波爾多除了是世界知名的紅酒產區之外，其實還是全世界最著名的貴腐甜酒產地之一。波爾多市南邊的Sauterns產區聚集了眾多的貴腐甜酒精英酒莊，其中Chateau
d’Yquem可說是精英中的精英，在1855年的頂級酒莊評等中被列為唯一一家「特優一級酒莊(Premier Cru
Supérieur)，說它是波爾多貴腐甜酒之王絕對當之無愧，其價格亦位居Sauterns之冠，有人翻譯為「滴金堡」頗為貼切。
早在15世紀後半Yquem的莊園就已經存在了，不過要到1711年左右才開闢為葡萄園。從1785年起Lur-Saluces家族成為Yquem的擁有者，在200多年來歷代莊主的手中，建立起Yquem在波爾多貴腐甜酒界中無與倫比的崇高地位。美國第三任總統Thomas
Jefferson曾造訪本酒莊，並寫下紀錄說 “Sauterne. This is the best white wine of France
and the best of it is made by Monsieur de Lur-Saluces.”
1968年到2004年之間Alexandre Lur
Saluces掌管酒莊的這30幾年間，將本莊的水準和聲譽引領到前所未有的高度。1996年精品集團LVMH入主酒莊，並且委任由白馬堡莊主Pierre
Lurton負責經營管理。
位於Sauterns村的Chateau
d’Yquem擁有本村最好的風土條件，100公頃的葡萄園是貧瘠而排水良好的礫石地，種植的品種是80 % Semillon和20 %
Sauvignon
Blanc，每年收成都要經過多次採收以確保獲得品質最佳的原料葡萄，有些品質不理想的年份甚至不出品；葡萄汁是在全新橡木桶中發酵，還要經過長遠3年半左右的桶中熟成才會裝瓶上市，平均產量每年只有65,000瓶左右。Chateau
d’Yquem的風格是極為豐富華麗、香甜濃郁，可以輕易陳年幾十年，甚至上百年！
A warm to hot vintage ideal for producing outstanding reds does not necessarily make for a great Sauternes vintage, but in the case of 1990 it did. Dry, warm winds in the autumn contributed to the level of concentration that this wine exhibits. Fortunately, a little rain in late September and early October ensured that botrytis flourished well in the end, the final factor necessary to achieve this extraordinary expression.
Medium to deep golden colored, the 1990 d'Yquem opens with unabashed opulence, giving expressive notes of dried apricots, toffee, candied walnut, tree bark and sandalwood with nuances of preserved mandarin peel, lemongrass and fallen leaves. The palate is entering that stage where it still has bags of fruit and yet appears quite dry, with a lively line contributing jaw-dropping tension and finishing with epically long-lingering honey nut and earth-inspired notes. Pure. Hedonism. The multilayered intensity perhaps makes this appear a much bigger, sweeter Yquem than it is, and yet it possesses a relatively modest 12.7% alcohol and 126 grams per liter of residual sugar with 3.9 grams per liter of total acidity (H2SO4). Well into its ideal drinking window, there is no real rush to drink this beauty, as it should remain suspended at the heavenly plateau for another 25+ years.
WA:98 Drink Date: 2019 - 2044
