Description
The 2020 “Y” (Ygrec) de Château d’Yquem is the exceptionally rare dry white wine produced by the world’s most famous Sauternes estate. While the Grand Vin of Yquem is a luscious dessert wine, “Y” is a dry, powerful, and mineral-driven Bordeaux Blanc that captures the same pedigree and terroir but in a “modern, fresh” style.
The 2020 vintage is particularly significant as it was a year of extreme precision, resulting in a wine of “tension and racy energy.
The Blend: Typically 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon.
The “Pink” Sémillon: A unique hallmark of “Y” is that the Sémillon is picked just as the skins turn a pinkish hue—the exact moment when tannins are softest and aromatic potential is at its peak.
Winemaking: Fermented in a temperature-controlled vat room dedicated solely to this wine. It is aged on its lees for 10 months in French oak (one-third new), with regular stirring (bâtonnage) to build the creamy, unctuous texture that balances its high acidity.
Small Production: The 2020 production was cut nearly in half due to the challenging season, making this magnum (150cl) an extremely rare collector’s format.
Producer Profile
The Pinnacle of Sauternes
Château d’Yquem is widely regarded as the greatest sweet wine estate in the world. Located on the highest hill in the Sauternes appellation of Bordeaux, it is the only estate to hold the prestigious Premier Cru Supérieur (Superior First Growth) classification, a rank created specifically for Yquem in the 1855 Classification.
Since 1999, the estate has been under the stewardship of LVMH, maintaining a standard of quality so rigorous that if a vintage does not meet their exacting requirements, no wine is released (as seen in 1952, 1972, 1992, and 2012).
The “Y” (Ygrec) Philosophy
While the estate is defined by its botrytized dessert wine, the “Y” (Ygrec) represents a different side of the terroir. First produced in 1959, “Y” is a dry white wine crafted from the same vines as the Grand Vin but harvested at a different moment in the season.
- The Harvest: Unlike the dessert wine, which requires “noble rot,” the grapes for “Y” are picked at the very beginning of the harvest. The goal is to capture maximum freshness and aromatic intensity before the botrytis fungus sets in.
- The Terroir: The vineyards sit on a complex mosaic of clay, gravel, and sand. The Sauvignon Blanc provides the racy acidity and citrus drive, while the Sémillon adds the creamy, honeyed texture that is the Yquem signature.
