Among the great sweet wines that have shaped collectors’ imaginations, the Château d’Yquem 2021, 1er Cru Supérieur, Sauternes AOP embodies a form of ideal. Born from the dialogue between noble rot and a luminous terroir, this vintage offers a performance of almost musical precision, where the richness of botrytis is balanced by crystalline freshness. The sole Premier Cru Supérieur since the 1855 classification, Yquem crosses time with rare consistency. The 2021 magnifies this signature: a caressing texture, inner energy, a length that stretches like a final chord into silence. Aged 20 months in new oak barrels and refined by 15 rackings, it combines opulence and grace, all carried by a 14% alcohol level perfectly integrated. Rated 100/100 by James Suckling, this wine is an ode to long ageing, promised to a cellaring life until 2076, with recommended initial maturity from 2027. It will captivate aesthetes seeking pure emotion, exacting collectors, and anyone who regards tasting as an art.

Blend and winemaking

This Sauternes is produced from a blend of Sémillon (65%) and Sauvignon Blanc (35%). The Sémillon provides a satiny texture and a unique affinity with noble rot, while the Sauvignon Blanc brings aromatic drive, brightness and the thread of acidity that enlivens the whole. Harvesting is carried out by successive selections, berry by berry, in order to pick only perfectly botrytized grapes. The musts are vinified with goldsmith-like precision, then the élevage continues for 20 months in new oak barrels to perfect the structure, polish the texture and complexify the bouquet. The 15 rackings punctuate this maturation, refining the wine’s clarity and revealing a texture of great purity. The final balance testifies to a mastered art of blending, where every technical decision seeks a hedonistic benefit: aromatic intensity, gustatory straightness, harmony of sugar and acidity, and a persistence worthy of the finest chapters of Bordeaux literature.

Tasting notes

• Appearance : Luminous gold, clear and deep, with shimmering highlights that announce a finely concentrated core and a velvety texture.
• Nose : A generous and precise bouquet, blending almond and cedar, pineapple, pear and plum, then a mosaic of candied citrus where mandarin, lemon and orange answer each other. The aromatic depth unfolds in layers, with a purity that magnifies every detail.
• Palate : Silky attack, mid-palate supported by an energetic tension and perfectly integrated sweetness. The structure is upright, the length endless, the finish airy and persistent, on sweet spices and citrus zest.

Serving temperature and advice

Serve between 8 and 10°C in expressive white wine glasses to reveal the delicacy of the botrytis and the aromatic verticality. A gentle airing, 20 to 30 minutes before serving, allows the nuances to emerge slowly. Cellaring should be in a cool, stable and dark cellar, bottle laid down, to preserve integrity and complexity. This 2021 will open ideally from 2027, climb to its highest levels around 2066, then remain a great witness of time until 2076. As years go by, the candied citrus and almond notes blend into a more developed register of dried fruits, beeswax and precious wood, offering an ever more nuanced reading of this exceptional cru.

Food pairings

• Starters and appetizers : lightly cooked foie gras, poultry terrine with dried fruits, warm lobster, scallop carpaccio with candied lemon.
• Main courses : Bresse chicken with morels, glazed sweetbreads, roasted langoustines, subtly spiced Asian cuisine.
• Cheeses : masterful matches with Roquefort and aged blues, a noble salty-sweet contrast.
• Desserts : thin tart with candied citrus, roasted apricot, poached peach, almond-orange entremets, where the wine’s freshness prolongs the brightness of the flavours.

Occasions

Château d’Yquem 2021 is the ideal companion:

• To celebrate a unique event and sign a table of rare distinction.
• During a gourmet dinner where attention to detail calls for an exceptional wine.
• As an insider’s gift for a collector or a visionary enthusiast.

Product details

• Name : Château d’Yquem 2021, 1er Cru Supérieur, Sauternes AOP
• Appellation : Sauternes AOP
• Type : Sweet white wine
• Vintage : 2021
• Grapes : Sémillon 65%, Sauvignon Blanc 35%
• Alcohol : 14%
• Ageing : 20 months in new oak barrels, 15 rackings
• Service : 8–10°C
• Drinking window : from 2027, estimated peak 2066, cellaring possible until 2076
• Distinction : 100/100 James Suckling