Yquem: an exceptional Sauternes

Founded more than 5 centuries ago, the sole Sauternes Premier Cru Supérieur in the 1855 classification, Château d'Yquem is considered the finest sweet wine in existence. Indeed, as early as the 18th century, the reputation of this wine had spread beyond our borders as far as the United States, where Thomas Jefferson took great pleasure in promoting it (and tasting it!). A family estate, it was in 1785 that the last heiress of the de Sauvage d'Yquem family, Françoise-Joséphine, took over the estate upon the death of her husband Amédée de Lur Saluces. She would play a key role in the estate's rise, contributing greatly to its development and renown. This family affair, crowned with success for nearly 400 years, was acquired in 1999 by the LVMH group following a family dispute. It is now Pierre Lurton who is at the helm of the estate. Alexandre de Lur Saluces today retains Château de Fargues, with great success.

The terroir of Château d'Yquem

The vineyard now extends over approximately one hundred hectares. It is planted on a soil of gravel and clay offering optimal drainage, allowing the vines to remain hydrated according to their needs. The grape variety composition is twofold. You will find both Sémillon, the dominant variety, representing approximately 80% of the vines and bringing richness and body to the wine, as well as 20% Sauvignon Blanc, for its finesse and aromatic profile. To this is added Botrytis Cinerea, or "noble rot," a fungus whose action is facilitated by the morning mists of the Bordeaux autumn — which, by absorbing water, promotes the concentration of sugar in the grapes. It is the combination of all these elements that contributes to the greatness of Château d'Yquem's wines: an exceptional terroir, certainly, but also an unrivalled expertise! Indeed, the harvest is carried out by hand and the selection of individual grapes is rigorous, in order to retain only the finest and most "nobly rotted." Harvested one by one at perfect maturity, quality is always favoured over quantity in order to produce the finest wine possible. The château even reserves the right to suppress certain vintages deemed "unworthy," so as not to sacrifice quality. The vintages of 1992 and 2012, for example, therefore do not exist.

The wines of Château d'Yquem

Ever true to its reputation, Château d'Yquem has maintained a remarkable consistency and regularity in the quality of its wines, regardless of the vintage. The aromatic profile of the wine is characterised by orchard fruits (apricot, orange, prune) and exotic notes (quince, fruit paste), ageing notes in its youth (vanilla, toast), and hints of sweet spices (clove, saffron, cinnamon). The superb balance between alcohol, acidity and residual sugar on the palate makes it a masterful example of "drinkability." It also benefits from an extraordinary ageing potential that sets it apart from its neighbours after just a few years. As for its longevity, this is unparalleled, as it requires a minimum of 15 to 20 years to reveal a good part of its potential. In the greatest years, its freshness and richness may even endure for more than a century!

There is also a second label, the cuvée Y from Château d'Yquem. A dry white wine that, as such, is not entitled to the Sauternes appellation. It is nonetheless a great wine, true to the estate's reputation. Made from equal proportions of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, this wine is gifted with a superb longevity. It is the vintages from the 1970s that drink best today! It is not produced every year, which makes it an all the rarer and sought-after wine.

The wines of Château d'Yquem are a unique experience that every wine lover, and especially every lover of sweet wines, should have at least once in their lifetime. As the author of San Antonio, Frédéric Dard, once said: "Yquem? Liquid light…"

Among the great Yquem vintages that can be found (more or less) on the market, the wines may be classified as follows: Exceptional vintage: 1967, 1975, 2001. Great vintage: 1976, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997. We unfortunately do not yet have enough perspective to assess the quality of the most recent vintages, produced under the new management of the Château (since the 2004 vintage).