Among the world’s most emblematic wines, the Château d’Yquem 2017 stands as an absolute benchmark for Sauternes’ great sweet wines. The only Premier Cru Classé Supérieur of the appellation, it combines craftsmanlike precision with striking aromatic depth. The 2017 vintage expresses a sunny purity, measured opulence and a crystalline tension that mark the greatest balances. Selected berry by berry when touched by Botrytis cinerea, this wine elevates the moment, from an intimate tête-à-tête to gastronomic tables. It is aimed at discerning lovers, collectors and those who seek, beyond a bottle, a lasting emotion capable of spanning decades. Rare, aristocratic, unfading, Yquem 2017 is a heritage piece in its own right, a liquid work that summons the glow of candied fruits, the caress of honey and the vibrancy of a gravelly terroir fed by the Garonne and the Ciron. Its signature, broad and vertical, marries voluptuousness and grace, promising a memorable tasting today and tomorrow.

Blend and winemaking

The Château d’Yquem 2017 rests on a classic Sauternes blend that favours the nobility of Sémillon combined with Sauvignon Blanc. Harvesters make successive passes through the vineyard to pick only the berries affected by Botrytis cinerea, that noble rot which concentrates sugars and aromas. The precision of the selections, a true choreography in the vineyard, guarantees aromatic integrity and the straightness of the juice. After gentle pressings, fermentation is conducted with extreme care before an aging in new oak barrels, extended between 18 and 36 months, to refine structure and texture. The gravel and gravelly sandy soils, well-draining and luminous, impart the wine with its brightness and minerality. Far from any heaviness, Yquem 2017 articulates richness and energy, offering a clear and majestic reading of the vintage.

Tasting notes

• Appearance : Luminous gold with honeyed highlights, almost crystalline in brilliance, announcing a dense and perfectly balanced matter.
• Nose : An enchanting palette of candied and dried fruits, apricot, poached pear, roasted pineapple, lifted by white flowers, a veil of finely oaked vanilla, beeswax and gentle spices.
• Palate : A caressing, creamy attack, a broad mid-palate underlined by a taut freshness. Harmony between exotic fruits, orange marmalade, crème brûlée and saffron-tinged notes. An endless, pure finish with a mineral relief that extends the sensation and invites contemplation.

Serving temperature and advice

Serve Château d’Yquem 2017 between 9 and 12°C in generously shaped white wine glasses to reveal the complexity of its bouquet and the voluptuousness of its texture. Opening the bottle a few minutes before service allows the wine to blossom. A gentle decant may be considered for the wine’s youth. Store bottles on their side, away from light, at a stable temperature and humidity. Its cellaring potential is exceptional, with the ability to evolve over several decades, and long windows of peak drinking for patient collectors.

Food pairings

• Aperitifs : delicate iodised canapés, caviar, lightly seared langoustines, vegetable tempura with fleur de sel.
• Starters : semi-cooked duck foie gras, lobster with vanilla butter, scallop carpaccio with citrus.
• Main courses : truffled Bresse poultry, veal in a saffron cream, subtly spiced Asian cuisine, lobster with mild curry.
• Cheeses : noble blues such as Roquefort, matured blue-veined cheeses, old Comté for a contrast of textures.
• Desserts : thin apricot tart, candied citrus, roasted pineapple, almond cakes and vanilla-honey desserts served sparingly in sugar.

Tasting occasions

Château d’Yquem 2017 is the ideal companion:

• To celebrate a unique event where the emotion must be memorable.
• At a gastronomic dinner where haute cuisine meets the precision of a great terroir.
• As an exceptional gift for an aesthete or a collector seeking a major vintage.

Characteristics

• Name : Château d’Yquem 2017, Premier Cru Supérieur
• Appellation : Sauternes AOP
• Type : Sweet white wine
• Vintage : 2017
• Grapes : Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc
• Alcohol : 14%
• Aging : 18 to 36 months in new oak barrels
• Terroir : Gravel and gravelly sandy soils
• Volume : 75 cl
• Cellaring : exceptional potential, over several decades