Sauternes

Château Rabaud-Promis

Sweet Sauternes estate on the Rabaud hillside, classed as a first growth in 1855. This historic property rank is distinct from the Sauternes AOC itself.

Château d’Yquem

• A rank of its own: The only premier cru supérieur in the 1855 classification, Yquem practises very exacting selection: harvesters return several times to pick only berries sufficiently concentrated by noble rot. This waiting reduces the volume harvested and risks losing some of the grapes.
• Concentration with freshness: Yquem’s signature is the balance between intense sweetness, fresh acidity and an exceptionally persistent finish. Noble-rot selection brings concentration; acidity keeps that richness poised. Ageing develops the young wine’s apricot and citrus notes into dried fruit, marmalade and spice: its identity goes beyond sweetness alone.
• A tenacious owner: Widowed at twenty, Françoise-Joséphine de Lur Saluces took charge of Yquem. Imprisoned twice during the Revolution, she nevertheless kept the estate.
• The cellar of 1826: In 1826, she had a new cellar built with her steward Garos, more than three decades after taking over the property.