The 2016 vintage was a contrasted vintage, with a humid pirmavera followed by a warm and extraordinary summer. Autumn was exceptionally cold, however it originated a slow Botrytis Cinerea on ripe bunches. The harvest was long and at the right pace, with four steps in eight weeks. This 2016 vintage is purely bewitched, extremely elegant, deliciously ethereal.
The Chateau d'Yquem is the highest expression of Sauternes since 1855, and the extraordinary continuity of the wine helps to make it the benchmark for excellence in the category. Like no other wine in the world, it foresees a manual selection that has no equal, not only of the bunches but also of the single grapes of Semillon and Sauvignon blanc butritized, so as to make it the most difficult and difficult to produce in the world.
| Brand | Chateau D'Yquem |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Dimension | Bottiglia 0,75 l |
| Alcohol | 13.5% |
| Grapes | Semillon - Sauvignon |
| Varietal | Sauternes |
| Type | Sweet White Wine |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
Allergens
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Contains Sulphites |
| Pairings | Aged Cheeses Foie Gras |
The history of Château d’Yquem is like a novel, an epic saga full of events and colourful personalities spanning more than four centuries.
Childless and anxious to protect the future of Château d’Yquem, Bertrand de Lur-Saluces took measures in anticipation of his demise. In 1966, he designated one of his brother Amédée's sons, Alexandre de Lur-Saluces, to take over managing the estate.
The young count did not have an easy time at first. He had to deal with a series of bad vintages, a profound crisis in the Bordeaux wine trade, and an impressively high inheritance tax that threatened d'Yquem's survival. The estate was saved thanks to rigorous management and the excellent 1975 vintage, on the heels of three disastrous ones. Several fine vintages during the 1980s made it possible to put things back on an even keel and make new investments. Production slowly increased over fifteen years, as did quality and technical expertise. At the end of the 20th century, thanks to the impetus of Bernard Arnault, Château d’Yquem – a veritable monument, and among the greatest wines of France – was acquired by LVMH Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton. This marked a new chapter in the château's history.
Since then, he has continued to promote the estate's authenticity, its openness to modernity, and the expertise of the winemaking team.
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. 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.
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