Bordeaux
Timed Online Auction, 28 March - 15 April 2024
Bordeaux
About the SessionA carefully curated selection of highly sought-after collectables of Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style SA wines.
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About this Item
Château d`Yquem, often described as the greatest sweet wine in the world and the only Sauternes First Growth of Bordeaux. Few wines in the world have produced consistently noble quality for more than 4 centuries.
Established in 1593, the property consists of a 110-hectare vineyard planted with 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The wines are created from botrytized fruit that is picked by hand in several passes ‘tiers’ by up to 150 harvesters. Château d'Yquem is the product of meticulous work in the vineyard, along with the estate’s exceptional terroir, and centuries of inherited knowledge since 1593, it has gained the reputation of the world’s finest sweet wine.
In the Bordeaux Classification of 1855, Château d'Yquem was given the unique and unsurpassable rank of Premier Cru Supérieur, ahead of all other Sauternes, indicating its perceived superiority and ability to command by far the highest prices. The wines of Château d'Yquem are characterised by their complexity, concentration and longevity. In a good year, a bottle will only begin to show its qualities after a decade or two of cellaring and with proper care, will keep for a century or more, gradually adding layers of complexity.
Michael Egan Authentication code - 433
Critics Ratings
'Deep amber. Very creamy and sweet with tangy barley sugar notes. Fresh and remarkably lively in 2022 for a wine that was perceived as very forward.' - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17.5/20 (Feb 2022)
'Showing extra maturation with a deeper colour in the glass, this is an elegant and precise Yquem which doesn’t have the concentration of the greatest vintages but is still classically structured with notable acidity and grip on the palate. Lacks a bit of complexity compared to some of the other wines tasted, but still a fine Sauternes which is at its peak now, but will keep for at least another decade too. 1999 was a difficult vintage, with rain in September and October.' - Andy Howard MW, Decanter.com, 93/100 (Feb 2022)
'Medium gold in color, the 1999 d'Yquem has shed its puppy fat and transformed into compelling cinnamon toast, creme caramel and cashew notions with emerging notes of beurre blanc, honeycomb, ginger snaps and praline over a core of peach preserves and apple pie. The palate is softly spoken with a refreshing backbone carrying loads of delicate savory and stone fruit preserves nuances to a long, beautifully restrained finish. At the 20-year mark, this wine is in the midst of its ideal drinking window, and while I hasten to add that there is no rush to drink up, there’s also no need to delay your gratification either. The alcohol this vintage is 13.8%, while the residual sugar is 128 grams per liter, and the total acidity is 4.5 grams per liter of H2SO4.' - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, 92/100 (2019)
Provenance
The Coats Family Cellar is arguably the most prestigious fine wine collection ever offered in South Africa. It contains a deep collection of the worlds finest, most sought-after wines, spanning over 150 years. Collected over many decades, the cellar was imported from Ireland to South Africa via reefer. Each bottle within the Coats Family Cellar was authenticated by Michael Egan in August 2022 and given an ID number for tracking.
Michael Egan is a world-expert in fine and rare wines with more than thirty five years of experience. He was the principal expert for the plaintiff in the two major wine counterfeiting trials in Koch v. Eric Greenberg and United States v. Rudy Kurniawan, both of which occurred in 2013.
Along with Michael Egan, the Strauss & Co Fine Wine team have tasted extensively through the cellar and are confident of the wine storage and hence quality. The entire collection is currently stored at Wine Cellar.
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