Château d’Yquem 1998 — Sauternes, 0.375 L

Name: Château d’Yquem 1998 — Sauternes, 0.375 L
Brand: Château d'Yquem
SKU: BOR-YQUEM-1998-038
Price: 204.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Château d'Yquem

1998 · 0.375 L · RP 95

€ 204,00

2 in stock

Half bottle (0.375 L) of Château d'Yquem 1998 from Sauternes, the only Premier Cru Supérieur of 1855. Our suggested drinking window is 2018–2050.

Guaranteed authentic
0.375 L
Drink 2018-2050
Cellar-stored
Photo on request
Insured shipping

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SKU: BOR-YQUEM-1998-038

Key facts

Vintage: 1998
Appellation: Sauternes
Classification: 1er Cru Classé
Grapes: Sauvignon blanc
Drinking window: 2018–2050
Vintage rating: 87/100 — early maturing, approachable
Format: 0.375 L
Producer: Château d'Yquem
Region: Bordeaux
Country: France
Type: White
Sweetness: Sweet

Sauternes 1998 on the Robert Parker Wine Advocate vintage chart

Category: Sauternes, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, Sauvignon blanc, White, Wine

Château d’Yquem 1998 half bottle: Premier Cru Supérieur, vintage chart 87

This is a 0.375 L half bottle of Château d’Yquem 1998, a sweet white from Sauternes in Bordeaux. Our suggested drinking window is 2018 to 2050, so the wine is inside it today.

Illustration: Sémillon vines in autumn mist, Sauternes

What the 1998 vintage chart says about Sauternes

The Robert Parker Wine Advocate vintage chart gives Barsac and Sauternes 1998 a score of 87 and the letter E, which stands for early maturing and accessible. That figure rates the whole vintage in the appellation. It is not a score for this bottle.

Illustration: Sauternes barrel cellar, Sauternes

Grapes, noble rot and the estate

Yquem is made from Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc. The vines are about 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon blanc. The estate stands at about 80 m, the highest point in Sauternes, and its site is susceptible to Botrytis cinerea (noble rot).

Picking is done in successive passes through the vines, about six per harvest on average. Sauternes rules require hand-picking in such passes, with over-ripe grapes affected by noble rot. The wine is aged in oak barrels for about three years.

Illustration: Sauternes with foie gras and blue cheese, Sauternes

Classification and ownership

In the 1855 Bordeaux classification Yquem was rated Premier Cru Supérieur, the only Sauternes with that rating. LVMH announced the purchase of a majority stake in 1996 and has owned the estate since 1999; the Lur-Saluces family keeps a minority stake. Comte Alexandre de Lur-Saluces ran the château until 2004, which covers the 1998 vintage. Ten vintages were declassified, among them 1992 and 2012; 1998 is not one of them.

Questions buyers ask

What size is this bottle of Château d'Yquem 1998?

It is a half bottle of 0.375 L.

What is Yquem's 1855 classification?

Premier Cru Supérieur, the only Sauternes given that rating in the 1855 Bordeaux classification.

When should Château d'Yquem 1998 be drunk?

Our suggested drinking window runs from 2018 to 2050, so the wine is inside it now.

How was the 1998 vintage rated in Sauternes?

The Robert Parker Wine Advocate vintage chart gives Barsac and Sauternes 1998 a score of 87 with the letter E, meaning early maturing and accessible.

Which grapes go into Château d'Yquem?

Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc, in a split of about 80% and 20%.

Is Yquem a sweet wine?

Yes. It is a sweet white Sauternes made from grapes affected by noble rot.

This bottle

Kept at controlled temperature and humidity, lying down and in the dark until dispatch.
Insured, temperature-controlled shipping: if a bottle is stolen or broken in transit, we resend it or refund it through our insurer.
Older bottles may show cellar wear on the label or capsule; it does not affect the wine and is not a reason for return. Photos of this bottle on request.
Report any damaged or missing item within 24 hours of delivery — see the terms of sale.