Chateau d'Yquem 'Y' Ygrec 2022
With an annual production of 10,000 bottles a year, Y (pronounced "ee-grek" in French) is a rare wine. It is made from the same outstanding terroir and the same vines as Château d'Yquem. Although work in the vineyard is every bit as meticulous, the grapes are picked and the wine made in a different way. The wine receives close attention all during fermentation: light, precise pressing as well as temperature-controlled must racking and alcoholic fermentation in a new aesthetically pleasing, state-of-the-art vat room set aside just for this wine. The end of fermentation and ageing on the lees take place in barrels. Only one third of these are new, and the lees are regularly stirred (bâtonnage) for ten months.The final blend is made after tasting. It usually consists predominantly of Sauvignon Blanc and a few lots of Sémillon. "This is a big white with sliced apple, pineapple and lychee fruit. It’s full-bodied and dense with lots of fruit and phenolics on the mid-palate. A roundness and p