The greatest challenge in Sauternes in 2021 was the frost.

“There was a lot of frost damage in 2021, and many producers couldn’t make any wine,” said Lorenzo. “We are fortunate because of our position, so frost only affected about 15-20% of the property. Then we had to face hail and mildew, but after all that, we had a wonderful growing season.” 

According to the Douane (French customs), average yields for Sauternes from 2015 to 2020 were 24,695 hectoliters per year. Yields in 2021 were just 5,381 hectoliters, which goes to show the extent of nature’s crystalline devastation. 

"The average yield for Sauternes in 2021 was 3 hectoliters per hectare," said Lorenzo. "At Yquem, our yield was 8 hl/ha, whereas it is usually around 10."

But on the plus side, it was a cool, humid autumn, perfect for the slow, measured development of botrytis.

“It was a cooler summer, followed by ideal conditions for ripening,” Lorenzo commented. “Around the 20th of September, we had Botrytis contamination. We had 17 days without rain during harvest, which gave us an ideal window to pick. There was no risk of rain or excessive heat, so we were not in a rush to harvest. Each parcel could be picked when we wanted. There is a sense of harmony and proportions in the wine as well as persistence.”

The 2021 Sauternes harvest took place mainly in three passes. The first was before the rains in early October, and the second occurred in mid-October, during dry conditions, providing the core for the wines. The last pass took place at the end of October. 

The results are complex, multi-layered sweet wines that possess impressive botrytis signatures. They are rich yet well-balanced by laser-fine backbones of acidity. Yquem has produced a densely packed, filigree-fine wine in 2021, possessing 148 grams per liter of residual sugar—on the high side—and yet is comes across as surprisingly light on its feet.

"To make Yquem more approachable, we need to make the sugar almost invisible," said Lorenzo. "Our 2021 is a wine of harmony and delicacy, a little like 2005."

I also tasted the two most recent vintages of Yquem’s dry wine, Y. This wine is made from grapes harvested earlier off the estate. It retains a small, barely noticeable amount of residual sugar (less than 10 grams per liter) and usually has a proportion of Botrytized grapes.

“With Y, we want to showcase both the Sauvignon Blanc and the Sémillon and show a little Botrytis,” said Lorenzo. We’re looking to achieve the freshness of a dry white wine with the voluptuousness of a Sauternes. The idea behind the little bit of sugar is not to give sweetness but to give texture and a gastronomic element. I want people to taste Y and feel Yquem just behind.”

Although the frosty start to the 2021 growing season was challenging for Sauternes, quality is very high. Those looking for something from this vintage to put in their cellars shouldn’t hesitate to buy this crystalline beauty.