Château Dauzac 2019

Château Dauzac is a Margaux Fifth Growth estate that holds great promise.  With a long history that dates back to 1622, Château Dauzac has changed hands many times.  Yet with the present ownership and influence of Laurent Fourtin, one cannot help but be optimistic about what the future holds for this Left Bank estate.  The grand vin from Château Dauzac has a purity to it and a gentle freshness that encapsulates the nuance so often associated with great Margaux terroir.  With the increasing investments that have been put into the property, quality continues to increase yet prices remain affordable.  To all buyers who love the elegant finesse of a great Margaux for a reasonable price, consider the offerings of Château Dauzac. 

Château Dauzac was originally owned by Jean Cousseau and sold to Carmelite Nuns in the early 1600s. Fifteen years later, Pierre Drouillard purchased the property and partnered with the Jean Baptiste Lynch, the mayor of Bordeaux.  The Lynch family was a well-known name in the wine trade, famous for their ownership of Château Lynch Bages and Château Lynch-Moussas.  Shortly after it was classified as a Fifth Growth estate in 1855, Château Dauzac was acquired by the Johnston family who were proud owners of the Saint Julien powerhouse, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. 

Throughout the 19^th and 20^th Centuries, Château Dauzac passed through the hands of several owners.  One of which was Jean-Jacques Bernat, a well-known ice cream manufacturer who used blocks of ice to regulate the temperature in his stainless-steel vats during fermentation.  This paved the way for a viticultural practice called thermoregulation in winemaking.  The current CEO is Laurent Fourtin, who joined Château Dauzac in 2013.  Fourtin was moved by the uniqueness of the terroir at Château Dauzac, and the Fifth Growth producer affects him on a very strong emotional level.  His goal is to restore Château Dauzac to its rightful place as one of the best Margaux Fifth Growth estates and it is clear he is well on his way.  Château Dauzac is presently owned by Christian Roulleau, the head of the Samsic Group.

In 2004, the facilities at Château Dauzac were upgraded and a modern gravity flow winery was introduced. Their vineyards are planted in one single block – quite a rare occurance in the Margaux appellation.  Of their 120 hectares of farmland, 49 are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines.  The vines are a bit older here, and some of the oldest vines are 80 years old.  It is a bit warmer at this property, and harvest usually begins a bit earlier than in other parts of Margaux.  Château Dauzac is experimenting with biodynamic farming on a tiny, .6-hectare parcel of Cabernet Sauvignon in their vineyard.  All the vines are harvested by hand here and in 2016 the property invited everybody who was friends with them on Facebook to join their harvest, making them a true estate of the modern age.  Given the recent changes implemented at the estate, one can only imagine what excitement the future holds.

''Mulberries, tobacco, new leather, redcurrants, spicy herbs, and violets all define the bouquet of the 2019 Château Dauzac, a pretty, medium-bodied, remarkably elegant and seamless Margaux with tons to love. It's certainly worth seeking out and is going to cruise for 15-20 years.'' Jeb Dunnuck, Bordeaux 2019 From Bottle (4/11/2022) Ratings: 94 Drink: 2022-2042

"Composed of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot, harvested from the 17th of September to the 10th of October, the 2019 Dauzac is aging in French oak barriques, 66% new. It weighs in at 14% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it soars out of the glass with vibrant notes of warm plums, fresh blackcurrants and redcurrant jelly with nuances of Indian spices, candied violets, dark chocolate and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits with loads of spicy accents and a firm structure of ripe, grainy tannins, finishing long and refreshing." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (6/17/2020, Bordeaux 2019 Issue), Ratings: (91-93)+

"The 2019 Dauzac, a Margaux château recently sold to French businessman Christian Rolleau, was picked from 17 September to 10 October at 48hl/ha and matured in 66% new oak. The aromatics take a minute or two to cohere, eventually offering pastille-like red fruit mixed with light sous-bois and tobacco scents. The palate is fresh and fleshy on the entry, much more open for business compared to the nose. Winemaker Laurent Fortin has imbued this Margaux with superb salinity. I admire the spiciness on the finish. Excellent. This could be one of the appelation's best values." - Neal Martin, Vinous (6/2020), Ratings: (91-93)

''A successful 2nd wine, marked by grilled oak notes but well handled with silky tannins and plenty of impact and personality. Gives a window into the success of the main estate in this vintage.'' Jane Anson, Best Pomerol 2020 Wines Tasted En Primeur ( 10/26/2021) Ratings: 90 Drink: 2024-2036

''The 2019 Dauzac delivers aromas of ripe black fruits, burning embers and petroleum jelly. Full-bodied, rich and fleshy, it's a muscular, extracted style of Margaux, its generous core of fruit framed by ripe acids and an abundance of rich, powdery tannins. Despite its scale, however, it's not especially complex or characterful.'' William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, (4/07/2022) Ratings: 89 Drink: 2025-2045