Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Yquem, located in Sauternes, finds its origins in the 12th century with a first fortress overlooking the Ciron valley. In 1453 the Bordelais passed under the control of King Charles VII after belonging to the Dukes of Aquitaine. In 1593 Jacques Sauvage, a notable local, became a tenor and rebuilt the castle. His descendant, Léon de Sauvage d'Yquem, was anointed in 1711 after redeeming the fief.

The current buildings, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, form a quadrilateral around a courtyard. The castle was listed for historical monuments in 2003 for its decorations, including frescoes of the chapel and fireplaces of the house body. In 1785 Françoise Joséphine de Sauvage, the last heiress, married Louis-Amédée de Lur-Saluces, whose family developed the reputation of wine. Thomas Jefferson, American ambassador, contributed to its diffusion in the United States after having tasted it in 1788.

In the 18th century, the estate adopted the method of "sorting" to select berries affected by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), inspired by Rhineland and Hungarian practices. This technique, combined with the local climate (morning fogards and sunny afternoons), gives birth to the iconic liquid wine. In 1855, Yquem obtained the highest first-crue classification at the Universal Exhibition in Paris, under the leadership of Romain-Bertrand de Lur-Saluces.

The twentieth century was marked by the action of Bertrand de Lur-Saluces, who defended the Sauternes appellation and modernized the estate. After his death in 1968, his nephew Alexander succeeded him. In 1996, the LVMH group acquired a majority stake, and in 2019, the estate began its conversion to biodynamics. Today, Yquem remains a symbol of wine-making excellence, with ancestral methods and a unique terroir.

The winemaking process, including a multi-stage pressing and a three-year barrique rearing, contributes to the complexity and longevity of the wine. The estate, which covers 133 hectares (of which 102 are exploited), mainly cultivates semillon (75%) and sauvignon blanc (25%). In some years, the harvest is downgraded if the quality is deemed insufficient, strengthening the prestige of exceptional vintages.

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