18 products
18 products
- Sweet Wine
- Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 14.2% alc./vol
About the Winery
Château d'Yquem
Great wines are not born just anywhere, by accident. A unique set of climatic and geological conditions combine to form a rare equilibrium. This is undoubtedly the case at Yquem, which epitomises all that is best about the singular winegrowing environment in Sauternes.
Raised to the ranks of Premier Cru Supérieur appellation in 1855, Château d'Yquem is the product of meticulous work in the vineyard. Since its beginnings, it has benefited from an exceptional terroir, as well as being the result of a unique ancestral know-how since 1593.
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.
Château d'Yquem's topsoil is warm and dry, accumulating heat thanks to smooth flat pebbles and coarse gravel. The clay subsoil contains good water reserves and there are numerous springs on the estate. Drainage pipes were installed some time ago to prevent waterlogging (100 km of drains since the 19th century). Yquem's large size made it possible to plant 113 hectares of vines on a very representative sampling of the rich tapestry of the Sauternes region's soil types. This extraordinary variety of soils is a key factor in the quality and complexity of Château d’Yquem.
Press Reviews
James Suckling
100 points - James Suckling
#69 in Top 100 Wines of France, 2025. A perfect Yquem again after the 2021, which is fresher and more refined than the 2022. The perception of sweetness is super-knit. Lots of botrytis, with turmeric, saffron, cream, roasted meringue, pine nuts, spices and dried mangoes. This is a powerful, seductive and lush wine. Ornamented and richer this year than 2021, but there is so much charm and harmony. Long and spicy, with a hint of petrol at the end. Wow. The second most concentrated Yquem after 1945, according to the winemaker. About 160 grams of residual sugar. So approachable now, but better in five or six years. It will live forever.
Wine Advocate
98 points - Wine Advocate
A blend of 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2022 d'Yquem is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. Exhibiting a remarkably delicate, complex and energetic bouquet of rose, confit citrus, exotic fruits and orange marmalade, it's full-bodied, dense and deep with a pristine balance enhanced by a fleshy core of fruit, bright acids and beautiful, gastronomic bitterness and dry extracts that segue to a long, ethereal, delicately perfumed and refined finish. Lorenzo Pasquini and his team have perfectly understood the vintage by privileging the third tries, fully exposed to Botrytis cinerea, in the blend, bringing density and precision along with an energetic and splendidly balanced interplay of bitterness and sweetness. Residual sugar levels reach 160 grams per liter, marking it as the second-highest since the iconic 1945 vintage.
Wine Spectator
97 points - Wine Spectator
Starts slowly, with a creamy and seductive feel to its mix of warmed peach, fresh mango, glazed Anjou pear and mirabelle plum flavors. As this moves along, flashes of singed almond and coconut appear before the finish kicks into another gear, offering green fig, white tea and sweetened butter notes. The entire thing just sails through without a single bob of its hull in an impressive marriage of power and precision. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2028 through 2050. From France.
Vinous Media
96 points - Vinous Media
The 2022 Yquem has a much more extravagant and complex bouquet, with ample botrytis and hints of pineapple, fresh fig and quince coming through with time. The palate is well balanced, with a viscous entry and fine acidity, rich but tensile, with marmalade and quince towards the harmonious finish. Very promising. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.
- Sweet Wine
- Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon
- Residual Sugar: 148 g/l
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 14.2% alc./vol
About the Winery
Château d'Yquem
Great wines are not born just anywhere, by accident. A unique set of climatic and geological conditions combine to form a rare equilibrium. This is undoubtedly the case at Yquem, which epitomises all that is best about the singular winegrowing environment in Sauternes.
Raised to the ranks of Premier Cru Supérieur appellation in 1855, Château d'Yquem is the product of meticulous work in the vineyard. Since its beginnings, it has benefited from an exceptional terroir, as well as being the result of a unique ancestral know-how since 1593.
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.
Château d'Yquem's topsoil is warm and dry, accumulating heat thanks to smooth flat pebbles and coarse gravel. The clay subsoil contains good water reserves and there are numerous springs on the estate. Drainage pipes were installed some time ago to prevent waterlogging (100 km of drains since the 19th century). Yquem's large size made it possible to plant 113 hectares of vines on a very representative sampling of the rich tapestry of the Sauternes region's soil types. This extraordinary variety of soils is a key factor in the quality and complexity of Château d’Yquem.
Press Reviews
James Suckling
100 points - James Suckling
#34 in Top 100 World, 2024. Dreamy, subtle aromas of dried fruit such as apricots and mangoes, but also fresh lemons and pears. Then there are caramel and tart tatin undertones with some bananas, pineapple, tangerines and other tropical fruit. Full-bodied, yet it remains vivid and compact, giving it a lightness even though it is really structured. The tannins are throughout the palate but blend in perfectly, giving it a solid presence, like a a diamond. It’s tight at the end, but you know that it will linger for ages, with a lightly chewy and intellectual finish. Touches of sweetness, cloves and bitterness to make it interesting. Dynamic. About 54,000 bottles made. Relatively small harvest. 148 g/L residual sugar.
Vinous Media
96 points - Vinous Media
The 2021 Yquem was tasted in Amsterdam, the first wine poured at a lunch, thereby allowing me a longer period to examine it. Slightly burnished in hue, it has a very attractive bouquet with scents of dried quince, clementine, linseed and subtle candle wax, perhaps more discrete than usual, but certainly fresh and vibrant. The palate is medium-bodied and viscous on the entry, a Yquem with perhaps a lighter chassis than recent vintages, prioritizing poise and purity over horsepower— exactly the right approach in such a challenging season. It opens wonderfully in the glass, gaining more frangipane and kaki fruit scents, though it seems to have a lighter and more tensile finish than the 2020 or 2019. As such, I suspect that it will be comparatively approachable and, of course, delicious. Readers should note that I will probably re-taste the 2021 in Bordeaux during primeur.
Wine Advocate
95 points - Wine Advocate
The 2021 d'Yquem exhibits a complex bouquet of rose, exotic fruits and mandarin orange mingled with spring flowers, rose and crème brûlée, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless palate that's suave and layered, with a deep core and a long finish that's lent definition by delicate bitterness that offsets the 148 grams per liter residual sugar. This blend of 65% Sémillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc was matured, as usual, in all new barrels, but the new oak is perfectly integrated and barely noticeable.
Wine Spectator
94 points - Wine Spectator
Unctuous and flattering, with a mix of toasted coconut and macadamia nut notes infusing the mango, peach and papaya flavors at the core. The broad, soft, honeyed finish fills in with piecrust and lemon curd notes. A bit throwback in style, with more oomph than freshness. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2040. 4,416 cases made.