Château d'Yquem

The Liquid Gold of Sauternes: A Comparative Tasting Guide to Château d'Yquem (1988–2007) by Tb

Château d'Yquem holds an uncontested position at the absolute pinnacle of the wine world. As the only estate designated as a Premier Cru Supérieur in the historic Bordeaux classification of 1855, its name is universally synonymous with the world's finest, most complex, and age-defying sweet wine. Located in the mist-shrouded hills of Sauterne...

As the morning September sun rises, a cloud of fog drifts across the cold waters of the Ciron. It sweeps swiftly over the vineyards and settles on the slopes. As the rays touch the hills, its warmth cuts a swathe through the veil and the outlines of pickers become discernable between the vines. The experienced walk with a stoop and gather the most raisined, mould-covered grapes covered, often one at a time. The first pick of the Château d’Yque...

When the Bordeaux region wines were classified in 1855, only Château d’Yquem received a classification of its own – Premier Grand Cru Classé – which was higher than anybody else. Even though the estate could use that classification on its labels, it does not. Today, the estate produces the best wine in its area, and in the opinion of some experts the best in Bordeaux. Its location on the highest spot in Sauternes has created a unique micro-cli...

Harvest per hectare is exceptionally small, at just nine hectolitres, which means that the grapes of one vine only yield a single glass of wine. When the time comes to harvest, the Yquem staff swells by some 140 additional people, divided into four teams. They pick over 100 hectares of grapes, selecting only ones that have reached an ideal, botrytised condition. Since the Botrytis Cinerea affects each bunch of grapes in a different way, all th...

The pleasure derived from tasting Yquem is difficult to describe. It offers a myriad of well-balanced, complex flavours that generate even more harmonies over time. The impression that remains is reminiscent of a quote from Frédéric Dard "the silence that follows a piece by Mozart, in which the listener remains suffused with the music". This reflects the fact that Château d'Yquem stays on the palate for a remarkable long time, providing a uniq...