1989 Doisy Vedrines
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The 1989 Doisy-Védrines has long been my pick of older vintages. Castèja served a bottle during primeur this year, a pertinent reminder of its quality and longevity. The 1989 has hardly aged over the last decade. Iridescent in color, it has a captivating bouquet with quince, fig and marmalade scents, beautifully defined and with exquisite focus. The palate is laden with layers of unctuous honeyed fruit, yet there is real underlying complexity and mineralité to the 1989 that renders it one of the estate’s finest wines of that era. Scout around, and you’ll be able to find bottles for very affordable prices.
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Neal Martin
Neal Martin
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The 1989 Doisy-Védrines is a vintage that I have tasted countless times. This ex- château example was poured blind. For me, it is the best of the triumvirate at the end of the decade. Quite deep in color, it boasts a captivating bouquet of gorgeous wild honey, Seville orange marmalade, fig jam and light lemongrass scents that is pure Barsac joy. The palate is extremely well balanced with just about perfect viscosity, delivering oodles of honeyed, botrytis-rich fruit, quince and tangy marmalade, matched with superb acidity. It is simply everything you desire in a sweet Bordeaux and it seems to have been à point for many years. Tasted blind at a private dinner in Bordeaux.
Tasted at the Doisy-Védrines vertical at the château, the 1989 Château Doisy-Védrines sports a similar colour to the 1990 with big fat tears in the glass. The nose is more introverted than the 1990, perhaps a little tertiary with honey, marmalade, fig and barley sugar. The palate is medium-bodied, more viscous than the 1990, very rounded, smooth and seductive with almost lush honeyed fruit, marmalade and quince. There is a lot of botrytis underpinning the rich, sensuous finish. It represents a serious Barsac for long-term ageing.Tasted September 2008.
Tasted at the Doisy-Vedrines vertical at the chateau, the 1989 Chateau Doisy-Vedrines sports a similar colour to the 1990 with big fat tears in the glass. The nose is more introverted than the 1990, perhaps a little tertiary with honey, marmalade, fig and barley sugar. The palate is medium-bodied, more viscous than the 1990, very rounded, smooth and seductive with almost lush honeyed fruit, marmalade and quince. There is a lot of botrytis underpinning the rich, sensuous finish. It represents a serious Barsac for long-term ageing.Tasted September 2008. Aug 2015, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Owned by the Castéja family (of Ch. Batailley) since 1946, Ch. Doisy-Védrines produces a particularly rich and full-bodied style of wine, with around 80% of the vines Semillon. Although located in Barsac, the wines are bottled under the Sauternes appellation.