Chateau Doisy Daëne

Soils

The composition of the soil of the Barsac plateau is from a geological standpoint and for the Bordeaux region unusual A thin layer of clayey sands, known as "Barsac red sands", tops the chalky subsoil. This lightly cracked calcareous rock layer limits the rooting depth of the vine to about twenty inches. The water that got stored within the slightly porous rock throughout the summer, is progressively dispensed to the vine during the winter, preventing thus a water overload. This soil is particularly well-suited to the making of elegant and distinguished white wines.

Vineyard

Replanted in its vast majority between the 50's and 60's, the Doisy-Daene vineyard is over forty years old. It is currently 18.2 hectares wide. With a density of 7,000 plants per hectare, it is planted with 86 % Sémillon and 14 % Sauvignon.

Viticulture

Traditional ploughing is performed on the soil of our vineyard and no weed-killer is used.
Organic manures are made with vegetal-based composts.
Bud removal, trellising and leaf removal are carefully done by hand.
Thus "grown like in a garden", within an orderly and well preserved environment, our vines produce early concentrated tasty grapes which have the smoothness and brightness of fresh fruit aromas we wish to obtain in our wines.

Wine making and Breeding

The harvest is performed by experienced grape pickers in 3 to 6 successive selective pickings in order to collect at the ideal ripening stage, the grapes concentrated by the "noble rot". During three quarters of a century, oenological progress and sensible traditions have combined to create the characteristics of Doisy-Daëne's grapes. With this know-how an astonishingly simplified process has been elaborated.
Extracted through slow pressings, the rich and pure juice ferments in oak barrels renewed by third. Ageing then starts with 10 month in oak barrels, in the coolness of the cellars and is regulated by the weekly toping of the barrels and regular rackings. This is followed by 9 month in stainless steal tank before bottling.

Blending

87 % Sémillon - 13 % Sauvignon

Wine

Doisy Daëne wine has a style of its own that privileges a bursting fruit concentrated by the "noble rot", strength, balance and subtlety of the flavors. The Doisy-Daëne style is all at once the expression of a great calcareous soil and a truly aesthetic family tradition, the one of distinguished white wines, of crystal-like purity, combining power and freshness, in an infinite youth.