Château d’Yquem has been producing Sauternes wines for over 400 years, with records of viticulture dating back to the late 16th century. The estate’s unique location, with its morning mists from the Ciron River, creates ideal conditions for the development of Botrytis cinerea, or noble rot, which concentrates the grapes' sugars and flavors.
One of its most distinctive features is its extremely selective harvesting process. The grapes are picked berry by berry over multiple passes through the vineyard, sometimes requiring up to six weeks to complete. Due to this meticulous process, yields are incredibly low—often one vine produces only one glass of wine.
The estate has been under the ownership of LVMH since 1999, with Pierre Lurton overseeing production.