Chateau d'Yquem was established in December of 1593 when Jacques de Sauvage exchanged other properties that he owned for the 'House of Yquem'. Sauvage acquired Yquem from the French monarchy. In 1785, during the reign of Louis XVI, Francoise Josephine de Sauvage (the "Lady of Yquem") married Louis Amedee de Lur Saluces. He was the godson of Louis XV and Lady Victoire de France. The size of Chateau d'Yquem was the same in 1788 as it is today.
After a bitter split in the Lur Saluces family in the late 1990's, Chateau d'Yquem was purchased by a subsidiary of the LVMH group (Louis Vitton - Moet - Hennesy).