Honoring the Lifelong Advocate for Château d’Yquem’s Unsurpassed Quality and Heritage
SAUTERNES – Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces, the esteemed guardian of Château d’Yquem for 36 years, passed away on July 24th at the age of 89. Throughout his tenure, he fervently upheld the highest standards of quality at the iconic Sauternes estate, making it a symbol of exquisite wine worldwide.
The footprint of de Lur Saluces’ influential legacy spanned 55 years, with his work at Château d’Yquem and the family’s Château de Fargues in Sauternes. His family’s historical connection to Sauternes dates back to the late 1400s. His uncle, Marquis Bertrand de Lur Saluces, instrumental in shaping the Sauternes appellation, purchased Château d’Yquem following the First World War. In 1966, Bertrand chose Alexandre to assist him with managing the estate, and upon Bertrand’s demise two years later, Alexandre took charge. Ownership of Yquem was distributed among various family members.
Alexandre, from 1968 to 2004, steadfastly led Château d’Yquem, acting as its guiding spirit and quality assurance. As celebrated artists attract followers, de Lur Saluces drew in Yquem enthusiasts who would spare no expense to acquire coveted bottles, viewing a visit to the Château as the ultimate wine lovers’ goal.
De Lur Saluces maintained this reverence by ensuring the quality of the wine. He made a difficult and expensive decision to downgrade the entire harvest due to poor weather conditions in 1972, 1974, and again in 1992. Such a rigorous commitment to quality bolstered Yquem’s status as one of the most sought-after wines throughout history.
Moreover, de Lur Saluces was always a gracious host to all visitors, not only to the wealthy and prominent. Arriving guests would often be greeted by de Lur Saluces himself, waiting for them on the château’s staircase. He was modest, polite, and soft-spoken, often seen in his signature checkered blazer, tie, and polished shoes, regardless of the weather.
Despite his generally calm demeanor, de Lur Saluces was fiercely protective of Yquem’s reputation. He waged a fierce fight against the acquisition of Yquem by luxury conglomerate LVMH, led by Bernard Arnault, who purchased a 55% stake in Yquem from de Lur Saluces’ relatives in 1996 for $101 million.
Over a period of more than two years, de Lur Saluces resisted Arnault’s takeover using legal and public relations tactics, blocking Arnault’s entry to Yquem—literally. He had grave concerns about how LVMH’s control might impact the quality standards he had upheld at Yquem, leading him to actively fight Arnault in both courtrooms and the public sphere.
In the end, the two rivals came to an agreement. On April 19, 1999, Arnault traveled from Paris to Bordeaux to meet de Lur Saluces at Yquem. In celebration, the Count uncorked a bottle of Yquem 1899. Arnault expressed his admiration for de Lur Saluces, praising his commitment to excellence and refinement. Arnault pledged to respect the quality standards and traditions that de Lur Saluces held dear and appointed him as CEO of the estate. De Lur Saluces continued in this role until mandatory LVMH retirement policies saw him step down in 2004 at 70.
However, retirement did not end de Lur Saluces’ career in wine. He dedicated his skills and energy to another family estate, Château de Fargues, where he worked with his son, Philippe. True to his passionate nature, Alexandre remained actively engaged in viticulture until his last days.
