2008 Ch D’Yquem Sauternes Half Bottle 375ml, Bordeaux

Sporting a medium lemon-gold color, the 2008 d'Yquem is forward, displaying an already complex, compellingly savory/earthy nose of toasted almonds, cloves, damp soil, crushed stones and yeast extract with a core of peach preserves, lemon tart, dried pineapple and allspice. Rich, spicy and decadent in the mouth, with a racy backbone lifting the fruit, it finishes long and multilayered.

95 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown robertparker.com

The Yquem 2008 is easy to spot in a blind line-up: it is (to quote Tina Turner) simply the best. It has a subtle, delicate but very pretty bouquet with fine definition and astounding minerality. The palate is beautifully poised, tense and tightly coiled on the entry and then it just explodes in the mouth with pure, unbridled, joyous botrytized fruit struck through with a silver thread of acidity. It displays exemplary tension and freshness, along with great persistency in the mouth. This is an outstanding Sauternes 2008 and another impressive Yquem. Tasted January 2012