The Sauvage family built the château and patiently set about constituting the present-day vineyard, plot by plot. The Sauvage family became full owners of Yquem in 1711, during the reign of Louis XIV (by which time they had received noble status). In the later years, Françoise Joséphine de Sauvage d'Yquem managed to hold on to the family property and make Yquem prosper. She built a new wine cellar in 1826 with her steward Garos – an audacious step at the time – transforming the estate into a true business and developing its international reputation. It was during her time as head of Yquem that the method of picking in several passes was perfected.

The Sauternes wine region comprises five communes: Barsac, Sauternes, Bommes, Fargues and Preignac. The Barsac region is located on the west bank of the Ciron river where the tributary meets the Garonne. The area sits on an alluvial plain with sandy and limy soils, which results in a drier Barsac wine with a lighter body. In years when the noble rot does not develop, Sauternes producers will often make dry white wine under the generic Bordeaux AOC. To qualify for the Sauternes label, the wine must have a minimum 13% alcohol level and pass a tasting exam where the wine need to taste noticeably sweet.