History
Château d'Yquem's history dates back to the Middle Ages, when it belonged to the King of England, Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart. He acquired the property in the late 12th century and praised the quality of its wines, which were already renowned at the time. However, Richard's ownership was short-lived, and the estate passed through various owners before being acquired by the Sauvage family in 1593. Jacques de Sauvage, a local noble, was granted feudal tenure over Yquem and eventually purchased the property in 1711. The Sauvage family transformed the estate, constructing the château and replanting the vineyard plot by plot.
In 1785, Françoise Joséphine de Sauvage d'Yquem married Count Louis Amédée de Lur-Saluces, and after his death, she managed the estate, ensuring its survival during the French Revolution. The Lur-Saluces family continued to own and operate Château d'Yquem for over 200 years, establishing a reputation for producing some of the world's finest sweet wines. In 1999, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton acquired a majority stake in the winery, while the Lur-Saluces family retained a minor interest. Today, Château d'Yquem is renowned for its exceptional Sauternes wines, made from grapes affected by noble rot.
Terroir
Château d'Yquem's terroir is characterized by its unique blend of gravel, clay, and limestone soils, which contribute to the complexity and depth of the wine. The estate spans 113 hectares, with about 100 hectares planted with vines. The microclimate is crucial, with morning mists from the Ciron and Garonne rivers promoting the development of Botrytis cinerea, or noble rot, essential for producing the concentrated, luscious sweetness that defines Yquem’s wines.
The diversity of the soil is a key factor in the quality and expression of the wine. Virtually every parcel has a unique soil composition, which the estate believes is critical to the wine's quality. The large Landaise Forest to the south, the Garonne River Valley to the north, and the Ciron River to the west surround the estate, providing a perfect microclimate with cool morning fog and hot, dry afternoons.
This unique combination of soil diversity and microclimate creates an ideal environment for producing botrytised grapes, making Château d'Yquem one of the most renowned sweet wines in the world. The estate's exceptional terroir, along with meticulous vineyard work and ancestral know-how, has been recognized since 1855 when it was classified as Premier Cru Supérieur.
