No 2012 vintage for Yquem

Château d’Yquem has announced that it will not be producing a Sauternes this year.

According to Agence France Presse, the estate’s director Pierre Lurton said the quality was “insufficient”.

Lurton continued: “We did everything we could but, sadly, nothing came together despite our efforts, despite our great terroir.

“A brand such as Yquem must know when not to make a vintage. For the sake of the brand’s image and place in history, it’s reasonable to not make a 2012.”

Lurton added that, initially, the first grapes harvested had been quite good but as the harvest went on and it began to rain quality rapidly fell away.

“They (the wines) would have lacked body, they would never have had enough concentration,” he said.

This is not the first time that Yquem has chosen to skip a vintage due to poor quality, and as Lurton noted it tends to happen every 20 years, so far; 1952, 1972 and 1992.

The grapes will instead be used to make Y d’Yquem, the estate’s dry white wine.

Yquem has not been alone in finding 2012 a difficult year, however, as reported by the drinks business, on the Left and Right Banks hopes are high for a small but good to excellent vintage.