Château d'Yquem 1er Cru Supérieur Sauternes 2021

Château d’Yquem 2021 - Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

A legendary sweet wine from Château d’Yquem, the only estate classified as Premier Cru Supérieur in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. The 2021 vintage is particularly noteworthy — a rare, cooler-climate expression that emphasizes precision, freshness and purity over sheer opulence.

Château d’Yquem is widely regarded as the greatest sweet wine producer in the world, known for meticulous vineyard selection and multiple passes through the vineyard to harvest only perfectly botrytised grapes.

The 2021 vintage was challenging but ultimately rewarding, producing wines with lower yields but exceptional purity and freshness, often favouring elegance over richness - a style highly prized by collectors.

The wine opens with beautifully lifted aromas of apricot, peach and citrus zest, layered with notes of orange blossom, honey and delicate spice. On the palate it is both rich and remarkably vibrant, with luscious sweetness perfectly balanced by bright acidity, creating a wine of incredible tension and finesse. The finish is long, refined and mineral, with a crystalline clarity that sets 2021 apart as a more classical, elegant Yquem.

Grape varieties: Predominantly Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc

Style: Sweet white (botrytised), full-bodied and age-worthy

Drink window: 2028–2060+ (and far beyond)

Perfect for: Foie gras, blue cheese, fruit desserts, or simply on its own as a contemplative wine

98 points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (William Kelley)

98 points - Vinous (Antonio Galloni)

97 points - Decanter

97 points - James Suckling

Pure, precise and utterly refined - a beautifully classical Yquem that trades opulence for elegance while retaining its world-class pedigree.