Château d'Yquem 1947 (1 BT)

Château d'Yquem 1947

Sauternes, 1er Grand Cru Classé

u. ts, bin-soiled label, J CALVET slip label taped on, corroded capsule, short capsule reveals vintage branded cork, Taiwanese import label

One of the hottest, driest years of the century. The harvest at Yquem lasted from 13 September until 13 October, in a heatwave. Warm, bright amber colour. Glorious orange flavour, so elegant for a 1947 and with no volatile acidity perceptible. So poised, so beautiful, so stunning. Ageless beauty and a great bottle. From magnum on its 60th birthday a great caramel brûlé bouquet. Sumptuous and well-structured. More masculine than the 1948. Burnt sugar. Pure mandarins on the palate. So thick. Smoky figs, with a wonderful citrus finish. Then, drunk from magnum in 2011 and château stock. This was, immediately, the greatest Yquem 1947 I have ever had - and I have had a few! A bouquet of caramelised currants, just extraordinary, followed by pomegranates. A touch of bananas, as they are done in New Orleans. So totally creamy and thick in texture and yet with such a 'lift' of freshness at the end. Magical clementine flavours. Flawless perfection. All of us were reduced to reverential silence, for a while anyway! Serena Sutcliffe, MW

1 bt (cn)

Please note that for Wine and Spirits Lots, the Buyer’s Premium rate is 24% of the Hammer Price and the Overhead Premium rate is 1% of the Hammer Price. The Buyer’s Premium and Overhead Premium are subject to any applicable VAT/GST and/or sales or use tax. Please refer to the Conditions of Business for further details.