Château d’Yquem
Château d’Yquem dominates. It dominates the local landscape; situated on a gravelly peak near the centre of the southern half of the Sauternes appellation it is visible from many kilometres away, and its elevated position affords visitors a commanding view of the surrounding vineyards, not only those that belong to Château d’Yquem but also those of near-neighbours Château Raymond-Lafon, Château Lafaurie Peyraguey, Château de Rayne-Vigneau and Château Rieussec, to name just a few of the other châteaux which encircle the estate. Indeed, the last time I walked in the vineyard of Chateau Coutet with proprietor Aline Baly, in the commune of Barsac on the far side of the Ciron, we could see Chateau d’Yquem in the distance, a grey silhouette sitting proud on its private hill, despite it being over 5 kilometres away.
Chateau d’Yquem also dominates, in a very unique way, within the 1855 classification of Sauternes and Barsac. The first growths of the 1855 classification of the Médoc sit proud as a quintet (or a quartet, if you prefer the classification as it stood prior to 1973), any one of the five iconic names – Château Latour, Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Mouton-Rothschild, Château Margaux or Château Haut-Brion – enough to send shivers down the spine of any lover of Bordeaux. But in Sauternes, the equivalent rank – premier cru – where the aforementioned Château Rieussec, Château de Rayne-Vigneau, Château La Tour Blanche and the like can be found, is the rank below that occupied by Château d’Yquem. There is no Médoc equivalent for Yquem’s ranking, which is premier cru supérieur, a unique, isolated and elevated position sitting above that of all other Sauternes estates. The merchants who drew up the 1855 classification must have really liked the wines of Château d’Yquem.
