Château d’Yquem

Château d'Yquem

Château d'Yquem Château d’Yquem

Château d'Yquem is a myth, one of nature’s miracles and a truly unique wine all in one. The one and only Premier Grand Cru Supérieur awardee in the 1855 classification, Château d'Yquem tells the story of a remarkable expertise that has been passed down since 1593.

Creation date: 1593
President & CEO: Pierre Lurton
Head office: Château d’Yquem, 33 210 Sauternes - France
Website: www.yquem.fr

Identity

Long before it was enjoyed by the first US President George Washington, the wines of Yquem had already begun writing their chapters in the history books. It all began in 1453 when Aquitaine, previously English, was brought under French rule. A century later, a local nobleman by the name of Jacques Sauvage was granted feudal tenure over Yquem and thus became the first in a long line of dedicated winemakers. This outstanding terroir in the sauternes appellation has exceptional climate conditions and geological features. Château d’Yquem was attributed the esteemed title Premier Cru Supérieur in 1855. From that point, the genius of this sweet wine was acknowledged, and the Sauvage and Lur Saluces families went on preserving their treasure for over 400 years. The LVMH group acquired the estate in 1999, with the continued desire to go on writing the legendary Yquem story, both in keeping with tradition and remaining open to modern advances. From the vineyard to the cellar, the great art which crafts each vintage is also maintained through respect for the label, and determines the destiny of each year’s production.

Capsule from a bottle of Château d’Yquem 2019 © DEEPIX

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Widowed at 20 years old, Françoise-Joséphine de Lur Saluces found herself responsible for the family estate and developed the reputation of Yquem wine beyond the borders of the kingdom of France. When she died in 1851, the Countess left her grandson with one of the most successful properties in Bordeaux.

Portrait of Françoise Joséphine de Sauvage d'Yquem © Château d’Yquem

Insights

Pierre Lurton, President & CEO of Château d’Yquem © Gérard Uferas
” I believe that the idea of risk, which is essential here, involves pushing standards as high as possible. As such, 1967 was the year when the château took a great many risks and made a truly iconic vintage. This daring approach makes us stand out.”

Savoir-faire

Château d’Yquem is an extraordinary place, nestled at the top of the hills of Sauternes, bearing a hundred hectares of vineyards planted upon a mosaic of soils. All these conditions come together to yield a grape where Botrytis cinerea reveals its most valuable feature. Thanks to the process of sublimation, the grapes contain flavors and aromas that are unique in the world. This miracle is made possible by the dedication of experienced pickers, who carry their ancestral expertise from the generations that preceded them. As a result, only the best grapes, sublimated by Botrytis cinerea, are picked, because this is Yquem’s golden rule: never look for simplicity or shortcuts and risk losing everything. This is the price we pay for excellence.

 

Harvest time at Yquem © Deepix
Harvest time at Yquem © Deepix

Outlook

While the oldest vintages of Yquem are highly appreciated, new ways of tasting are now being embraced and the wines can be enjoyed at all stages, including in their youth.    Among the youngest vintages, aromas are characterized by fresh fruit and sumptuous notes, and a unique aromatic palate that evolves after two or three years of cellaring.  When served chilled, each bottle of young Yquem tells its own story and expresses all the meticulous work carried out in the vineyards through its purity, elegance and complexity.

Key figures

  • 2 GRAPE VARIETIES : 
SEMILLON AND SAUVIGNON BLANC
  • 9 MISSING VINTAGES 
FROM THE 20TH CENTURY 

  • 13 GENERATIONS OF WINEMAKERS
 SINCE 1593