2016 d'Yquem Ygrec Y

The 2016 Y de Yquem is pale silvery in hue. The nose is crisp and precise with Chinese white tea, hints of chamomile and lemongrass. Taut and fresh on the palate, I appreciate the salinity of this dry white with lime and grapefruit towards its tensile finish. Excellent.

When the Lur-Saluces family owned Yquem, this dry wine would be made from unbotrytised or lightly botrytised grapes and aged in new oak. It was, frankly, rather bizarre. Under its new owners, Ygrec's style has been modified, with very little botrytis influence and ageing in only 20 percent new barriques. This gives a fresher style while retaining its own personality. This has toasty grapefruit aromas, and considerable severity on the palate. Driven by firm acidity, it's very youthful and persistent, though it still has power rather than finesse. An acquired taste, but it's quite unlike other dry whites from the Graves.

The 2016 Ygrec is blended of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon and contains seven grams per liter of residual sugar. It has a very delicate nose of lemon peel, fresh green apples and grapefruit with touches of crushed stones, white pepper, dill seed and lime leaves. Medium-bodied, elegant and very refreshing, with great mineral intensity, it has a lingering citrusy finish.