A Night of Liquid Gold: Château d’Yquem at Flore Amsterdam

A Night of Liquid Gold: Château d’Yquem at Flore Amsterdam.

A rare evening at two-Michelin-starred Flore, where seven vintages of Château d’Yquem met Bas van Kranen’s botanical cuisine in perfect harmony.

Some evenings are not simply dinners — they are experiences that transcend the table. On June 12th, at the serene and refined Restaurant Flore inside Hotel De L’Europe Amsterdam, guests witnessed one of those rare moments: a seven-course tasting menu paired exclusively with different vintages of Château d’Yquem.

Hosted by Pierre Lurton, General Manager of Château d’Yquem and Château Cheval Blanc, together with Steve Simon-Graziano of LVMH Vins d’Exception, the evening offered a once-in-a-lifetime exploration of Sauternes through time. Under the culinary mastery of Chef Bas van Kranen and the precise, intuitive pairing of Wine Director Antonello Nicastri, this event was not merely about food and wine — it was about patience, risk, and the pursuit of perfection.

The challenge was monumental: seven courses, each with a different Yquem, many of them built almost entirely on vegetables and herbs. Yet, against all expectations, every pairing felt seamless — a testament to Flore’s rare sensitivity and the remarkable adaptability of Yquem itself.

The Setting: Flore’s Philosophy of Purity

Since earning its second Michelin star and a Green Star for sustainability, Flore has become one of the Netherlands’ most progressive dining destinations. Chef Bas van Kranen’s cuisine revolves around purity, transparency, and the rhythm of the seasons. Each dish celebrates nature’s palette — roots, herbs, blossoms — arranged with precision and depth rather than ornamentation.

Flore’s dining room reflects this ethos: understated, intimate, and deeply personal. Antonello Nicastri, the restaurant’s Wine Director and Sommelier, approaches pairing with the same philosophy. His pairings are not demonstrations of contrast but conversations — seeking harmony between the plate and the glass. That philosophy would prove essential in navigating the intricate layers of Château d’Yquem.

Château d’Yquem and Its Wines: The Alchemy of Time

Few names in the wine world evoke such reverence as Château d’Yquem, the undisputed crown jewel of Sauternes. Its history stretches back to the 16th century, with its vineyard — perched on the highest hill of the appellation — forming a microclimate perfectly suited to Botrytis cinerea, the “noble rot” that transforms ripe grapes into golden elixirs.

The Grand Vin, Château d’Yquem, is the epitome of complexity and longevity. Each vintage is made from painstakingly selected berries, often picked one by one across multiple passes through the vineyard. The result is a wine that can age for generations, evolving from vibrant freshness to honeyed profundity.

Complementing the flagship Sauternes is Y de Château d’Yquem, the estate’s dry white wine — an entirely different expression of the same terroir. Produced since 1959, “Y” blends Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon to create a mineral-driven, textured wine that mirrors the precision of Yquem without the sweetness. Together, they form one of Bordeaux’s most fascinating dualities: two wines, one soul.

As Pierre Lurton noted during his address, “Yquem is the art of patience. It’s not a magic mushroom — botrytis is nature’s risk, and at Yquem, we play with that risk every year. Ça passe ou ça craque — it either works, or it breaks. But when it works, it becomes eternal.”

The 2022 Vintage: A Modern Classic

Lurton’s excitement for the newly released 2022 vintage was palpable. “It’s the highest concentration of sugar since 1945,” he said proudly. “One hundred and sixty grams per liter — yet when you taste it, you feel freshness, not sweetness. At the end, there’s a touch of bitterness that gives vibration. It’s a wine that can live a hundred years.”

The wine’s extraordinary balance of richness and clarity was immediately evident during the opening course. In the glass, it shimmered with golden hues, offering a scent of orange blossom, apricot, and candied citrus. It was young, yes — but already complete, showing both energy and composure. Few wines manage such poise at this early stage.

The Pairings: Flore’s Mastery in Seven Movements

The evening began with a beautifully layered opening sequence — white strawberry, nasturtium, and celery, followed by yellow beet with basil and pumpkin seed, celeriac with Douglas pine and sea lettuce, and finally artichoke with ajo blanco and rocket. Paired with Château d’Yquem 2022 (99/100 DWA), these dishes formed a graceful overture that celebrated the meeting of nature and precision. The 2022 vintage impressed with its purity and tension — shimmering golden in the glass, revealing aromas of apricot, orange blossom, and honeycomb. On the palate, its concentration was lifted by vibrant acidity, creating a dynamic contrast to the herbal freshness and vegetal sweetness of the dishes. Together, they showcased the rare versatility of a young Yquem: luminous, structured, and full of promise.

The second course, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and fruits, was paired with Y de Château d’Yquem 2021 (94/100 DWA). The dry Y revealed tension and finesse — citrus oil, white peach, and mineral depth — weaving seamlessly through the dish’s garden-like complexity. This was a pairing of subtle dialogue rather than contrast; a pure, textural harmony between Flore’s philosophy and Yquem’s dry expression.

Next came pumpkin, porcini, and Sarawak pepper, paired with Château d’Yquem 2011 (98/100 DWA). The wine, lush and opulent yet perfectly balanced, revealed saffron, candied orange, and quince. The earthy depth of porcini and subtle warmth of the pepper found an extraordinary counterpart in Yquem’s honeyed spice and gentle acidity. This pairing was pure alchemy — comfort and complexity in one seamless movement.

From there, snail, green pea, pipián verde, and shiso introduced a new layer of vegetal brightness and umami nuance. Paired with Y de Château d’Yquem 2017 (94/100 DWA), the dish showcased Antonello Nicastri’s daring precision. The 2017’s waxy texture and ripe citrus notes complemented the herbal heat of the pipián verde and the sweetness of fresh peas, while shiso added aromatic lift — a bold and brilliantly balanced pairing that captured the essence of Flore’s style.

A daring transition to the sea followed: whelk, coastal crab, and sweet pimientos paired with Château d’Yquem 1984 (90/100 DWA). Often regarded as a challenging vintage, the 1984 offered subtle honey, tea leaf, and orange zest tones that danced around the saline sweetness of crab. It was delicate and reflective, a quiet interlude amid grandeur.

Then came the crescendo: lamb “au poivre” with cherry, anchovy, and red mullet, paired with the monumental Château d’Yquem 2005 (99/100 DWA). Here, power met precision. The 2005’s exotic notes of pineapple confit, saffron, and burnt caramel enveloped the dish’s spice and umami, turning boldness into beauty. A triumph of pairing, showcasing both the chef’s confidence and the sommelier’s instinct.

The finale, soy milk, sea buckthorn, and snow pea, came with Château d’Yquem 1995 (96/100 DWA). Mature yet still vibrant, the wine’s dried apricot and crème brûlée tones contrasted the dessert’s tangy and vegetal elements. The pairing demonstrated the versatility of Yquem — a wine equally capable of delicacy as it is of decadence.

The Challenge and the Triumph

Pairing a full tasting menu with Sauternes might seem like culinary folly. The wine’s natural richness and sweetness can easily dominate — especially when faced with dishes built on greens, herbs, and vegetables rather than the classic foie gras or blue cheese. Yet at Flore, what could have been a constraint became inspiration.

Through Antonello Nicastri’s vision, each course became a new conversation between acidity and texture, sweetness and bitterness. The wines and dishes never clashed — they danced. What unfolded was not just a masterclass in pairing, but a statement of artistic courage.

Even Pierre Lurton, himself accustomed to the finest tables, was visibly impressed. He smiled as the evening drew to a close, calling it “a symphony of balance — a proof that Yquem is not a dessert wine, but a universal wine.”

A Toast to Timeless Excellence

Nights like these are rare. To experience seven vintages of Château d’Yquem, spanning forty years of winemaking history, paired with the botanical brilliance of Flore’s kitchen, is something few will ever witness again.

It was an evening defined by patience and precision, by risk and reward — and by the shared belief that great wine and great cuisine both begin with respect for nature’s rhythm.

For Dutch Wine Apprentice, this dinner will remain one of the most memorable experiences we have had the privilege to attend. The synergy between Pierre Lurton, Steve Simon-Graziano, Chef Bas van Kranen and Antonello Nicastri created a once-in-a-lifetime dialogue between Bordeaux’s golden hills and Amsterdam’s culinary heart.

A one-of-a-kind night that will stay with us forever.

This article is written by our own Niels Aarts, we thank Restaurant Flore (in particular Chef Bas van Kranen, Wine Director Antonello Nicastri, Maitre Roos Stevens and their teams) as well as Château d’Yquem (Pierre Lurton) and LVMH Vins d’Exception (Steve Simon-Graziano).