"Sauternes? For now, climate change does not affect the mould, but the future is uncertain." Interview with the winemaker of Château d'Yquem

Lorenzo Pasquini, a true Italian, is only 35 years old and already the winemaker of the world’s most prestigious sweet wine, Château d’Yquem, the crown jewel of the French luxury group LVMH. At a time when the market for these wines is in crisis, this young oenologist is leading a transformation that could redefine their role and open up new perspectives for the future—starting with savoury elements: in the wines themselves, but above all, in their pairings.

Lorenzo Pasquini (photo Deepix)

Interview with the winemaker of Château d’Yquem

For Lorenzo Pasquini, a new adventure begins at Château d’Yquem—one of the most famous, important, and expensive wines in the world. A new chapter for sweet wines, which we will hear about directly from the young protagonist…

Lorenzo, you are quite young for the position you hold. How are you finding your new journey at Château d’Yquem, and above all, how did you get there?
I grew up between Rome and Maremma, where my father, when I was 11 years old, started building a vineyard around our family home with the idea of creating an estate. Thanks to him and his crazy venture, I realised what wine was and became so fascinated by it that I decided to join him in this madness. I went to Pisa to study oenology. However, the idea of making wine in Maremma remained just that—an idea. I completed my studies in Bordeaux and never returned.

My first job as a winemaker was in California, then in Margaux at Château Palmer, and for four years in Argentina at Cheval des Andes, where I came into contact with the LVMH world and with Pierre Lurton, the overseer of all the group’s wine estates (including Château d’Yquem, of course). Later, I returned to Europe to be closer to my family and worked between Bordeaux and Tuscany, managing Château Giscours and its Italian counterpart, Caiarossa.

The call from Yquem came completely unexpectedly: after twelve months there, Lurton contacted me, asking me to replace the director, who was retiring. From that moment, everything changed!

I was going to ask if you could have had a similar career in Italy, but it seems that, thanks to Caiarossa, a return to the Belpaese, albeit brief, did happen…

Exactly, I tried to get as close to home as possible. But then this unexpected train came along, and it was impossible not to get on board. At first, people would say to me, "You’ll miss making red wines!" But in reality, I entered an amazing world centred around that extraordinary paradox of nature: noble rot, the worst enemy of grapes that, thanks to the effect of ventilation, transforms into something completely different and gives wine a second life.

Chateau d'Yquem

An obligatory question, given the times and the fact that last year was reportedly the hottest in history: is it still easy to have perfect noble rot in Sauternes, despite climate change?

For now, there are no problems: we are at the frontier of the Garonne Valley, which acts as a buffer against the climatic influences of another area near us: the immense Landes de Gascogne forest. This forest brings in very cold and humid air, creating the conditions for fog, which initiates the mould contamination. However, the wind then stops the process and transforms it into noble rot. For now, this phenomenon occurs without issues; in fact, in recent years, we have produced high-quality wines in Sauternes more frequently than in the past. Of course, the future is uncertain, and it is likely that things will change in the coming decades. Our focus is on ensuring that noble rot continues to exist despite climate change.

Yquem stands at the intersection of two very critical situations: that of Bordeaux and that of sweet wine. But it is said that legends never face crises—is that true?

It is not true that myths do not suffer from crises, but the fluctuations of Sauternes—and of Yquem—are very different from those of other wines. Firstly, sweet wines should not all be lumped together; it is a very complex world. As for Sauternes, this area experienced a crisis long before the rest of Bordeaux and has already found ways to react. In fact, the current economic situation works in our favour: we are the only region in Bordeaux where the value of bulk wine increases year after year. This is an indicator of some excitement. I would say that there has already been a significant renewal of the human fabric and that we are in the post-crisis phase: we have a fairly stable market. In general, Sauternes wines are less speculative than Bordeaux reds, more for consumption than investment: they grow more slowly during boom periods but slow down less sharply during difficult ones.

One of your advantages is that in France, sweet wines are drunk on more occasions than in Italy, where they are reserved for desserts or the end of a meal. But is there really anyone who regularly drinks a bottle of Yquem throughout an entire meal?

Not regularly, but pairing it with an entire meal does happen. There is certainly a tradition of drinking Sauternes as an aperitif. For example, on Christmas Eve, it is customary to start with Sauternes and foie gras. In Bordeaux, another very typical tradition is the poulet du dimanche (roast chicken, usually with potatoes, editor’s note), which is traditionally paired with Sauternes. Other dishes are usually paired following the Anglo-Saxon convention of matching dry with savoury and sweet with sweet, except for cheeses. However, there are many ways to challenge these preconceptions, and we do a lot of communication with this specific goal.

I know you organise dinners with very important chefs…

Not just that. We have also identified “lighthouses,” meaning restaurants that offer Yquem by the glass with savoury dishes. Osteria Francescana in Modena is one of them, and Massimo Bottura even came to cook for us. But there are at least forty such restaurants scattered around the world.

Any pairings between Sauternes and Italian cuisine?

For me, the most beautiful ones are with gnocchi with gorgonzola and walnuts, tortelli with parmesan sauce, and blue cheeses. Then there’s Culatello or a very aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

So, all from the hearty cuisine of Northern Italy…

Not necessarily. But to find one from central or southern Italy, we would have to meet at a restaurant and do some testing. I repeat, there is no risk in trying sweet wine with any dish: you just need a wine where sweetness is not the only element but one of many components. And in any case, there is a long history of pairing Sauternes with foods other than desserts—these wines have existed for 400 years, whereas the Anglo-Saxon sweet-sweet pairing has only become the norm in the last century.

Aging and sulphites

A tricky question: high sulphite levels are another big issue for sweet wines, especially botrytised ones. Have you found a way to reduce them?

Absolutely. Today, we use half as much as twenty years ago. For Sauternes, the risks are considerable, so sulphites are essential, but they can be reduced by working as well as possible in the vineyard and winery: 2022 and 2021 have the lowest sulphite content in Yquem’s history.

A final question: Do you see yourself returning to Maremma to make wine one day? Would you produce a sweet wine there?

If the land allows it, why not!