s exceptional terroir, and centuries of inherited knowledge since 1593, it has gained the reputation of the world’s finest sweet wine.

In the Bordeaux Classification of 1855, Château d'Yquem was given the unique and unsurpassable rank of Premier Cru Supérieur, ahead of all other Sauternes, indicating its perceived superiority and ability to command by far the highest prices. The wines of Château d'Yquem are characterised by their complexity, concentration and longevity. In a good year, a bottle will only begin to show its qualities after a decade or two of cellaring and with proper care, will keep for a century or more, gradually adding layers of complexity.

Provenance

Private Client

Critics Ratings

One of the high points of this vertical tasting, the 1989 d'Yquem is a magical wine offering up a complex, refined bouquet with aromas of quince, apricot, pineapple, menthol, flowers and white truffles, followed by a full-bodied, concentrated and seamless palate, pure and vibrant structure and lively acids, concluding with a long, perfumed, ethereal finish.' - Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate, 99/100 (Oct 2023)

'Two halves tasted towards the end of the JancisRobinson.com Christmas dinner were surprisingly different. They were both deep golden amber hue but with different intensities. The paler one was definitely simpler than the darker one. The former had an intense impact of sweetness beautifully counterbalanced by just the right amount of acidity and the special depth of Yquem with glossy satin texture. Candied-lemon flavour. The darker one, on the other hand, was much more intense and savoury in flavour with more complexity. Really intense and long. The score applies to the darker example, which continued to reverberate on the palate for minutes.' - Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20 (Dec 2019)

View all d'Yquem lots for sale in this auction