Château d'Yquem 1990 is a rich, sun-soaked Sauternes from the estate ranked alone as Premier Cru Supérieur in 1855. It closes the great 1988, 1989 and 1990 run of vintages and is now drinking beautifully while still having decades ahead.
About This Wine
1990 was one of the hottest, sunniest Bordeaux vintages of the century. Picking ran from 17 September to 10 October, in successive passes. The wine was bottled with about 126 g/l of residual sugar and 12.7% alcohol after roughly three years in barrel. Tasters describe an opulent, tropical style, with a mix of very ripe and botrytised fruit, and it is widely regarded as one of the richest Yquems of the modern era.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Honey, apricot, peach, pineapple, orange marmalade and toasted coconut, with vanilla and beeswax
- Palate: Full and unctuous, with candied citrus, dried apricot and spice, held together by well-judged acidity
- Finish: Very long, with burnt orange peel, caramel and a gentle toasty note
Serving & Food
Chill to 10 to 12°C and serve in a white wine glass rather than a small dessert glass. It needs no decanting, though an hour open helps. Drink now to 2050 and beyond. Try with pan-seared foie gras, Roquefort, or a lightly sweet apricot tart.
How to Enjoy
A special-occasion Sauternes for 1990 birthdays and anniversaries, or for sweet-wine lovers who want Yquem with some bottle age.
Product Details
Producer: Château d'Yquem
Country: France
Origin: Sauternes, Bordeaux, France
Classification: Premier Cru Supérieur, 1855
Style: Sweet white wine
Vintage: 1990
Grape Mix: Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc
ABV: 12.7%
Volume: 750mL
About the Château
Yquem stands on a hilltop in the commune of Sauternes, where autumn mists from the Ciron and Garonne encourage noble rot. The Sauvage family took tenure of the estate in 1593, and through marriage it passed to the Lur-Saluces family, who ran it for more than two centuries. Count Alexandre de Lur-Saluces was in charge when the 1990 was made. LVMH became majority owner in 1999. Pierre Lurton ran the estate from 2004 and remains chairman, while Lorenzo Pasquini took over as chief executive in 2025.
Around 100 hectares of vines, mostly Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc, grow on gravel over clay. Pickers pass through the vines many times, often berry by berry, and yields are tiny. In weak years the whole crop is declassified rather than released as Yquem.