Our team recently welcomed Thomas Robert, Vineyard Manager, and Louis Valette, Sales Manager, from Château d’Yquem for a dedicated staff training session.
They shared insights into the remarkable terroir of Sauternes, where the estate sits on a hill influenced by the nearby Ciron and Garonne rivers. The meeting of cool morning mists and warmer air creates ideal conditions for Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), giving the wines their signature richness and complexity.
Harvesting at Yquem is exceptionally meticulous. Grapes are hand-picked berry by berry across 5–6 selective passes through the vineyard, sometimes yielding barely a glass of wine per vine. Such precision reflects the uncompromising standards of the estate, which has historically chosen not to release a vintage at all if it does not meet its expectations.
During the session, our team tasted Château d’Yquem 2023, the final chapter in the remarkable 2021–2023 trilogy of vintages. The wine showed vibrant aromatics of orange peel, honey and saffron, layered with notes of butterscotch and dried citrus, combining remarkable concentration with a silky, weightless texture and striking balance.
The vintage has already received several perfect 100-point scores from leading critics, including Robert Parker Wine Advocate, James Suckling and Jane Anson, further confirming its status as one of the most impressive recent releases from the estate.
Featured Wine
* Château d’Yquem 2023
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