1977 Yquem

The 1977 Yquem, my third bottle in the last couple of years, was picked from October 20 until November 26, though nothing after November 7 was usedl. Just 30% of the production was bottled. It has a pretty nose with dried honey, mandarin and light minty scents that are well defined. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, fresh and vibrant with a tangy, short-but-refreshing finish. Probably the best bottle I've encountered. Just 81 g/l residual sugar. Tasted at the château.

The 1977 Yquem has a Tokaji-like bouquet with a touch of marmalade and a strong adhesive scent. True, the palate does miss acidity and complexity, yet it is clean with a tang of orange rind on the short, blunt finish. This is my second bottle of this seriously off-vintage Yquem.

This curio was bought at auction by someone with a penchant for very off-vintages! But this 1977 Yquem is actually quite drinkable. After one-third of the crop had been lost earlier in the season due to frost, a delayed harvest saw pickers enter the vines on 20 October with "mini-passes" until 13 November. A weak but not offensive bouquet that has a light adhesive whiff, the palate is simple and displays little botrytis, but nor is there signs of rot. You will probably obtain more enjoyment from this than a lot of its dry red counterparts, so it is a Pyrrhic victory of sorts.