Yquem enjoys its position in the wine world largely because of the unique conditions and extraordinary effort required to make it. The autumn mists at the property encourage the grapes to form what the French call pourriture noble—“noble rot”—which aids evaporation and concentrates flavors. The soils at Yquem lie on undulating slopes and comprise clay, gravel, and a deep bed of limestone.

The vineyard crew passes through and selectively picks each row an average of six times before harvest is complete, and yields are minuscule—just nine hectoliters per hectare. The grapes are gently pressed three times before getting transferred to 100% new oak barrels, where the wine ages for three years before bottling.

That scrupulous picking and work in the cellar was especially important in 1982, a legendary year for Bordeaux’s red wines but a tough one for most Sauternes estates. Rain affected many other producers, but Yquem’s vigilant and unerring vineyard work allowed the wine team to harvest before the inclement weather arrived—prompting Parker to declare ‘82 “an outstanding vintage” for the estate.

Perhaps Yquem’s most famous visitor arrived in 1784, when Thomas Jefferson journeyed to Sauternes. Upon his return to Monticello, he wrote, “This is the best white wine of France.” He ordered 250 bottles of the 1784 Château d’Yquem for himself—and a few more for future President Washington.

When you cellar or sip a bottle of Yquem, you’re participating in one of the most sacred traditions in wine. You owe it to yourself to take part.