Château d'Yquem 1er Cru Supérieur Sauternes 2017 ($2,699.85 per case)
  • Sweet Wine
  • Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon
  • Medium Bodied
  • 750ml
  • 14.2% alc./vol

Château d'Yquem 1er Cru Supérieur Sauternes 2017 ($2,699.85 per case)

Sauternes, France
$899.95per bottle ($200.00per case)
3 bottles per case
/

This is a winery-direct offer. Place your order now by paying a $200 deposit and receive your wine in November.

Admired in the whole world since the 18th century, Château d'Yquem remains the greatest of the great sweet Bordeaux wines.

Centuries after centuries, the Château has always kept faithful to an ideal of perfection, even at the darkest hours of the 20th century when people came to a disaffection for this kind of wine. In 1999, people feared that this constant solidity would collapse due to divisions in the Lur Saluces' family and the sale of the Alexandre de Lur Saluces's shares to the luxury group LVMH, but it did not. Today, the tandem Alexandre de Lur Saluces - Bernard Arnault seems to work wonderfully and the working methods have not been called into question.

Yquem remains the Bordeaux symbol of perfection and tradition. Exceptional fact in Bordeaux, the wine stays in general three years and a half in new wood barrels for maturing, before being proposed on the market. Its refinement, the exquisite perfection of its balance and its power do not have an equivalent. The great vintages (1937, 1950, 1995…) offer the plenitude whose any wine amateur dreams of.

The great sweet wines of Bordeaux, Sauternes, are among the most decadent, complex and simply enjoyable wines. Based on a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc that has been infected with the "noble rot", Botrytis Cinerea, Sauternes are rich, honied wines bursting with notes of vanilla, coconut, dried apricots and subtle spice tones. They are usually very sweet and rich with a soft quality to them that makes them appealing in their youth, yet they can age and improve for decades.

Vintage report.
The early part of winter was cold and very dry. Warmer temperatures and rain returned in February and the weather in March led to a quick start to vegetative growth. The most significant event of spring 2017 occurred in late April when frost struck to a degree that had not been seen since 1991. Miraculously, temperatures did not go below the freezing point at Château d’Yquem, so the vines were spared an impact.

To add insult to injury, the summer of 2017 was the 4th hottest since 1897 which meant the growing season was a good month ahead of average, an advance that reached a peak on about the 20th of June. This meant records were broken again when picking began earlier than ever before, on the 16th of August, and both grape varieties managed to uniformly ripen in late August and in perfect condition. In summary, 2017 was a brilliant year with total botrytis and tremendous concentration that called for very specific sorting techniques to stay within the parameters defined by Chateau Yquem.

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

98-99 points

The tannins and phenolic tension are very impressive to this. Dried-lemon undertones and burning botrytis. Full-to medium-bodied, linear and racy. Beautiful fruit and intensity. Such clarity. Extreme but wonderful style.

Wine Spectator

99 points

There was no frost at d’Yquem in 2017, and botrytis was very regular and even this vintage. The nose opens with very pure notes of freshly sliced oranges, yuzu and lemon barley water with hints of white pepper, fresh ginger and lime cordial. The incredibly rich, unctuous sweetness (148 grams per liter of residual sugar) is beautifully marbled with bright, vivacious citrus fruit and spice flavors, while lifted by well-knit freshness, and it finishes with epic length and great depth.

96 points

Very flattering and unctuous in feel, with coconut, creamed papaya, toasted hazelnut and warmed peach and tangerine cream flavors gliding along in unison, all framed by warm brioche and piecrust notes on the finish. Remarkably rich, yet poised and pure. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,166 cases made.

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