2014 L'Extravagant de Doisy Daëne, Sauternes, Bordeaux

An important white grape in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley that has now found fame in New Zealand and now Chile. It thrives on the gravelly soils of Bordeaux and is blended with Sémillon to produce fresh, dry, crisp  Bordeaux Blancs, as well as more prestigious Cru Classé White Graves. It is also blended with Sémillon, though in lower proportions, to produce the great sweet wines of Sauternes. It performs well in the Loire Valley and particularly on the well-drained chalky soils found in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, where it produces bone dry, highly aromatic, racy wines, with grassy and sometimes smoky, gunflint-like nuances.

Château Doisy-Daëne is a Barsac estate that produces top-class, sweet Bordeaux white wines that are characterised by their finesse and richness. The property takes the second part of its name from an English gentleman who bought it when the original Doisy estate was split up in the 19th century. The 18.2 hectares of vineyards underwent extensive replanting in the 1950s and ‘60s, now planted to 86 percent Sémillon and 14% Sauvignon Blanc, at a density of over 7,000 plants per hectare. In the year 2000 Denis Dubourdieu took over the estate. A legendary figure in Bordeaux wine circles, Denis was best known for pioneering the region’s dry white wines, improving their quality and reputation. Sadly, after being awarded the La Légion d'Honneur by the French government, he passed away in 2016. His two sons, Jean-Jacques and Fabrice have taken over the running of the family’s estates. The estate produces three wines: a dry white, a classic sweet wine and a special cuvée, L’Extravagant, which is only made in outstanding vintages. It is the estate’s sweet wines which receives most global acclaim; quintessential Barsac with the emphasis on finesse, poise and elegance, rather than power and force. Classified as a Sauternes 2ème Cru Classé, Ch. Doisy Daëne’s wines can age gracefully for up to 20 years.