Château d'Yquem
Château d'Yquem is a Sauternes winery producing Premier Cru Supérieur sweet white wine via noble-rot infected Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc, owned by LVMH since 1996 and serving global fine wine collectors, investors, and estate visitors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersSauternes, France
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Château d'Yquem does
Château d'Yquem (SA du Château d'Yquem) is a French Société Anonyme headquartered at Sauternes (33210), Bordeaux, producing Premier Cru Supérieur sweet white wines from the Sauternes appellation. The estate relies on Botrytis cinerea (noble rot) infection of Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc grapes, with selective multi-pass harvesting (tries) to capture only fully botrytized berries; the 2023 vintage profile is 70% Sémillon, 30% Sauvignon blanc, 14% abv, pH 3.85, 3.68 g/L H2SO4 total acidity, and 153 g/L residual sugar. Founded circa 1590 and acquired by LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) in 1996, the estate holds a unique Premier Cru Supérieur ranking from the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, a regulatory and reputational position no peer estate occupies. The 21st-century trilogy (2021-2022-2023) joins earlier legendary trilogies (1948-1949-1950 and 1988-1989-1990) as the estate's central narrative device.
Château d'Yquem firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Château d'Yquem
- Legal name
- SA du Château d'Yquem
- Website
- https://yquem.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Château d'Yquem is a Sauternes winery producing Premier Cru Supérieur sweet white wine via noble-rot infected Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc, owned by LVMH since 1996 and serving global fine wine collectors, investors, and estate visitors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Château d'Yquem industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Sweet White Wine (Sauternes)
- NAICS
- Wineries (31213), Grape Vineyards (111332)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)
Keywords
Where Château d'Yquem is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sauternes
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Château d'Yquem business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Fine Wine Sales (Direct and Auction): Château d'Yquem generates revenue through direct sales of its Premier Cru Supérieur Sauternes wines at the estate and through fine wine auction markets. The wine is positioned as a collectible investment asset, with auction sales contributing to revenue in the fine wine market.
- Wine Investment Market: Château d'Yquem vintages are traded on the secondary market and at fine wine auctions, with pricing influenced by critical reception and vintage quality. The 2023 article highlights renewed interest in Bordeaux 2016 and the overall recovery in fine wine auctions, indicating that investment demand drives valuation of Yquem releases.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Château d'Yquem product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Château d'Yquem produces and sells Premier Cru Supérieur Sauternes sweet white wines from botrytized Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc grapes grown at its estate in Sauternes, Bordeaux, France. Each vintage is released annually and distributed directly to consumers through estate visits and reservations, as well as through the global fine wine auction and investment market. The estate supplements wine sales with curated visit/tasting experiences and heritage storytelling (e.g., Yquem Time Capsule film).
Product overview
Château d'Yquem is a prestigious Sauternes winery in Bordeaux, France, producing Premier Cru Supérieur white wine. The company operates as a luxury wine producer offering annual vintage releases (core product), visit experiences at the château, branded content films, and special collaborations. Recent offerings include the acclaimed 2021-2022-2023 trilogy of vintages, the Yquem Time Capsule film by Benjamin Juhel, and the HAKUBA x YQUEM ephemeral dining experience. All products are distributed under the LVMH luxury conglomerate umbrella. The winery maintains official websites for general information (yquem.fr) and dedicated vintage pages (2023.yquem.fr).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Château d'Yquem 2023 Vintage Premier Cru Supérieur Sauternes sweet white wine from the 2023 vintage at Château d'Yquem, bottled and sold to fine wine collectors and connoisseurs via estate and auction channels.
- Château d'Yquem 2022 Vintage Premier Cru Supérieur Sauternes 2022 vintage wine, the second panel of the 21st-century trilogy, marketed for its exceptional aging potential.
- Château d'Yquem 2021 Vintage Premier Cru Supérieur Sauternes 2021 vintage wine, opening panel of the 2021-2022-2023 trilogy, sold to collectors via estate and auction channels.
- Château d'Yquem Visit Experiences Guided tours, tastings and visit programs at the Château d'Yquem estate in Sauternes, France, bookable through the official website, allowing visitors to discover the winery, vineyards, and historic property.
- HAKUBA x YQUEM Ephemeral Dining Experience Limited-time culinary collaboration between HAKUBA and Château d'Yquem, offering an exclusive dining experience for luxury hospitality audiences.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2023 vintage: 14% abv, pH 3.85, total acidity 3.68 g/L H2SO4, residual sugar 153 g/L — harvest September 14 to October 11
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Château d'Yquem
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Château d'Yquem technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Château d'Yquem partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- LVMHcoreLVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) is the parent luxury conglomerate that owns Château d'Yquem. LVMH operates over 75 brands across fashion, wines, perfumes, watches, and retail. Château d'Yquem benefits from LVMH's portfolio strategy, brand autonomy model, and shared resources as part of the world's largest luxury goods conglomerate.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Château d'Yquem competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC): Ultra-premium Burgundy producer, considered the apex of fine wine collecting. Closely comparable to Yquem on scarcity, auction premiums, collector base, and prestige pricing.
- Château Suduiraut: Sauternes Premier Cru Classé in the same appellation as Yquem. Directly comparable Sauternes production, noble rot winemaking, and fine wine market presence, though at a tier below Yquem's Premier Cru Supérieur.
- Château Pétrus: Pomerol estate widely regarded alongside Yquem as one of the two most prestigious fine wines in the world. Directly comparable on scarcity, auction pricing, and ultra-high-net-worth collector demand.
- Château Haut-Brion: Premier Grand Cru Classé in Pessac-Léognan. Comparable ultra-premium Bordeaux positioning, fine wine auction relevance, and global luxury collector base.
- Château Lafite Rothschild: Premier Grand Cru Classé in Pauillac, owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (DBR). Comparable ultra-premium Bordeaux fine wine, investment-grade auction profile, and global collector demand.
- Château Margaux: Premier Grand Cru Classé in Margaux, Bordeaux. Operates at the same ultra-premium fine wine tier as Yquem, with similar auction-market presence, collector customer base, and LVMH-adjacent luxury positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Krug: LVMH-owned prestige Champagne house. Comparable as an LVMH ultra-premium luxury wine with fine wine auction presence, collector following, and experiential brand marketing.
- Dom Pérignon: LVMH-owned prestige cuvée from Moët & Chandon. Comparable LVMH luxury positioning, vintage prestige marketing, and global collector demand — though in sparkling wine rather than Sauternes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Château d'Yquem social profiles
Digital presenceChâteau d'Yquem financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Château d'Yquem leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Château d'Yquem funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Château d'Yquem M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Château d'Yquem
What does Château d'Yquem do?
Château d'Yquem produces and sells Premier Cru Supérieur Sauternes sweet white wines from botrytized Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc grapes grown at its estate in Sauternes, Bordeaux, France. Each vintage is released annually and distributed directly to consumers through estate visits and reservations, as well as through the global fine wine auction and investment market. The estate supplements wine sales with curated visit/tasting experiences and heritage storytelling (e.g., Yquem Time Capsule film).
Is Château d'Yquem a public or private company?
Château d'Yquem is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Château d'Yquem founded?
Château d'Yquem was founded in -1.
Where is Château d'Yquem based?
Château d'Yquem is headquartered in Sauternes, France, in the Europe region.
How does Château d'Yquem make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Fine Wine Sales (Direct and Auction) is the primary driver. The others are wine Investment Market.
Who are Château d'Yquem's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC), Château Suduiraut, Château Pétrus, Château Haut-Brion, Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Margaux. Broad incumbents are Krug and Dom Pérignon.
Does Château d'Yquem have an API?
No public API is recorded for Château d'Yquem.
What industry is Château d'Yquem in?
Château d'Yquem's product category is Premium Sweet White Wine (Sauternes). Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAB, Wine Production & Winemaking, with a secondary code of CRADAIAB, Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands. Its NAICS code is 31213 and its SIC code is 2080.