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Wine tourism: Everybody is welcomed at Château Dauzac (Appellation Margaux in Labarde, Médoc)

Throwback to 2019, last real summer before the pandemic…

I visited Château Dauzac with a friend. This Château is a great option for everybody: warm welcome, great wines, and a lovely visit in a Grand Cru classé, suitable for anyone, I highly recommend it !

At Château Dauzac, the access for people in wheelchairs is easy ! There is a rear entrance for disabled people, and also toilets adapted.

First, you get to listen to the history of the Château, sitting comfortably on a bench. This Grand Cru Classé 1855 is currently owned by the Insurance company MAIF. However it is being sold and should be soon the property of a wealthy French entrepreneur….

What is a « Grand Cru Classé 1855 » ?

21 Châteaux are part of this classification Grand Cru Classé 1855 in the Margaux Appellation.

In 1855, Napoleon III asked brokers and traders attached to the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce to establish a classification of the wines of the Left Bank to honour them at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. Since then, this reference list has been as much a hierarchy of wineries as a tribute to the history of the region and a commercial reference. The legendary label « Grand Cru Classified in 1855 » is unique in the world.

The VAT Room

It is such a beautiful VAT Room. Stainless steel tanks and since 2014 these wooden vats with transparent double staves (designed by Seguin Moreau cooperage) which provides insight into the vinification where the fermentation takes place.

Cécile explaining the wine-making process

The Barrels

Barrels

Château Dauzac rigorously selects, on an annual basis, the wood used by coopers for its barrels. Wines are aged for 12 to 18 months in lightly toasted extra-fine French-oak barrels, with approximately 60% new barrels to preserve the integrity of the fruit and produce “vintage wines”.

Big bottles too…To be used in weddings for example, or for the Russians who like celebrating events in a BIG WAY ! Actually this 27 litres bottle above (called Primat or Gaspard) was designed for Russia.

49 hectares vineyard: 45 hectares with the Margaux appellation and 4 hectares with the Haut-Médoc appellation. Located near the Gironde estuary whose influence on the vineyard’s ecosystem is critical, the property is protected from ocean winds thanks to 120 hectares of meadows and forests. This agronomic bubble and unique terroir have made it possible to develop precision farming through plot selection, highlighting the exceptional characteristics of this Grand Cru Classé wine.

Earth – Cellar – Climate – People: these 4 criteria are of high importance!

The terroir (earth + climate)

Dauzac’s terroir is fittingly made up of a deep trench of large-sized gravel, in a geological vein specific to this wine. These layers of large gravel of varying thicknesses, remnants of old alluvial terraces, sit on a sub-soil of clay and gravel. The secret lies in the ability to understand and best manage this terroir and its various plots, in accordance with each vintage’s characteristics. This delicate work of plot selection provides a wonderful diversity of wines with a great potential to this wine. These layers of large gravel of varying thicknesses, remnants of old alluvial terraces, sit on a sub-soil of clay and gravel. The secret lies in the ability to understand and best manage this terroir and its various plots, in accordance with each vintage’s characteristics. This delicate work of plot selection provides a wonderful diversity of wines with a great potential

The people and the cellar: amongst the 33 people who work here, the Cellar Master and the Wine Consultant are the most important ones to look after the wine-making process from the right beginning till the end product: the wine which suits their expectations!

Wine tasting

We tasted 3 different wines: 1) Château Dauzac, 2) Labastide Dauzac and 3) Aurore de Dauzac. 1) Cabernet Sauvignon dominates with its complexity, elegance and minerality, while Merlot adds roundness and silkiness. Always deep in colour, Château Dauzac expresses a subtle balance where fruits, flowers and spices are combined, with a complex body and tannins ensuring an emotional tasting experience.

2) Produced on clayey gravel conducive to the best expression of Merlot and the intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon, Labastide Dauzac is characterized by its great suppleness and fruitiness. True to the Margaux terroir, Labastide Dauzac is a well-balanced wine.

3) Produced from vines on a specific geological vein with fine and sandy gravel, the plot selection of Aurore de Dauzac provides a wine characterized by crisp and intense fruitiness. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are used in almost equal proportions, resulting in a nicely balanced style.

Respect & Environment

Specific Parkings

Specific parking for disabled too! And spots to charge up your electric cars!

I would definitely recommend this Château to everyone. My friend had such a great time, she is very keen on learning more about wine but I must admit that most places are really complicated to get to for disabled ones.

Thank you !

Dounia and me highly thank Château Dauzac and Cécile Bonin (in charge of wine tourism) for a great time. We stayed about 2 hours !! only because that Saturday late afternoon it was a bit quieter and also due to the fact that we followed the visit with a German couple…. (Yes, Germans do ask a lot of questions !!)

Château Dauzac – 1, Avenue Georges Johnston – 33460 Labarde Tél.: +33 (0)5 57 88 98 51 contact@chateaudauzac.com

How to get there ?

By plane : Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport 20 km from the property (1 hour & 10 minutes by plane from Paris) By train : Bordeaux Saint-Jean TGV station 30 km from the property (2 hours by TGV from Paris). The closest train station is the Margaux train station 2 km away. By car : 15 minutes from the Bordeaux-Lac hotel complex. 20 km from the centre of Bordeaux.

Opening times for tours and the gift shop: From 2 May to 31 October: 10 am to 6 pm, Monday to Saturday
From 2 November to 30 April: 10 am to noon and 1.30 to 6 pm, Monday to Friday
Closed on 1 May – Closed between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

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