Chateau d`Yquem Sauternes AOC 1-er Grand Cru Superieur 2016

Chateau d’Yquem is the most famous winery in Bordeaux, located in the commune of Sauternes. According to the 1855 classification of wines, it belongs to the highest category Premier Grand Cru Superieur and has been on the list of the best Bordeaux producers for over two hundred years. In the Middle Ages, the estate belonged to an English duke, but in 1453, after the ascension of Charles VII to the throne, it passed to the French. Since then, Chateau d’Yquem has been owned by many noble figures, but it truly flourished only in 1788 when, after the tragic death of her husband, Count Louis Amédée de Lur Saluces, Françoise Joséphine d`Yquem began to manage the estate independently, producing luxurious wines. Even then, a multi-step harvesting technology was applied at the estate, which has been preserved to this day, and in 1826 a large cellar was built, allowing for a significant expansion of wine production. Among the admirers of Chateau wines was US President Thomas Jefferson, as well as Grand Duke Constantine, who made Chateau d’Yquem very popular in Russia. So what is the secret of Chateau d’Yquem? Undoubtedly, a significant role in creating this great wine is played by the unique microclimate of the terroir, determined by the proximity of the ocean and the Ciron River. The warm and humid weather favors not only the even ripening of grapes but also the development of "noble rot." Only affected grapes are used for wine production, as rot settles on well-ripened berries and contributes to increasing sugar concentration several times. The grape harvest occurs in several stages; in unfavorable years, harvesters comb the vineyards 10-15 times, collecting grapes not in bunches but literally berry by berry. The juice from such half-dried grapes yields four times less than from normal grapes, and the owners of Chateau d’Yquem claim that from one vine, they obtain only one glass of the famous wine. The fermentation of the grape must proceeds very slowly, and before the wine matures, it takes about three to four years, after which Chateau d’Yquem often calmly ages to its centenary. Usually, the wine enters its maturity phase after 20-30 years of bottle aging. According to one of the latest owners of the estate, Alexandre de Lur Saluces, one can say a lot about Chateau d’Yquem, but: After taking a sip, you will feel that there exists and will always exist a wine whose mystery remains unsolved....