Château d'Yquem 1988

Château d'Yquem 1988 Sauternes - First Grand Cru Rated 

96/100 Parker

Maturity: 2016 - 2046

By Neal Martin in 2016: "The 1988 Yquem Castle has long been the favorite of insiders, unlike those of 1989 and 1990, even though all three ultimately form a brilliant triumvirate at the end of the decade. Tasted from half a bottle, it shone with a slightly brownish amber hue. The bouquet is exactly like the one I encountered with the previous bottles, with scents of marmalade, tangerine, burnt honey and citrus, perhaps a little more waxy and resinous than I remember. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive weight, viscous as one might expect, but not as flamboyant as the 1989 or as unctuous as the 1990. It is beautifully balanced with notes of apricot, white chocolate and orange peel towards the harmonious, taut finish."