Home > Producer Profiles > Bordeaux Profiles > Chateau Doisy-Daëne

Chateau Doisy-Daëne

The three Doisy vineyards of Barsac, Daëne, Védrines and Dubroca, all stem from one single estate the origins of which are not well described. The earliest records are from the 18th Century, which describe an estate to the south of Chateau Coutet owned by the Védrines family. The newlyweds Jean Védrines and Marie Raymond settled in a little village here named La Pinesse, which was owned by the Raymonds. Here they established an estate complete with chateau, and they or their immediate descendents are likely to have been responsible for the planting of vines. Within the same century they were expanding their domaine, acquiring a small portion of the Coutet vineyard when it was sold off, following the execution by guillotine of its owner, Gabriel-Barthélémy-Romain de Filhot, in 1794.

By the early 19th Century the estate was recognised as one of the leading vineyards of Barsac, along with Coutet and Climens, when it was recorded as such in André Jullien's Topographie de Tous les Vignobles Connus, although by this time it had changed hands, the new proprietors being the Dubosq family. Also about this time, although it is not clear exactly when, the vineyard was divided, as so many of the great vineyards of Bordeaux were under the new Napoleonic laws. Of the three portions, the largest remained with the original owners being the Védrines (or Dubosq) family, and this part became the Doisy-Védrines of today. There were two smaller portions, the first of which was acquired by the Faux family, and this was the genesis of Doisy-Dubroca. The second is the portion that interests us here, as this was purchased by Jean Jacques Emmanuel Daëne, a name said to be derived from the English Deane; it is obviously this vineyard that is the nascent Doisy-Daëne.

Doisy-Daene The vineyard remained with Daëne's family throughout much of the 19th Century, during the 1855 classification when all three were ranked as deuxième cru, and was inherited by the three sons of Jean Jacques Emmanuel in 1878. They ceded part of the vineyard to the Dubroca brothers, and subsequently sold on what remained in their hands to Jean Paul Billot. Thereafter it passed through the hands of a succession of owners, first coming to Billot's only daughter, Pauline, who was married to a local négociant Jean Lodois Juhel-Renoy, in 1884. She sold it to Jules Debans and his brother in 1889, who kept things ticking over until they also sold it in 1924 to Georges Dubourdieu, who finally provided some stability to the estate. He and his descendents, firstly son Pierre and then grandson Denis, have been proprietors at this estate up to the current day, a joint tenure of more than eighty years. Denis, of course, has other strings to his bow; he is an internationally renowned oenologist and Professor at the Faculty of Oenology at Bordeaux University. He and his wife Florence oversee a collection of domaines of which Doisy-Daëne is probably the most notable, and in this they are assisted by their sons Fabrice and Jean-Jacques.

The Doisy-Daëne vineyard is unsurprisingly typical of Barsac, a mix of red sand and clay, with a solid limestone bedrock, peppered with fossilised shellfish. The vines are mature, the vineyard having been extensively replanted in the 1950s and 1960s, and thus they average more than 40 years of age. There are 15.9 hectares altogether, sandwiched between Climens and Coutet, two admirable neighbours indeed. They are planted at a density of 7000 vines/ha, with a good predominance of Semillon, accounting for 87% of the vineyard, with 12% Sauvignon Blanc and just 1% Muscadelle. They are cared for with minimal treatments, no herbicides, and regular ploughing between the vine rows to disrupt superficial root formation. For many years these vines were utilised in the production of dry wine rather than sweet, as Pierre Dubourdieu had a firm preference for the former. Today this is not the case, and although there is still a dry cuvée produced at Doisy-Daëne, there is more focus on Sauternes, and there is even a super-cuvée made in the better vintages. The processes involved in caring for the vines, such as pruning, training and leaf-stripping are naturally carried out by hand, leading up to a manual harvest with at least three but sometimes up to six tries, which is nothing unusual for the commune. Although Pierre's approach to viticulture and vinification was occasionally unusual and certainly experimental, with plots of Riesling and Chardonnay in the vineyard, allowing the must to rise up to a high temperature during fermentation, and once producing a Vin de Noël, harvesting non-botrytised grapes in December following passerillage, that of Denis seems a little more orthodox. He has a much greater penchant for the sweet wines of the region, which by his own admission did not interest his father that much.

Most would now consider the grand vin to be the Chateau Doisy-Daëne (around 3000 cases per annum), a blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. After fermentation in stainless steel this goes into new oak. There is also, however, still a significant output of dry white, 100% Sauvignon Blanc, which qualifies for the appellation of Bordeaux Blanc, although tellingly it bears the term Grand Vin Sec on the label. Fermented in oak and then aged in barrique for up to fifteen months, of this wine there are typically just 2500 cases per annum. This is not the rarest find, however, as there is also L'Extravagant de Doisy-Daëne, the aforementioned super-cuvée. First produced in 1990, and thereafter only in selected vintages, this is a superior selection which resulted from an experiment with Sauvignon Blanc in what was a very successful vintage. Pierre and Denis left one or two bunches of Sauvignon Blanc on each vine, delaying the harvest of these grapes until November. At the time of harvest, both botrytis and passerillage had done their best to dehydrate the berries. The consequent concentration of sugar was impressive, and the fermentation unsurprisingly slow. In many vintages since the Dubourdieu family have repeated the process, usually with only Sauvignon Blanc, although in 1997 the wine was made entirely from Semillon. Quantities are obviously limited, somewhere between four and six barriques, as little as 100 cases, depending on the vintage.

Myself, I find the wines of Doisy-Daëne to be very attractive. I base this conclusion on my tastings of the main wine of course, as I have no experience of L'Extravagant, nor of the dry Bordeaux Blanc. The wine certainly tops the list of deuxièmes crus as far as quality is concerned, and would sit comfortably in amongst the premiers crus I think. The style is often light and lifted, and has been for many decades, partly down to the Sauvignon Blanc, partly the stainless steel fermentation, partly the light application of oak. The result can be very attractive indeed. I put my money where my mouth is; this wine sits in my cellar alongside the Rieussec, the Climens, the Lafaurie-Peyraguey. A firmer recommendation I do not think I can possibly make. (29/6/07)

Contact details:
Address: Chateau Reynon, 33410 Beguey
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 56 62 96 51
Fax +33 (0) 5 56 62 14 89
Internet: www.denisdubourdieu.com

Chateau Doisy-Daëne - Tasting Notes

Click to locate stockists.

2007

Chateau Doisy-Daëne (Barsac) 2007: This is vibrant, with fresh and lively grapefruit character, with plenty of rocky, chalky minerality. Good peppery acid on entry, leaner than some, but with a very elegant style. There is a nice midpalate fatness though, but a detached, fresh cut. A great contrast to the Doisy-Védrines. From my 2007 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 16-17+/20 (April 2008)

2005

Chateau Doisy-Daëne (Barsac) 2005: This has a smoky, mineral nose with a very pure candied fruit character which I find very stylish. Rich, velutinous and creamy, but with a minerally and chalky edge, this has a warm and welcoming nature. Just a little botrytis behind it. Lots of texture, just not quite as concentrated as I would have liked. Very good though. From my tasting of 2005 Bordeaux at two years of age. 16.5-17+/20 (October 2007)

2004

Chateau Doisy-Daëne (Barsac) 2004: A complex nose here, smoky, meaty, and also a little volatility showing. Rather fat, rich and creamy, deeply flavoured, rather low acidity, all very appealing, and it certainly has vitality. But there is less focus than some other wines perhaps. Good wine with some complexity. From my 2004 Bordeaux assessment. 16.5/20 (October 2006)

2003

Chateau Doisy-Daëne (Barsac) 2003: A very aromatic, musky style on the nose. Firm, still showing a little new oak on the palate, and hiding behind that are some nice white fruits. Well structured, with an appealing barley sugar finish, but doesn't quite have the freshness on some of the other wines. But still very good. From my Bordeaux 2003 assessment. 17/20 (October 2005)

2002

Chateau Doisy-Daëne (Barsac) 2002: A fine, vibrant, honeyed, pretty, lifted, floral style on the nose here. Fresh and attractive. Vigorous. Rather well defined, with just the faintest hint of volatile acidity. But very fresh too. A creamy style. This is delicious. Considering the vintage, bordering on excellent. 17+/20 (February 2007)

2001

Chateau Doisy-Daëne (Barsac) 2001: From a half bottle. The only deuxième cru in this line-up of wines from my cellar. A really pretty colour here, vibrant and golden. Plenty of green apples and fresh garden mint on the nose here at first, slowly supplanted by notes of pineapple, deep, smoky, slightly peaty oak and botrytis too. Lovely palate,. very elegant and very well structured, immediately showing some earthy, oaky fruit immersed in a fine, creamy-oily texture. This oaky fruit dominates through to the finish, which in terms of freshness and persistence shows very good potential for the future. Very good indeed. From my earliest 2001 Sauternes tasting. 17.5+/20 (March 2006)