Château d’Yquem, located in Graves on the left bank of the Garonne river, is considered by many to be the ultimate sweet wine experience. The estate, which has existed since at least 1477, boasts a vineyard that has been planted since 1711. The wines produced at Yquem are renowned for their length and are considered the best white wines in France. Thomas Jefferson, for example, ordered 250 bottles of the 1784 vintage for himself.

Yquem’s success is largely due to its location’s susceptibility to botrytis, a favorable fungal disease that dehydrates the grapes and concentrates their sugars. Yquem is located on the highest hill in Sauternes and has the best growing conditions in the appellation. A bottle of Château d’Yquem, with its high sugar content, high acidity, and dense structure, can be stored carefully for 50, 60, or even 100 years. Robert Parker gave an Yquem from the 1811 comet vintage a perfect 100-point score in 1996. A bottle from that same vintage sold for £75,000 in 2011, making it the most expensive bottle of white wine ever sold.

Personalized 90-minute tours of Yquem, including a tasting of the sweet elixir, take place every day of the week. Reservations for these tours are necessary. The cream-colored château, which overlooks the Garonne river valley of Sauternes and is surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens, exudes effortless luxury. Visitors can view the hushed cellars under the rose garden before tasting the sacred elixir itself, a wine that has been described as liquid light, “qui fait la queue du paon” or “spreads out like a peacock’s tail.” The “Anthology” tour is the ultimate experience, providing a rare opportunity to taste three older vintages.