“Wine is born, then it lives. But it never dies, in man it lives on.”
– Baron Phillippe de Rothschild
I have identified 72 wines, regions, and experiences, thus far. There is a smile on my face as I write this. Remembering each experience makes my smile a little broader.
Château d’Yquem “Y” – “Château d’Yquem does not make a second label!”
I previously wrote about the first time I had Château d’Yquem Sauternes as part of this series. This article is about Yquem’s dry Sauvignon Blanc wine, Y, which I had the great fortune to taste this wine for the first time at the Château.
Château d’Yquem is located in Sauternes, France, in the southern region of Bordeaux. It is a storied House, tracing its history from the 1300s. The estate did not have vineyards until 1711. The estate belonged to the King of England, who was also the Duke of Aquitaine, throughout the Middle Ages. It did not return to French hands until King Charles VII reclaimed it in 1453.
In 1855, Emperor Napoléon III demanded creating a wine classification system for Bordeaux wine. Simultaneously, a classification of Sauternes and Barsac was drawn up for Sauternes wines. The cru system was created to categorize terroir quality in the region. Two classifications were put in place at that time: premier cru and second cru. Château d’Yquem’s wines were so highly regarded that the estate earned a classification of its own: Premier Grand Cru Supérieur.
Wars, the phylloxera crisis, less-than-ideal vintages, a draconian inheritance tax, and other factors affected Château d’Yquem over the years. Rigorous management, an excellent 1975 vintage, and adhering to strict standards returned Château d’Yquem to its former glory and beyond. LVMH Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton began acquiring stock in Château d’Yquem in 1996 and assumed complete control of the estate in 2004.
Château d’Yquem began producing Y in 1959. Y is pronounced “Ygrec,” French for the letter “Y.” Yquem has only produced 33 vintages of Y in the past 65 years. I had never had Y. The presenter poured the 2017 vintage, a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon, both estate-grown grapes. The wine was aged in used Yquem barrels with 20% new oak. I assumed Y was Yquem’s second label and mentioned it to the presenter. I was quickly dissuaded of that notion as the presenter sniffed and said, “Château d’Yquem does not make a second label!”
Y 2017 was a very pale yellow. It had a pungent nose with notes of saffron and dried apricots. Crisp green apple and white peach were primary on the palate, with a secondary dollop of honey and ginger. Lemony notes were creamy, akin to a lemon curd due to the blend of Sémillon. There was also a hint of mint. This wine had an abundance of acidity. There was a balanced, harmonic synchronization to Y, leading to a smooth, medium finish. It is as if Y was an orchestra playing the most beautiful symphonic work. The presenter said that the Sémillon grape skins were slightly infected by botrytis. This offset any possible bitterness in the blend of the varietals.
I have had many Sauvignon Blancs before, of course, but I had never had one like this. Y is a wine at the top of the food chain (or, should I say, the wine chain). The Y 2017 was a rich, beautiful wine worthy of the Yquem pedigree. Having Y for the first time at Château d’Yquem is a memory that will always remain with me.
Château Léoville Poyferré – You never know who knows whom.
I was in Bordeaux for a special tour of the vineyards with a group of eight others put together by my friends Ronald and Margaret Rens of The Bordeaux Wine Experience. The entire trip was exceptional, and you will learn more about it in this series. The group included a couple from San Diego, a father from New York and his son who lives in Atlanta, a couple from New Orleans, and two couples from Israel. It was an outstanding trip, and the wines were everything I wanted them to be.
Bordeaux is separated by the Gironde Estuary and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. The Estuary spills into the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Stated simply, to the north and right of the Estuary and north of the Dordogne River is the area referred to as the Right Bank. Below and directly south of the Garonne River constitutes the Left Bank. Both rivers feed into the Gironde Estuary, which, in turn, leads to the Atlantic Ocean.
This dividing line creates two very different terroirs. The Left Bank encompasses the Médoc wine region north of Bordeaux. The Left Bank produces predominately Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines, whereas the dominant varietal on the Right Bank is Merlot. The best-known appellations in the Left Bank are Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Margaux.
One of the first vineyards we visited was Château Léoville Poyferré. Château Léoville Poyferré was a wine I had before. However, this time I was having it at the vineyards. Château Léoville Poyferré is in Saint-Julien. Saint-Julien is an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for red wine in the Bordeaux region. It is located on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, northwest of the City of Bordeaux in the Médoc subregion. This means that Cabernet Sauvignon is the predominant varietal. The famed consulting winemaker Michel Rolland began advising Château Léoville Poyferré in 1994, and it has received multiple 100-point scores from critics.
Château Léoville Poyferré is a Deuxieme Cru, or Second Growth, wine under the official 1855 Bordeaux Wine Classification. Other Second Growth wines include Châteaux Ducru Beaucaillou, Lascombes, and Léoville Barton.
It turned out that our presenter, Lori Westmoreland, was an American from the Bay Area. She had been living in Bordeaux for about 13 years. Lori asked us where we were from. She was surprised when I said I lived in Las Vegas, as she had a good friend named Bob Cranston, who lives there.
“Bordeaux Bob,” I responded. “I know him well.”
Bordeaux Bob is a wine importer specializing in Bordeaux wines. He cuts a dashing figure, standing at about 6’8”. He can be seen wearing an array of velvet slippers that would make Imelda Marcos jealous. He is also a man of discerning tastes in food and wine.
I am constantly amazed at who knows whom. It makes sense that Bordeaux Bob would be known at Château Léoville Poyferré. This is a Château that produces exceptional wines. The “Second Growth” designation is an unfortunate holdover from the 19th century, as some Second Growths could be elevated were the designation to be re-examined.
We had the 2010, 2014, and 2018 vintages. I love comparing a single wine from different vintages. You can see the wine’s nuances and the changes resulting from the key variable, which is the weather.
Château Léoville Poyferré is always well-balanced and elegant. There is the typical blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The wine is fermented in stainless steel. Approximately 75% of the wine spends 18-20 months in new French oak. There are around 20,000 cases produced annually.
All three wines are highly rated. The 2010 vintage was rated 100 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 99 points by Wine Spectator, and 98 points by Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast. It is a deep purple in color. The nose has notes of floral, crème de cassis, graphite, damp earth, and tobacco leaf, and they are brought together beautifully. The palate is opulent and full-bodied. The tannins are rounded and softened and will only improve with age.
The 2014 vintage was rated 96 points by Vinous and 94 points by Wine Enthusiast. This wine has concentrated, even tannins, presenting raspberry, crème de cassis, graphite, damp earth, and tobacco leaf. The dry and humid weather resulted in a prolonged harvest.
The 2018 vintage was rated 100 points by Jeb Dunnuck, whilst Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Vinous, and James Suckling all rated it 97 points. This vintage will benefit from cellaring for a minimum of five more years if you can hold out that long. This is an opulent wine with currant and blueberry aromas on the nose. There are also citrus and vanilla notes. It is a medium-bodied wine that has integrated tannins and a velvety texture.
Château Léoville Poyferré is clearly a consistent, well-regarded wine. Lori loves what she does, and it shows. How could she not whilst presenting a wine like Léoville Poyferré? Now, if only I could have run into more of Bordeaux Bob’s friends.
Santé!
