Y Chateau d'Yquem 2013

Winzer über: Y Chateau d'Yquem

-- Winzer: Pierre Lurton von Yquem: Y is produced from the same outstanding terroir and vines as Chateau d'Yquem. Although work in the vineyard is every bit as meticulous, the grapes are picked and thewine made in a different way. Y was formerly made at the end of the harvest, with the last bunches left on the vines. These grapes, affected to varying degrees by Botrytis cinerea, but never with more than 15% potential alcohol, resulted in a very unusual wine. This explains why it has always been produced in small quantities and not on a regular basis. There have only been 32 vintages since 1959. Y changed starting in 1996, but without compromising its unique nature, to be more in tune with the times by displaying the qualities of freshness and crispness – essential for a modern great white wine. When Pierre Lurton arrived in 2004, it was decided to produce this wine every year. It is thus by deliberate choice that we now harvest certain plots of Sauvignon Blanc at the beginning of the vintage, making sure to pick perfectly ripe bunches. These are complemented by Sémillon grapes just at that fleeting stage when they have reached maximum ripeness, botrytis has just appeared and the skins have turned a pinkish colour. This is the precise moment when this grape variety's tannins are soft enough for the aromatic potential of the best plots of clay soil to come through. Y in the cellar: The wine receives close attention during fermentation: light, precise pressing, as well as temperature-controlled must racking and alcoholic fermentation in a new aesthetically pleasing, state-of-the-art vat room set aside just for this wine. The end of fermentation and ageing on the lees take place in barrels. Only one third of these are new, and the lees are regularly stirred (bâtonnage) for ten months. The final blend is made after tasting. The usual breakdown by grape variety is 3/4 Sauvignon Blanc and 1/4 Semillon. Y is a powerful wine that generally has 14% alcohol by volume and fully reflects the intrinsic potential of grapes at Yquem. The wine's richness, aromas and remarkable balance, combined with its subtle impression of sweetness, fully express its noble origins and unique character. Y is delicious throughout the meal. It is a treat with seafood and fish dishes, as well as goat's cheese and sheep's cheese.