Château d'Yquem is located in Sauternes in the southern part of Bordeaux. In the famous Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 D'Yquem was the only Sauternes producing Château that was given a rating. Yquem's success stems largely from the site's susceptibility to attack by "noble rot" which intensifies the grapes flavours and sugars.

Their wines are usually a blend featuring mostly Semillon and less Sauvignon Blanc. They are characterized by their complexity, concentration and sweetness, which is balanced by relatively high acidity. All of these traits bode well for aging and these wines can go for more than a century.

Sauternes is celebrated for producing some of the finest sweet white wines in Bordeaux and beyond, treasured by royals for its tropical, honeyed fruit aromas and silky texture.

The Semillon grape is especially susceptible to botrytis, a beneficial fungus that shrivels grapes and concentrates their sugars, requiring specific conditions—warm autumns with morning mists—for optimal development.

Crafting Sauternes is labor-intensive, with no guaranteed vintages; weather can impact production significantly. Winemakers carefully monitor noble rot and perform multiple hand harvests to select the ripest grapes, resulting in lower yields and higher prices.

The juice from botrytis-affected Semillon is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc for acidity and occasionally Muscadelle. These wines age in barrels longer than other Bordeaux wines, evolving in color from light gold to amber and developing rich, complex aromas over time.