1999 Château d’Yquem- France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (7/26/2021)
Day two note…SUPER balance of botrytis candied honey, toffee chews, dried pineapple/apricots sweetness…to the intense tangerine and lemon citrus streak of fresh acidity…salty crushed minerals…FLORALS galore of saffron threads, peach tea, apricot jam, honeycomb. Age has waxed up the sheen nicely…little tobacco spice, wet wool, and orange bitters show in the long, expressive, and even keel finish. Showing a ton more complexities than my last bottle in 2008(duh). Always a regal wine…a treat in itself! (96 pts.)
A complete sleeper vintage. Around 2009, a Noo Yawk recruiting firm threw a networking event, and served this all night as the main drink. Most attendees had no clue about this hedonistic opportunity.
At the time it was released, it was considered, I believe, a lighter vintage and was “only” $130 a fifth. As a result I bought several half bottles and few fifths. I have found it more opulent than other vintages, and loved the wine.
In 2004, HiTimes had this for $59/.375. Like a fool, I only bought 3. This was early in my wine odyssey, and that seemed like a lot of money to me. I’m opening my first bottle of it this weekend.