Château d'Yquem occupies a completely unique place in the world of sweet wines. It is the only estate in the Sauternes appellation to have been awarded the rank of Premier Cru Supérieur in the 1855 classification, a distinction that no other château has ever matched. This recognition stems from the unique combination of its terroir — clay-gravel soils perched on a hillock overlooking the Garonne — and an absolutely rigorous harvesting method. The teams at Château d'Yquem walk each row of vines up to eight to ten successive passes, picking only the berries affected by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) at the optimal level of concentration. The result is a wine of unrivalled aromatic richness, length on the palate, and ageing potential within the category of sweet white wines.
Why is Château d'Yquem considered the finest sweet wine in the world?
