Chateau Yquem

The Wines of Château Yquem

Yquem is the world’s most famous and greatest sweet wine! 

Owned by LVMH since 1997 (previously by the Lur de Saluces family), Château d'Yquem is the only Premier Cru Supérieur in the 1855 classification of Sauternes and Barsac Bordeaux wines. It produced no wine in 1910, 1915, 1930, 1951, 1952, 1964, 1972, 1974, 1992, or 2012. Located 45 km from Bordeaux on the Left Bank, near Châteaux Guiraud and Rieussec, Clos Haut Peyraguey, Lafaurie Peyraguey, and Raymond Lafon, Yquem’s 100-hectare vineyard sits atop a sandy-clay terrace, with a thin layer of sand over a dome of clay.

The legendary Château Yquem has had 100 km of underground drainage channels to carry away rainwater since the 19th century. The vines, around 35 years old and cultivated using sustainable practices, are 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon, planted at a density of 7,000 vines per hectare.

The prestigious Château d'Yquem makes two white Bordeaux wines: the fine wine of Château d'Yquem and its second wine, “Y d'Yquem.”

The History of Château Yquem 

The story begins in the Middle Ages, when the estate belonged to the king of England, then also Duke of Aquitaine. In 1453, Charles VII brought the region under the French crown, giving the estate its present-day nationality. A century and a half later, in 1593, local notable Jacques Sauvage became Yquem’s tenant and began building the château. He gradually assembled today’s vineyard, plot by plot. In 1711, having been ennobled under Louis XIV, the Sauvage family became the full owners of the Yquem estate. In 1785, Françoise Joséphine, the last heiress of the Sauvage d’Yquem family, married Louis Amédée de Lur-Saluces, a cavalry regiment colonel. Following his accidental death, the estate passed to his widow, who built the reputation of Yquem’s wines, already much admired by leading wine lovers of the day. Despite a difficult period during the Revolution, she preserved the family legacy and helped the property prosper. In 1826, she had a winery built—a bold innovation at the time that turned the estate into a true winemaking enterprise and enhanced its international reputation.

What had been a family property gained international recognition thanks to Romain-Bertrand de Lur-Saluces, Françoise Joséphine’s grandson, who succeeded her after her death in 1851. The estate was then elevated to Premier Cru Supérieur at the 1855 Paris Exposition Universelle. During the second half of the 19th century, the estate enjoyed a long period of prosperity. In 1859, Grand Duke Constantine, the Tsar’s brother, bought a barrel of Yquem for 20,000 gold francs—an astonishing price at the time. Japan also discovered the pleasures of Yquem wine during the Meiji era. After Romain-Bertrand’s death, the estate passed to his son Amédée de Lur-Saluces, then to Amédée’s younger brother Eugène. This chapter of Yquem’s history ended with the great phylloxera crisis and the First World War.

In 1914, Château d’Yquem was turned into a military hospital while Bertrand de Lur-Saluces, Eugène’s son, fought in the trenches. After the war, he resumed management of the estate for half a century. True to Yquem’s philosophy, he opposed chaptalization and defended family estates even during the crisis of the 1930s. As president of the Union des crus classés de la Gironde, he played a central role in protecting the grands crus and helped establish the Sauternes AOC. He was also a leading advocate of “bottling at the château,” helping guarantee authenticity. Called to serve again during the Second World War, he found his estate intact after two years as a prisoner and continued developing it until his death.

In 1966, Bertrand de Lur-Saluces named Alexandre de Lur-Saluces, one of his brother Amédée’s sons, as his successor at the head of the estate. Despite a difficult start marked by a run of poor vintages, a severe crisis in the wine trade and substantial inheritance taxes that weakened Yquem, the estate was saved by better management and an excellent 1975 vintage. Better harvests in the 1980s enabled new investment, bringing standards and technical expertise to an even higher level than before.

Château d’Yquem was acquired in 1996 by the LVMH Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton group. In 2004, Pierre Lurton took over its management and has since continued to champion its modernity, authenticity and expertise while remaining open to the present day.

Château Yquem, Its Vineyard and Botrytis cinerea

Here, then, is a paragraph explaining the success of Yquem, the world’s most famous sweet wine! 

For 100 years, it has been the only Premier Cru Classé of Sauternes. It stands out for its exceptional quality and remarkable consistency, even in more difficult vintages. It produces nothing short of extraordinary wines, reinforcing its legendary status. To protect the wine’s exceptional quality, the estate sometimes chooses not to produce it when a vintage falls short.

This is a wine to taste at least once in your life! 

Under the direction of Pierre Lurton, who also manages Cheval Blanc, this wonderful Sauternes owes its excellence to its terroir and the expertise behind it. 

Thanks to a terroir where botrytis develops under ideal conditions, the resulting wines are powerful and concentrated, with aging potential far beyond that of their neighbors. 

Botrytis cinerea is a fungus that develops on grape berries and creates tiny holes in their skins. It is often considered a parasite responsible for gray rot, but when it develops under very specific conditions, the resulting rot is known as noble rot. 

For this to happen, the berries must already have reached a certain level of ripeness. The mists that encourage its development and growth must spread in the morning and clear in the afternoon, limiting the extent of infection while allowing the berries to ripen until harvest. The vineyard’s soils also contain large gravel pebbles, which help retain heat and drain rainfall, further promoting berry ripeness. 

Under these conditions, the holes in the grape skins allow water to escape from the berries, concentrating their flavors and sugars

The conditions required are precise and difficult to achieve. Yquem’s terroir benefits from a microclimate created by the Ciron River, which brings morning mists, while afternoons are often sunny. 

A legend in its own right, with high prices—but a wine to savor and remember. 

The Expertise Behind Château Yquem: How Are These Exceptional Wines Made? 

Vineyard practices at Yquem remain traditional. Farm manure is applied to just 20 hectares a year, helping maintain the soil’s natural balance. The vines are never treated with chemical weedkillers; instead, vineyard workers continually tend them using traditional methods, including earthing up and removing soil from around the vines. In winter, severe pruning promotes maximum ripeness. Sémillon is spur-pruned, while 90% of the Sauvignon is spur-pruned and the rest is single-Guyot-pruned. The women vineyard workers tend the plots and carry out green-season tasks such as removing unwanted shoots, lifting the vines and removing excess growth. Before harvest, the teams remove leaves so the bunches dry more quickly in the morning while keeping the west-facing side protected.

The next step is harvesting, carried out by a method unchanged at Château d’Yquem. Botrytis affects the berries, turning them brown and making their skins permeable. Water can then evaporate, concentrating the sugar inside. The must reaches levels well beyond normal ripeness, with a potential alcohol content of 18° to 30°, equivalent to 300 to 600 grams of sugar per liter. The aim is a must with 20° potential alcohol, which means waiting a long time and risking substantial crop losses as winter approaches. Yquem’s low yield—an average of 9 hectoliters per hectare—is explained by the loss of volume caused by this concentration. Then 200 pickers, organized into four teams, search the vineyard for botrytis-affected berries at their peak concentration. Picking requires several successive passes to harvest only berries transformed by noble rot. Spread over six weeks, the harvest requires an average of five to six passes, and sometimes more than ten in a given year.

From vineyard to cellar, the process begins with pressing tailored to the texture of the berries. Unlike other white wines, Yquem undergoes three to four pressings to increase the sugar content and quality of the juice. The first pressing, in a pneumatic press, yields 75% of the juice at around 19° potential alcohol. The second accounts for 15% of the juice at around 21°, while the third can reach 25°. The juice then goes into a vertical press for a final extraction. Fermentation takes place in new barrels traditionally made from oak staves. Each barrel is identified, and the château’s laboratory monitors the lots daily. Fermentation can last from two to six weeks, depending on the activity of the musts. Each day’s harvest is vinified separately for six to eight months. A preliminary blend is made from the lots in the spring following harvest. The wine then spends 20 months in the aging cellar and is racked 15 times to remove sediment. Fine suspended particles are removed through gentle “fining.” The final selection is made through blind tastings to determine Château d’Yquem’s final blend.

The final step is bottling. In the third winter, the wine is bottled under the best technical conditions, with a 54 mm cork to support its considerable aging potential. Yquem offers formats ranging from half-bottles to Nebuchadnezzars. Once bottled, the wine is carefully presented: after labeling and capsule application, the bottle is wrapped in white tissue paper and placed in a wooden case bearing the château’s coat of arms.

The Characteristics of Château Yquem Wines 

The resulting wine is golden in color and offers a magnificent range of aromas. 

In great vintages, Yquem’s fine wine is exceptionally opulent, rich, powerful, smooth and full-bodied, with nuances of orange marmalade, pineapple, apricot, peach, crème brûlée, spice and coconut. With its silky texture and enveloping feel on the palate, this nectar offers a magnificent balance of sweetness, opulence, freshness and acidity, all accompanied by pronounced flavor intensity! 

With its exceptional length, you should wait at least 15 years before opening it, though it can age for up to 100 years, depending on the vintage. The fine wine is lavishly aged in new barrels for 42 months.

The Best Château Yquem Vintages

Yquem’s greatest vintages, with scores above 96/100, are: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2001, 1997, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1986, 1983, 1976, 1975, 1967, 1959, 1955, 1949, 1947, 1945 and 1937. Parker has awarded Yquem a perfect 100/100 eight times: in 1811, 1847, 1921, 1945, 1975, 1976, 2001 and 2009. Reviews of Château d’Yquem are glowing, including three stars in the RVF Guide Vert, and prices reflect the stature of this cult fine wine and its extraordinary aging potential.

The Price of Yquem: Why Is It a Dependable Choice?

Bottles of Château d'Yquem from the previous century command very high prices for several reasons, all of which contribute to the reputation and value of this exceptional wine:

History and Prestige: Château d'Yquem is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious wine estates. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages, and it was classified Premier Cru Supérieur at the 1855 Paris Exposition Universelle, a distinction unique in the Sauternes classification. This historic recognition and prestige contribute to its value.

Quality and Distinctiveness: Yquem is renowned for its exceptional quality. Its production is marked by unparalleled rigor and attention to detail. The estate uses precise winemaking and aging techniques, and grapes are harvested by hand, selecting only those affected by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). This painstaking, delicate process produces a unique concentration of sugar and aromas.

Longevity: Château d'Yquem wines are known for their exceptional aging potential. They can improve for several decades, or even more than a century, developing remarkable complexity and depth over time. This longevity makes Yquem wines highly prized by collectors.

Limited Production and Low Yields: Yquem’s production is deliberately limited to maintain quality. Yields are very low, at around 9 hectoliters per hectare—well below the average for other vineyards. This scarcity increases the bottles’ value.

International Reputation and Demand: Château d'Yquem enjoys an international reputation and is highly sought after by wine enthusiasts and collectors worldwide. Demand for its wines remains high, driving up prices.

Exceptional Vintages: In some years, the weather and terroir combine to produce exceptional vintages. These are especially sought after and can command very high prices. Wine enthusiasts often seek out specific years known for their extraordinary quality.

Auction Success: Yquem wines often fetch record prices at auction, reinforcing their reputation as dependable, solid investments.

In short, the high prices of Château d'Yquem bottles from the previous century reflect its prestigious history, exceptional quality, aging potential, limited production and international demand. These factors make Yquem a dependable choice for wine enthusiasts and investors.

How Should You Taste a Château Yquem Wine?

When opening a bottle of Yquem, take care to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. 

Open the bottle a little ahead of time to let the wine breathe—one to two hours before tasting—and serve it cool, at around 10°C. Take your time so the wine can reveal its full aromatic range. It is also worth lingering over its color, the aromas that emerge on the first and second nose, and its flavors and texture on the palate, whether enjoyed on its own or with different dishes. 

Here are tasting notes on several Château Yquem vintages, prepared by our team: 

Yquem 2008: You could spend hours enjoying this wine’s nose alone. Orchard fruit, peach, pineapple, honey, crème brûlée, orange marmalade… Magnificent aromas for a 16-year-old Yquem! On the palate, opulence, power, richness and smoothness are balanced by lovely freshness. The flavors are naturally intense, and the finish seems endless. A delight. Even if you are not especially fond of sweet wines—or any sweetness in wine—a small taste with dessert can win you over. 

Y d'Yquem 1985: Deep gold color with a few orange highlights. The nose is initially rather restrained but opens up nicely after an hour of aeration. Aromas reminiscent of a great sweet wine emerge gradually, followed by floral and dried-fruit notes. The palate, however, is unmistakably that of a dry wine, with superb balance and lovely acidity against a still-vibrant texture for a dry white of this age. You could even leave it to age longer!

Yquem 1985: An orange-gold color, the deepest of this flight. A honeyed, candied nose with stewed orchard fruit and toffee. The palate is full, with moderate acidity. This is undoubtedly the most evolved of the three wines in this flight. The bottle’s fragile cork may explain its rather premature development.

Yquem 1995: A golden color without noticeable orange highlights. The nose offers stewed orchard fruit, fruit paste, caramel and vanilla. The palate is immensely powerful and full-bodied, with moderate acidity. A vintage built for long aging.

Yquem 1961: Deep orange-gold color with amber highlights. A highly expressive, elegant nose of honey, dark rum, beeswax, dried fruit, mushrooms and medicinal herbs. The palate, however, is narrow and lacks concentration. Although this bottle’s excellent fill level and sound cork raised hopes, this old wine charms chiefly through its aromas.

Yquem 1982: Deep orange-gold color. One of the most enticing noses, with quince, orchard fruit, honey, flowers, dried fruit and bitter orange. The palate is magnificent: focused and balanced, with lovely concentration and refreshing acidity. Remarkable length. A synthesis of Yquem’s elegance and singularity.

Yquem 1976: Deep orange-gold color. An expressive nose of macerated fruit, honey, fruit paste and exotic fruit. A rounded, rich, full palate that makes you want to wait many more years to enjoy it more fully.

Y d’Yquem 1979: Medium-intensity gold to old-gold color. The nose offers aromas of wax, cream, very ripe exotic fruit, orange peel, mushroom and sweet spice. The palate is full, with firm acidity and notes of smoke, undergrowth and earth. A slight bitterness on the finish.

Yquem 2002: The color is medium in intensity, gold to old gold, without orange highlights. The intense nose offers notes of pineapple, apricot, orange, vanilla and honey. On the palate, crème brûlée and orange peel mingle with lively acidity that leaves the palate clean through a long finish.

Yquem 1958: A distinctly amber color. The highly complex nose reveals notes of cognac, coffee, tobacco, prune, quinquina, quince paste, mushroom, honey and bitter orange. The fine, subtle palate is nevertheless less complex than the nose. Lovely freshness and a shorter, though still respectable, finish. Remarkable finesse for a wine nearly 60 years old and still very much alive!

Yquem 1987: Fairly deep gold to old-gold color, more orange-tinged than Yquem 2002. The moderately intense nose offers apricot, dried fruit, mushroom and quince. Its harmony on the palate and balance between acidity and alcohol are remarkable, although a hint of bitterness emerges on the finish and a dip on the mid-palate detracts from its length.

Yquem 1995: Fairly deep in color, gold to old gold with orange highlights, much like Yquem 1987. Intense notes of bitter orange, reflecting substantial botrytis, along with exotic fruit, candied citrus and hints of mushroom fill the nose. The palate is dominated by great breadth, firm acidity and considerable length. Plenty of life ahead!

Yquem 1990: One of the deepest, most orange-tinged colors. The nose reveals aromas of quince paste, ripe apricot, dates and dried figs, evoking “sun-ripened fruit.” Immense body, with sharply defined acidity on the finish that leaves the palate clean. Pronounced orange-peel and marmalade notes carry through an exceptionally long finish. Perhaps the wine of the evening…

Food Pairings for Château Yquem’s Great Wines

When it comes to pairing Yquem with food, you have plenty of options!

Simple dishes made with quality ingredients: Roquefort puff pastry, duck with honey and balsamic vinegar, roast chicken or another simple poultry dish, duck breast with peaches, lobster with mango sauce, a scallop casserole, or another delicate-fleshed fish… 

For dessert, you could choose a touch of citrus to complement this nectar’s orange-marmalade character, while making sure the dish is not too sweet! Crêpes Suzette with flambéed orange, chocolate-covered candied orange peel, pineapple tart, tarte Tatin… 

How to Store Château Yquem Wines

Yquem has tremendous aging potential, so careful storage is essential to avoid spoiling the experience. Wait at least 15 years before tasting it to appreciate the tertiary aromas that develop as the bottle ages under ideal conditions. Here are those conditions. 

Store the bottles on their sides, out of their cardboard boxes and away from light, temperature fluctuations, vibrations and strongly scented products, in a space with ideal humidity. Avoid any location subject to shaking or tremors. 

Take care with storage so everything is perfect when tasting day arrives! 

Y d’Yquem

Yquem’s second wine offers aromas of candied yellow fruit, quince, frangipane and sweet spice, with a hint of minerality. It comes from the same plots as Yquem, but from 1959 to 1996 it was made with grapes unaffected by botrytis. Since 1997, the Sauvignon has been harvested when fully ripe and the Sémillon just before botrytis develops. This wine needs at least 10 years in the cellar to express itself.

Discover other great Sauternes wines, including Guiraud, Fargues, Sigalas Rabaud, Filhot, Rabaud Promis, Rieussec and Suduiraut! 

For more than 10 years, Vins & Millésimes has offered you the finest bottles of aged wines and grands crus online, in stock and available with fast delivery! Discover the bottles and magnums of Château d'Yquem available to buy!