1st Grand Cru Classé Superior in 1855
Free shipping from 1000€ Tax excl (US and Europe)
What Domaine more famous throughout the world to evoke the great sweet wines of the Sauternes vineyard than Château of Yquem? A name associated with a myth whose reputation has undoubtedly crossed borders. It was in 1593 that Jacques Sauvage was granted "tenure rights", and a few years later began the construction of Château. Françoise-JosépHine de Sauvage d'Yquem married Count Louis Amédée de Lur-Saluces in 1785. At the death of the latter, she will gradually raise the Domaine to the top of the hierarchy of great wines of Sauternes.
During the classification of Bordeaux wines formalized in 1855 at the request of Napoléon III for the Paris World's Fair, Yquem's Château would be the only Domaine to obtain the distinction of Premier Cru Superior.
A page will turn for Yquem Château when it is acquired in 1999 by the LVMH group. Pierre Lurton has been its Chairman and CEO since 2004. The Château d'Yquem has long adopted the philosophy of producing a great wine only if nature has allowed it, in other words if the vintage has been up to La Tâche thus conducive to giving a botrytized grape of quality.
Yquem's Château rests on the highest point of the Sauternes appellation, covering a 103-hectare vineyard planted on gravelly-sandy soils with clay-limestone outcrops at the break of slope. The grape varieties are 75% Semillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. The wines are aged for 24 months in 100% new barrels.
The property produces a white wine Sec from the same grapes named Y. In addition, for a small portion of the production, Domaine produces blended wines named simply Sauternes. These wines are the result of an average of 4 to 5 years of blending.
At Yquem Château, one vine will yield only one glass of the famous sweet nectar. This illustrates the drastic work and impeccable selection that goes into this Domaine of excellence.
The Château d'Yquem is a nectar that leaves an unforgettable memory, delivering a finesse and complexity that only it manages to achieve. Its exquisite aromatic expression, freshness and elegance are the fruit of an exceptional terroir coupled with impeccable know-how.
The 2006 vintage in the Sauternes vineyard offered several climatic contrasts, in the face of which the Château d'Yquem teams were able to show their adaptability and demonstrate all their know-how: monitoring of the ripeness of each plot, choice of terroirs to be favored according to the conditions and dates of harvesting and selection. The result in the cellar was brilliant, in keeping with the efforts made.
Blend of the 2006 vintage: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc.
The robe is of an intense ochre color, tinged with beautiful copper reflections.
The nose offers a real olfactory harmony, with notes of candied fruits, quince and beeswax completed by a zest of orange and a pastry touch of brioche.
The attack on the palate is elegant, the wine is suave, dense and infinitely complex thanks to a nice balance between sugar and roasted fruit flavors. It stretches for a long time until a greedy and fresh finish.
Food and wine pairing:
Château d'Yquem 2006 could accompany snacked scallops, poached monkfish with lemongrass, pork with caramel, pan-fried chicken liver with green asparagus or Bresse chicken with morel sauce.
Enjoy it with blue-veined cheeses such as Roquefort, Bleu d'Auvergne, Caesar Regal or Fourme d'Ambert.
For dessert, it will be no less exquisite with a strawberry vacherin, an orange carpaccio with cinnamon or a citrus and basil sorbet.
Ageing potential and tasting:
Château d'Yquem 2006 has a very good ageing potential, which can still be cellared until 2030.
However, it will lend itself very well to tasting if properly prepared. To do so, take care to open the bottle 2 to 3 hours in advance by keeping it in the refrigerator. Take it out a few minutes before tasting so that it can be served between 10 and 12°C.
The bottles will be kept in the cellar, protected from light, lying down, with an optimal hygrometric degree of 70%.
