Lovely flavors of apricot, dried tangerine, pineapple and papaya rush along, supported by hazelnut, frangipane and coconut notes. Despite the depth, this is very, very pure, with filigreed acidity carrying the long, long finish. JM

Medium lemon-gold colored, the 2006 d'Yquem is a little reticent at this stage, slowly revealing notes of pineapple pastry, dried apple slices, orange preserves and spice cake plus nuances of crème brûlée, preserved ginger, nutmeg and baking bread. The palate offers mouth-coating tropical fruit and baking spice layers with a seductive oiliness to the texture and loads of citrus sparks, finishing with bold freshness and amazing length. Allow it just a couple more years in bottle to get over this slightly muted hump, then drink it for the next 25+ years. For number crunchers: 13.8% alcohol, 122 grams per liter residual sugar, and total acidity is 4.2 grams per liter H2SO4.

The 2006 Yquem, which I last tasted in 2014, continues to be a great Yquem, not quite among the top tier but let's slot it in one level below. It possesses virtually the same aromatics as the last bottle that I tasted at the château: beeswax and lanolin merging with honeyed fruit, dried quince and marzipan. The palate is medium-bodied, viscous, a dash of spice on the entry with very good weight in the mouth. There is still that lovely saltiness on the finish that leaves you begging for another sip - completing a long-term Yquem that is only just finishing its first couple of chapters. Tasted April 2016.

– eRobertParker.com, May 2016