Wine Advisor
Doisy Vedrines 2001
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Having tasted the Doisy-Vedrines 2001 on numerous occasions, I was expecting great things. Here under blind conditions – it delivered. It has always sported a wonderful bouquet with well defined citrus-driven fruit, augmented by orange blossom and barley sugar scents, hints of lemon curd in the background. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity. Orange peel and apricot abound and lead to a focused and beautifully defined tense finish that contradict this estate's tendency towards fatness and richness. This is a great Barsac from Olivier Castèja and has a bright future ahead.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Light gold with a gorgeous nose of tropical fruits, caramel, spice, and honey, this rich, intense, full-bodied Sauternes is moderately sweet with good acidity and loads of fruit and flesh. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2016.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 10-Year On horizontal. This has a more introverted nose at first but it opens up with notes of Clementine, clear honey, acacia and apricot. Once again, very pure with fine delineation and excellent mineralite. The palate is medium-bodied with a viscous entry, a great deal of botrytis here, good acidity but just cutting away a little short on the finish. Tasted March 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the château, the 2001 Château Doisy-Védrines has an attractive honeysuckle and butterscotch bouquet, well defined with just a touch of wet wool. Returning after 10 minutes it does appear to have lost some of its panache and complexity. The palate is clean and fresh on the entry: tangerine and honey, dried orange peel and a focused, tensile finish that feels long in the mouth, but like the aromatics, aeration seems to take this Barsac apart at the seams and it falls just a little flat. I must confess that this particular vintage did not match previous, more impressive showings.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Medium gold-colored with a greenish nuance, this is a fruit bomb-styled Sauternes revealing aromas of smoky oak overlaying orange marmalade characteristics. Uncomplicated, sweet, rich, concentrated, obvious, and blatantly commercial, it will drink well for 10-12 years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
First tasted May-02 and then several time thereafter when it has consistently been a delight. Last tasted in May 2005 at CECWINE where it was voted many persons' "wine of the night." A gorgeous zesty, peachy nose with superb definition. The palate is poised, focused, floral and peachy. Very cohesive but more backward than the 1999. Crisp acidity lifts this wine beautifully. Superb. Drink from 2008.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
First tasted May-02 and then several time thereafter when it has consistently been a delight. Last tasted in May 2005 at CECWINE where it was voted many persons' "wine of the night." A gorgeous zesty, peachy nose with superb definition. The palate is poised, focused, floral and peachy. Very cohesive but more backward than the 1999. Crisp acidity lifts this wine beautifully. Superb. Drink from 2008. (No tasting note was provided in Issue 140. We have instead included the text of the tasting note from the 2002 Neal Martin’s Wine Journal)
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Doisy-Vedrines vertical at the chateau. A lucid light golden hue. Once again there is a minerality on the nose, limestone and Alpine stream with touches of honey and smoke. The palate is very vibrant, racy, beautifully balanced and very well focused with a real sense of minerality coming through. Fresh and vibrant, lovely ripe honeyed fruit with touches of orange blossom, apricot and peach. A feminine Doisy-Vedrines. Excellent, but give it more time for the bouquet to open. Drink now-2030+ Tasted September 2008.
About the Producer
The Chevaliers de Védrines owned this estate for centuries and gave their name to it. Included in the 1855 classification, it was acquired by the family of the present owners in the mid-19th century. Doisy-Védrines is located on the clay-limestone rise in Haut Barsac. The soil is ploughed the traditional way and the grapes are picked by hand in several waves (up to 6 or 8). Fermentation and ageing take place in barrels (exclusively French oak). The combination of modern and traditional techniques gives Château Doisy-Védrines its trademark richness and finesse typical of the great growths of Sauternes. Annual production amounts to 40,000 bottles. When young, the wine is well-balanced and very pleasant, especially as an aperitif. Older vintages are a delight at the end of a meal.
