2021 Château d’Yquem displays almond notes on the nose, mingled with refreshing hints of cedar, pineapple, pear, yellow plum and mandarin orange. Aromas of candied orange and lemon gradually come to the fore, underpinned by intense floral notes of gardenia and broom flowers. 2021 Château d’Yquem is very lively on the palate. It starts out fresh then becomes rich and concentrated mid-palate, making for a perfectly well-balanced wine with incredible finesse. Its powerful structure is prolonged by a touch of candied bitterness, leading into a long, suave finish.

Spring 2021 put winegrowers to the test by confronting them with all the risks inherent in winegrowing: frost, hail and mildew. Thankfully, Yquem's unique geographical location helped to preserve its great terroirs. From June to September, the grapes benefited from cool weather and moderate drought periods, bestowing the wines with superb acidity.
Then the Botrytis cinerea miracle came into play!

Two rainy spells in mid-September and early October were conducive to the spread of noble rot throughout the vineyards, while a magnificent three-week window of fine weather marked by cool, dry and sunny conditions slowly concentrated the grapes.

This optimum weather allowed the harvest to unfold in complete serenity, in three successive passes, between 30 September and 30 October.

The full aromatic profile of Botrytis cinerea was thus revealed in what can be described as an incredibly pure vintage.

"The 2021 d'Yquem exhibits a complex bouquet of rose, exotic fruits and mandarin orange mingled with spring flowers, rose and crème brûlée, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless palate that's suave and layered, with a deep core and a long finish that's lent definition by delicate bitterness that offsets the 148 grams per litre residual sugar. This blend of 65% Sémillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc was matured, as usual, in all new barrels, but the new oak is perfectly integrated and barely noticeable. Drink 2030 - 2050."
95 points.
Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate (February 2024)

"Released 21 March 2024. One of the 'good if not great vintages', according to winemaker Lorenzo Pasquini. The 2021 growing season was very tough for viticulture, with frost, hail and mildew. Volume was low (they made 50,000 bottles). However, there was no rain in summer, with low temperature and cloud cover which helped retain acidity (which is a main characteristic of the vintage). Noble rot was homogeneous throughout September, with a long dry spell allowing for unrushed parcel selection. 'Delicacy and power', says Pasquini. Aged in 100% new French oak for 24 months. RS 148 g/l.
Beautiful primary fruit boasting tropical complexity: mango, pineapple. Saltiness, according to the winemaker – and there is definitely savoury contrast in there. The marvel of this wine is its completeness – the stitching is so fine between the sugar, acidity, rich fruit and length. Opens up in the glass, with white chocolate, caramel, clotted cream, mixed peel, five-spice. As prestigious as ever, and so gratifying to drink right now. Drink to 2044."
19 points.
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com (March 2024)

"Dreamy, subtle aromas of dried fruit such as apricots and mangoes, but also fresh lemons and pears. Then there are caramel and tart tatin undertones with some bananas, pineapple, tangerines and other tropical fruit. Full-bodied, yet it remains vivid and compact, giving it a lightness even though it is really structured. The tannins are throughout the palate but blend in perfectly, giving it a solid presence, like a a diamond. It’s tight at the end, but you know that it will linger for ages, with a lightly chewy and intellectual finish. Touches of sweetness, cloves and bitterness to make it interesting. Dynamic. About 54,000 bottles made. Relatively small harvest. 148 g/L residual sugar."
100 points. James Suckling, jamessuckling.com (November 2024)