Chateau d’Yquem: Vineyards
The estate is located in the eastern half of the Sauternes appellation, within the commune of Sauternes itself. The Ciron, the little tributary of the Garonne which is so important in the story of Sauternes, lies a couple of kilometres to the west. Between Château d’Yquem and the Ciron sits Château de Rayne-Vigneau, also sitting proud on a gravelly high point within the appellation which is not really any less impressive than that on which sits Château d’Yquem. Also to the west is Château Lafaurie Peyraguey and Clos Haut-Peyraguey, to the north is Château Suduiraut, to the south Château Guiraud and to the east Château Rieussec.
The vineyards lie on the slopes around the handsome château, running across three extensive gravel croupes, the altitude across the vineyard ranging from 30 to 75 metres above sea level. The steepest slope is that directly in front of the château, facing north towards the Garonne and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont. The soils underfoot are gravelly, being rich in pale white, cream and yellow-hued pebbles. Beneath this gravelly top layer, however, there is calcareous clay, and at a depth of 6 metres a rich seam of blue clay extends across the whole domaine.
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