Chateau d'Yquem : Sauternes 3

The elegance and aromatic freshness of a non-vintage Sauternes wine

The estate

The reputation of Château d’Yquem has been built over the last 400 years, with an apotheosis in 1855 when it was elevated to the rank of Premier Cru Classé Supérieur in the official classification ordered by Emperor Napoleon III for the Universal Exhibition in Paris. The only name to have reached this level, Yquem unquestionably reigns among the legends of great wines.

The vineyard

Château d’Yquem has about a hundred hectares in production, planted with 75% sémillon and 25% sauvignon blanc. The Ciron, a tributary of the Garonne essential for the production of Sauternes wines, provides an exceptional micro-climate for the estate's vines. Indeed, it is thanks to its action that morning fogs develop in the fall, just before the harvest, leading to the appearance of noble rot, Botrytis Cinerea. In addition to the characteristics of terroir and climate, the reputation of Château d’Yquem also owes a lot to know-how and demand. With a drastically limited yield, Château d’Yquem produces Sauternes wines whose rarity makes their prestige.

The case

For the production of its grand vin, the estate carries out an extremely drastic selection of batches and retains only the most exceptional and elegant ones. The other batches, although very qualitative, are set aside. Since 2014, Château d’Yquem has been bottling some of these batches to create a non-vintage Sauternes that was until now intended only for the estate's teams. This Sauternes from Château d’Yquem aims to be homogeneous and regular. 6 editions have been produced so far.

Château d’Yquem invites you today to discover each of these 6 editions through a dedicated and unprecedented case.

Blend

Each edition of Sauternes from Château d’Yquem is made from a blend of several vintages. To the vintage forming the base are gradually added proportions of other vintages.

The Sauternes 3 edition from Château d’Yquem is composed of batches from four vintages from 2011 to 2016, bottled in 2017.

Characteristics and tasting advice for Sauternes 3 from Château d'Yquem

Tasting

The Sauternes cuvées from Château d’Yquem are always made from a blend of batches from several vintages. In their youth, they reveal aromas of fresh fruit, very citrusy, associated with candied notes characteristic of noble rot wines. The palate confirms this alliance of freshness and dense gourmandise of great purity. As these cuvées age, aromas of plum jam and oranges develop, the freshness is maintained thanks to a nice zesty bitterness that balances the sweetness. The older these cuvées get, the more these traits of candied, spicy and zesty typicity intensify for the greatest pleasure of our palate.