Château Doisy-Védrines

The Doisy estate was founded in 1704 and for nearly 150 years operated as a single unified property. In 1851, it was divided into three separate châteaux: Doisy-Védrines, Doisy-Daëne, and Doisy-Dubroca. Doisy-Védrines takes its name from an early owning family, the Vedrines. The estate entered its modern chapter in 1946 when the Castéja family acquired it, and Olivier Castéja now manages the property. Of the three Doisy estates, Doisy-Védrines is the largest and the one most associated with a richer, more powerful style of Barsac.

• Original Doisy estate founded in 1704, one of the oldest in Barsac
• Divided into three properties in 1851, three years before the 1855 Classification
• Named after the Vedrines family, early proprietors of this portion
• Castéja family ownership began in 1946 and continues today

Doisy-Védrines occupies the highest plateau in Barsac, an elevated position that sets it apart from many of its neighbors. The soils are varied across the estate, including clay-limestone on the plateau itself, sand, limestone with iron deposits, and clay-limestone with shallow fine gravel. This combination of elevation and complex soils contributes to the estate's reputation for producing wines with more weight and structure than is typical of Barsac. The total estate covers 50 hectares, with between 27 and 35 hectares currently under vine.

• Highest plateau in Barsac, providing excellent drainage and sun exposure
• Multiple soil types: clay-limestone, sand, iron-rich limestone, and fine gravel
• Elevated position distinguishes it from lower-lying Barsac estates
• 27 to 35 hectares under vine within a 50-hectare total estate

The vineyard is planted predominantly to Sémillon, which accounts for approximately 80% of the blend. Sauvignon Blanc makes up 10 to 15%, while Muscadelle and Sauvignon Gris each contribute around 5%. The inclusion of Sauvignon Gris is a point of distinction, as this variety is less commonly cited in Sauternes and Barsac blends. Like all estates in Sauternes and Barsac, production relies on noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) and multiple passes through the vineyard (tries successives) to select only botrytized grapes. The result is a sweet wine with fresh, concentrated aromas and a notably full body.

• 80% Sémillon forms the backbone of the blend, typical of the appellation
• Sauvignon Gris is a distinctive inclusion alongside the more common Sauvignon Blanc
• Botrytis cinerea is essential to concentration and flavor development
• Multiple selective harvesting passes ensure only fully botrytized fruit is picked

Doisy-Védrines was classified as a Deuxième Cru Classé (Second Growth) in the landmark 1855 Bordeaux Classification, the same system that ranked the great red châteaux of the Médoc alongside the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac. The 1855 Sauternes classification recognized one Premier Cru Supérieur (Yquem), eleven Premiers Crus, and fifteen Deuxièmes Crus. Doisy-Védrines holds its Second Growth status alongside the other two Doisy estates, Doisy-Daëne and Doisy-Dubroca, though the three produce wines of notably different character and scale.

• Classified Deuxième Cru Classé in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification
• One of fifteen Second Growths recognized in the Sauternes classification
• All three Doisy estates received Second Growth status in 1855
• The 1855 Classification for Sauternes has remained largely unchanged since its creation