2009 d'Yquem, Sauternes (375ml) (Pre-Arrival)

Showing so much tropical and exotic fruits like mangos, papayas, pears and hints of honey and ginger. This is intense. Full bodied and very sweet, with intense honey, and a long, long finish. A wild palate with an electrifying finish of spices, mint, and dried fruits. Great freshness on the finish, but with so much botrytis character as well. Barrel sample. (12/2010)

(a blend of 80% semillon and 20% sauvignon; 13.8% alcohol) 155 g/l residual sugar): Bright gold-tinged lemon-yellow. Enticingly fresh aromas of white flowers, honey, orange and fresh apricot, with suggestions of coconut and candied orange peel. Enters the mouth suave and wonderfully pure, with nectar-like flavors of peach, orange and pineapple complicated by a hint of smoky botrytis. Though extremely rich and concentrated, laser-like acidity gives this remarkable Sauternes a seamless, penetrating, mineral quality on the extremely long, silky finish. Its superb inner-palate energy and near-perfect balance suggest that it will evolve very slowly and go on for decades. A very sleek and refined yet impressively concentrated Yquem that remains amazingly light on its feet. A great example not just of the vintage but of the Pierre Lurton style, and quite different from the more showy and opulent wines made under the direction of Alexandre de Lur Saluces. (5/2010)

The aromas are so rich and powerful, with great ripe apricots. There are honey, spice and beautiful sweet spiced pears. This is an extraordinary wine in an extraordinary year in Sauternes. (4/2010)

The 2009 Yquem has an almost ethereal nose, beautifully defined with scents of honey, honeysuckle, pear, fresh apricot and a hint of quince. It blossoms in the glass, gaining intensity and expanding across the ether. The immediate impression is not of a powerful, rich, botrytis-laden Yquem, but one that has semblances with the 2007 in terms of poise and precision, the acidity defining the wine in its youth and around that, subtle notes of honey, fig, pear, apricot and just a hint of ginger adding vibrancy and edginess towards the pure and tensile finish. As expected, there is extraordinary persistency, lingering in the mouth long after the wine has disappeared, yet it will remain long in the memory. (4/2010)

Dense and unctuous, but with lacy detail already showing along the edges, as light toasty hazelnut and picecrust notes lead the way for creamed melon, mango and pineapple flavors, with hints of green plum and honeysuckle. There's mouthwatering drive on the finish, which drips with a rosehip honey note that keeps pulling you back. Stunning. Best from 2020 through 2055. (4/2012)