Yquem is one of the most extraordinary, unique and astonishing wines in the world. There is no question that it is France’s greatest sweet wine, and for centuries it has been top of the list of the country’s greatest whites – Thomas Jefferson was impressed enough with it in 1787 to order a shipment to be sent back to America. The attention to detail and the uncompromising quest for perfection that go into making this wine are outstanding and unique. Grapes are picked individually, selected for their degree of noble rot at just the right moment. A whole vine will produce just one glass of sweet, golden nectar. If a batch falls below standard it is sold off as anonymous Sauternes. The result is, of course, astonishing. A wonderfully complex, sweet, rich, fascinating drink that ages for decades and even centuries.
