2023 Chateau d'Yquem

EXCLUSIVE - EXPECTED END OF JUNE 2026

Winery Château d'Yquem

Château d'Yquem is undoubtedly the most famous sweet wine house in the world. The estate is located in the heart of Sauternes and is the only château to be awarded the unique status of Premier Cru Supérieur in the 1855 classification. This exceptional rank was granted exclusively to Yquem due to the unparalleled quality and consistency of its wines.

The vineyards are situated on an exceptional terroir with gravelly soils on limestone and clay, perfectly located for the development of Botrytis cinerea , also known as noble rot. This natural fungus concentrates sugars, aromas, and acids in the grapes. Thanks to an extremely strict selection process, in which grapes are often harvested by hand in multiple passes, a wine is produced that is considered worldwide to be the ultimate expression of Sauternes.

2023 Château d'Yquem

The 2023 vintage ranks among the great modern vintages of Château d'Yquem. With approximately 153-154 grams of residual sugar per liter, this wine is one of the most concentrated vintages in the history of the château. At the same time, the wine remains remarkably fresh and precise thanks to a perfect balance between ripeness and acidity.

The blend consists of 70% Sémillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. The harvest took place between September 14 and October 11, when the grapes were hand-picked multiple times to select only berries perfectly affected by botrytis. The result is a wine with enormous concentration, but also exceptional elegance and energy.

An exceptional vintage

According to the château itself, 2023 marks the culmination of an impressive trilogy of vintages. The wine combines the crystalline freshness of 2021 with the sunny power of 2022, resulting in a perfectly balanced vintage. The bouquet displays immense purity and intensity with notes of citrus, flowers, honey, and beeswax. On the palate, the wine is velvety and powerful at the same time, with layers of apricot, mandarin marmalade, and exotic fruit culminating in an exceptionally long finish.

Color, smell and taste

Radiant golden yellow in color. On the nose, intense aromas of pineapple, mango, guava, and candied citrus, complemented by honey, saffron, beeswax, and subtle spices.

On the palate, full, rich, and concentrated, yet remarkably refined. The fruit forms a powerful core supported by lively acidity and an almost crystalline texture. The wine displays tremendous depth with layers of exotic fruit, citrus, honey, and delicate spiciness. The finish is almost endless and remains elegant and ethereal. Packaged in an original wooden case (OWC/1).

A wine for decades

Great vintages of Château d'Yquem are known for their extreme aging potential, and the 2023 is no exception. The wine can be enjoyed relatively young due to its striking balance, but will continue to develop and become more complex over decades.

Reviews

100 points – The Wine Advocate (Yohan Castaing)
“With 153 grams per liter of residual sugar—placing it among the 10 most concentrated vintages in the château's history—the 2023 d'Yquem ranks among the finest wines bottled here under Lorenzo Pasquini's direction.”

100 points – James Suckling
“Perfect aromas carry through to every milliliter of this wine, showing intense orange peel, honey, butterscotch, saffron and smoke. Full-bodied but weightless and silky with excellent balance.”

99 points – Vinous (Neal Martin)
A seductive and exceptionally refined Yquem with notes of wild honey, quince, almond, and saffron, perfectly balanced and impressively elegant.

Wine & Food Pairing and Discount

If available, you will find the official factsheet and additional information about this fine wine in the 'Attachments' tab. We will automatically send these to you upon ordering this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you come to collect the wine, you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you select 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, situated almost next to the A16 with ample parking. Click here for our address.

You can read full wine reviews from Parker, Suckling, Vinous, and Wine Spectator, among others. Need advice on finding the ideal wine for your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier. Free for Grandcruwijnen customers. In the Food tab, you will find advice on what to look for for the right food and wine pairing, and a number of dish suggestions from our Sommelier.