Château Dauzac : Continuous improvement

Winegrowers’ Portraits Margaux

Château Dauzac

Continuous improvement

Since it was taken over by the MAIF and the partnership with Vignobles André Lurton, Château Dauzac, an 1855 Grand Cru Classé, has gained a lot in quality. In 2005, Christine Lurton-de Caix was appointed head of the estate as Chair of the Management board.
Patiently, step by step, in the vineyard and in the winery, in administrative and sales management, Christine was attentive to all the operations implemented to restore Dauzac to its former glory. More than a family inheritance, it is a passion that has never left her. As she likes to recall: “I would like to make Dauzac the equal of the best wines in the Appellation, give this chateau back its prestige of yesteryear. But I would also like to continue the trend towards organic growing on part of the estate, as a mark of respect for the environment, the land and the people”.



The 2011 vintage from Château Dauzac will be remembered as a very technical year: A very hot weather conditions in spring, a severe shortage of rain very early on, a troubled summer, and a long harvest with a beautiful Indian summer.

These circumstances had an impact on quantity but not on quality. The grapes were picked in crates and then sorted in the winery, and vatted by gravity flow, to avoid damaging the fruit. The Cabernet Sauvignon is showing superb potential.



“Thanks to our in-depth knowledge of the soil all year round, we selected the grapes vine plant by vine plant. We were able to calmly harvest low volumes, waiting till each plot had reached its optimum ripeness. In the cellars, the harvest was sorted drastically to eliminate grapes that were unripe, shrivelled or damaged by too much sun. The use of a new de-stemmer (called the 'cube'), that is even more gentle with the grapes, and the technique of 'cold maceration' of the harvest before fermentation, were favourable to the fruit and to the
gentle extraction of the tannins. Maturing in our new barrel storehouse will allow the wines to mature slowly. The first tastings reveal great finesse with an abundance of fruit, without losing any volume on the palate. The 'very' great Cabernet Sauvignon, stylish and refined, contributes much elegance and depth to this fascinating vintage with strong character”.
Château Dauzac in 2011 will comprise 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and will be matured in 70% new barrels. “We must continue to produce excellence in order to establish our reputation and image, including for our second wine, Labastide de Dauzac, which is well-known on the French, Belgian and American markets, in wine shops and restaurants,” Christine adds.
Château Dauzac, an estate that is undergoing continuous improvement on all fronts thanks to the creative and illuminating spirit of Christine Lurton-de Caix.
Florence Varaine



Château Dauzac
Labarde
33460 Margaux
Tél. : +33 (0) 5 57 88 32 10
www.chateaudauzac.com
www.andrelurton.com