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Producer name: Doisy-Védrines

Wines:

2013 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: An exotic, beguiling wine, the 2013 Doisy-Védrines lifts from the glass with expressive floral notes, white stone fruits, peach and apricots. The 2013 is soft, gentle and very nicely layered, conveying an impression of total elegance and finesse.

Producer Commentary:
2011 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Bright golden straw-yellow. Pear, peach, mango and flowers on the enticing, lively nose. Intensely flavored, fresh and sweet, offering lovely penetration and definition to the ripe white stone fruit, lime oil and floral flavors. Really stains the palate while retaining a light touch on the finish, which hints at soil and coconut. This strikes me as more vibrant and less opulent than some past vintages of this wine, which I had found somewhat heavy.

Producer Commentary:
2010 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Medium-deep yellow-gold. Intense aromas of apricot, pear, peach and white flowers complicated by a touch of spicy oak. Clean, fresh and full on the palate, with enticing flavors of ripe pear, citrus and honey and a lingering peppery papaya finish. Offers sneaky concentration, and the hint of honeyed botrytis at the back adds further complexity. This strikes me as one of the more refined young versions of Doisy-Vedrines in a long time, though the wine's telltale texture and structure are still very much in evidence.

Producer Commentary:
2008 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Bright, pale gold. Tight, high-pitched aromas and flavors of peach nectar, orange oil, quince and honey. Moderately dense and nicely silky, with sexy oak spices contributing to the wine's impression of inner-mouth perfume. Finishes chewy, honeyed and tactile, with very good energy and lingering spiciness. Offers a nice blend of thickness of texture and racy acidity.

Producer Commentary:
2003 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Bright yellow-gold. Spicy, ripe, complex aromas of peach, apricot, orange and nutmeg. Juicy, shapely and sweet, with lovely inner-mouth lift and aromatic character. High-toned and expressive but also quite fresh and precise for the year. Finishes impressively long and firm. A very strong performance for this chateau, and a good value.

Producer Commentary:
2005 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Bright, pale yellow-gold. Peach and vanillin oak dominate the nose. Quite sweet and fruit-driven in the mouth, with powerful flavors of yellow peach, citrus fruits, marzipan and brown spices. A bit alcoholic today but rich and strong on the back end, in need of time in bottle.

Producer Commentary:
2007 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Bright, full yellow with gold highlights. Explosively fruity aromas of ripe pineapple and apricot, complicated by saline and clove nuances. Thick, chewy and powerful, with honey and spice flavors currently overshadowing fruit in the middle palate. Builds impressively toward the back, finishing fresh, spicy and long, with a lot of character and noteworthy finesse.

Producer Commentary:
2004 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 89.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale yellow-gold. Very fresh aromas of apricot, lime and spices; lively and pure. Sweet, spicy and penetrating on the palate, with mouthcoating flavors of apricot, marzipan and honey enlivened by citrus zest. A very juicy style with lovely fruit and some finishing vanillin oak.

Producer Commentary:
2003 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Palish yellow. Lively, gingery aromas of peach, apricot,orange oil and minerals. Sweet, spicy, clean and fresh, with peach and gingerflavors. This opens impressively and builds on the back half, showing increasing fat without losing its verve. The wine'sdel icious fruit is not at all heavy or overwhelmed by oak (only 30% new oak was used). Finishes dense and impressively long.

Producer Commentary:
2001 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale yellow. Exotic, expressive aromas of apricot, honey, white raisin and caramel. Superripe and moderately thick but with sound acids giving it excellent balance. Flavors of toffee, caramel, honey, grilled nuts and spicy oak. The very long finish features a superripe suggestion of marzipan but also lovely limey lift.

Producer Commentary:
1998 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Enticing, expressive aromas of exotic fruits, apricot, honey and marzipan. Racy and sharply defined, thanks to brisk acidity for the year. Not unctuous but intensely flavored: quintessential Barsac. Really lovely, subtle fruit. Finishes very long and juicy.

Producer Commentary:
1989 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Copper-edged golden-straw. Superripe aromas of damp earth, chocolate and apricot; shows Tokaj-like qualities. Fat, sweet and deep, with almost exotic ripeness in the mouth. Honeyed and very ripe. Gives an almost saline impression of extract. Finishes very long, with a note of burnt sugar. Got better and better in the open bottle. Lovely balance.

Producer Commentary:
1996 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 88.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pungent, lower-toned aromas of damp earth, minerals and herbs, plus a suggestion of pineapple; a bit more rustic than the '97, with a faintly mossy Tokaj character. Then smooth and sweet in the mouth; a bit more voluptuous and honeyed than the '97, but is it fresh enough? Finishes strong, spicy and rather powerful, with a note of clove.

Producer Commentary:
1996 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 88.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale straw-gold. Tangy, clean aromas of peach, marzipan, licorice, vanilla and raw oak. Fairly opulent in the mouth, but supported by juicy acidity. Very spicy, subtle, lingering finish throws off notes of honey and crème brûlée

Producer Commentary:
1997 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 89.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Aromatic, nuanced nose combines peach, apricot, pear and flowers. Ripe and intensely flavored, with vibrant, firm acidity framing the fruit salad flavors. Complicating notes of spice and honey. Young and structured for slow evolution in bottle. Superripe finish throws off notes of toffee and toast.

Producer Commentary:
1999 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Golden yellow. Ripe, deep nose combines apricot, honey and smoke. Intensely flavored, tight and complex, with penetrating acidity buffering the wine sweetness. Finishes long and rather powerful, with a distinctly firm edge and only moderate sweetness. Quite unevolved and highly promising.

Producer Commentary:
1988 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 87.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pungent, sauvignon-like aromas of grass and herbs, plus notes of flowers and fruit salad. Rather high-toned and quite lively in the mouth; racy and very Barsac, but lacks the fat and richness of the subsequent two vintages. Fresh but a bit sugary on the aftertaste.

Producer Commentary:
2013 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Full medium yellow-gold. Cool, discreet aromas of yellow plum, green papaya and mint; this strikes me as being a little less noble rot-affected than some other 2013 wines. Very suave and fresh on entry, then pure and powerful in the middle palate, with a silky texture and subtle, crisp flavors of lemon, lime, apple and caramelized ginger. This very precise, refined, persistent wine is already hard to resist. Made in a fresher, less-fat style than some previous vintages, which seemed a little chunky to me. A great success for Doisy-Vedrines.

Producer Commentary:
2011 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: (5.7 g/l total acidity; 150 g/l residual sugar): Deep yellow-gold. Sexy, perfumed nose offers pineapple, honey, nutmeg, marzipan and spicy oak. Big, rich and voluminous as Doisy-Vedrines tends to be, but more refined than usual in 2011, offering enticing, sweet flavors of exotic fruits, spices and honey. Finishes long and sweet, with sexy oak notes of spice and coconut and plenty of spicy botrytis.

Producer Commentary:
2014 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: The 2014 Doisy-Védrines is all about class and polish. Lightly honeyed notes meld into almonds, wild flowers and orange peel. Fresh and invigorating, the mid-weight Doisy-Védrines is impeccable, pretty and very nicely balanced. 

Producer Commentary:
2015 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: The 2015 Doisy-Védrines might very well be one of the best values in all of Bordeaux. Aromatic intensity is mirrored on the palate, where the wine reveals remarkable depth and richness. A host of apricot jam, wild flowers, honey and hazelnut notes flesh out in the glass. Creamy, unctuous and incredibly inviting, the Doisy-Védrines hits all the right spots. This is a superb showing from the Castèja family.

Producer Commentary:
2014 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2017 - 2034

Tasting notes: The 2014 Doisy-Védrines is delicate, nuanced and silky on the palate, with lovely texture and plushness, but no excess weight. White orchard fruit, jasmine and bright acid notes give the wine its distinctive freshness. As is often the case, Doisy-Védrines is one of the classiest and most understated Sauternes of the vintage. 

Producer Commentary:
2015 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2018 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2015 Doisy-Védrines is delicate, floral and beautifully lifted. Finely sketched and nuanced, the wine is pure class. White flowers, pineapple, apricot and candied citrus are all finely knit. From barrel, the 2015 was a bit more opulent, but today, from bottle, the impression is of a Sauternes that is light on its feet and quite sensual. 

Producer Commentary:
2014 Doisy Vedrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2050

Tasting notes: The 2014 Doisy-Vedrines has a tightly knit, backward bouquet that demands much more encouragement than its peers. The palate is well balanced with a viscous texture, extremely well judged acidity, poised with a beautiful quince and marmalade-tinged finish that lingers in the mouth. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Producer Commentary:
2017 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2022 - 2050

Tasting notes: The 2017 Doisy-Védrines, which was reduced to 6hl/ha this year, is more like Doisy-Daëne! It feels much more linear and less fatter than previous vintages, notes of apple blossom and wild honey gradually unfurl in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a viscous opening, a fine bead of acidity, quite energetic in the mouth with a persistent, mineral finish. I would swear this was Doisy-Daëne but this year their personalities appear swapped...at least at this early stage! 

Producer Commentary:
2017 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Doisy-Védrines is absolutely lovely in 2017. Fresh, nuanced and super, expressive, Doisy-Védrines is all class. Lemon confit, chamomile, white flowers, mint and lime are all laced together in this delicate, understated Barsac. The 2017 will drink well early, although Doisy-Védrines ages beautifully and has a way of gaining depth in bottle. 

Producer Commentary:
2018 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: The 2018 Doisy-Védrines is understated and classy. Lemon confit, mint, white flowers and passionfruit open up nicely in this very pretty and expressive Barsac. The purity of the flavors is striking. As is often the case, Doisy-Védrines is subtle and beautifully layered, but not an obvious wine.

Producer Commentary:
2015 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2022 - 2040

Tasting notes: The 2015 Doisy-Védrines is a little deeper in color and the bouquet sports a greater level of botrytis than its peers. For me, this does not quite have the precision and mineralité of Doisy-Daëne. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite precise and focused with a touch of spice toward the finish. This is a Sauternes where the quality is weighted more toward the mouth than the nose, but I can see some upswing with bottle age. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

Producer Commentary:
2016 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: The 2016 Doisy-Védrines has a rich, intense bouquet of marmalade and apricot scents, although there is some SO2 that just veils these aromatics. The palate is well balanced with satisfying purity on the entry. The acidity is nicely judged, but some complexity and mineralité are lacking on the somewhat predictable finish. I have had superior bottles of this, hence the question mark. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 

Producer Commentary:
2018 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2026 - 2048

Tasting notes: The 2018 Doisy-Védrines is understated and wonderfully nuanced, just as it was from barrel. Lemon confit, apricot, passionfruit and bright floral accents lend brightness to this elegant and poised Barsac. Doisy-Védrines is a subtle wine, and yet there is so much to it. 

Producer Commentary:
2020 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2025 - 2055

Tasting notes: The 2020 Doisy-Védrines has an elegant bouquet, well defined and perhaps more poised than recent vintages from this Barsac estate. Dried honey, orange pith and light marmalade notes gradually unfurl in the glass, followed later by hints of candle wax and lemon verbena. The palate is well balanced with a lovely touch of orange zest that counterbalances the rich, honeyed fruit, and superb tension on the finish This is a wonderful Doisy-Védrines. 

Producer Commentary:
2019 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2024 - 2050

Tasting notes: The 2019 Doisy-Vedrines has a powerful nose, more generous than the Doisy-Daëne, though without the same mineralité or breeding; still, it is very pure. The palate is well balanced with a viscous opening and good acidity (more so than recent vintages) that lends all the tension you need on the ginger-tinged finish. Very fine. 

Producer Commentary:
2007 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 2022 - 2040

Tasting notes: The 2007 Doisy-Védrines has a well-defined, quite generous bouquet with dried honey, peach skin and overripe Clementines; there is ample botrytis here, though not quite as nuanced as Daëne. The palate is well balanced with marmalade and quince, moderate depth, fine acidity, but maybe it has lost a little complexity on the finish in recent years. Still, this is a decent Barsac that ought to give another 15-30 years' drinking pleasure. Tasted at the 2007 horizontal in Sauternes. 

Producer Commentary:
2020 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2025 - 2055

Tasting notes: The 2020 Doisy-Védrines has a more backward nose than the Doisy-Daëne and needs a little more coaxing. Dried honey and candle wax scents gently unfold in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a viscous opening and lovely weight, though not as concentrated as the Daene, yet there is a deft touch of spice on the aftertaste. 

Producer Commentary:
2013 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 2023 - 2032

Tasting notes: The 2013 Doisy-Védrines has a pure and seductive bouquet with lemon curd, apricot blossom and barley sugar scents that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with dried honey, candied orange peel and light spicy notes toward the finish. It's not as corpulent or unctuous as other vintages, and I suspect some Sauternes-lovers might appreciate that. Drink now and over the next decade. 

Producer Commentary:
2023 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2027 - 2060

Tasting notes: The 2023 Doisy-Védrines doesn't quite deliver the complexity of the Doisy-Daëne on the nose, though it opens nicely with aeration to reveal lemon sherbet, saffron and light tangerine aromas. It is not as immediate as other Sauternes in this vintage, but it does exude elegance. The palate is well balanced with a very pure, tensile opening. This seems to be a less "fat" Doisy-Védrines compared to other vintages, possessing a fine bead of acidity. It’s lightly spiced with a tang of marmalade and quince toward the finish. This is a noble Barsac in the making. 

Producer Commentary:
2020 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 2027 - 2042

Tasting notes: The 2020 Doisy-Védrines does not quite have the cohesion and depth of its peers on the nose, but there is purity—white peach, dried apricot and a touch of acacia. The palate is well balanced with a viscous texture and modest depth, though I find it less complex than the aromatics augur. Consequently, the finish just does not tempt you back as much as you would have liked. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 

Producer Commentary:
2022 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2027 - 2047

Tasting notes: The 2022 Doisy-Védrines has a fragrant nose with admirable purity, featuring wild honey, quince and light saffron notes unfolding in the glass. The palate is viscous on the entry, with a keen line of acidity and good weight, as you always find with DV, though it needs a touch more sustain on the aftertaste.

Producer Commentary:
1966 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2026 - 2040

Tasting notes: The 1966 Doisy-Védrines is a vintage that I had hitherto never encountered. It has an engaging and vivacious nose of fig, golden syrup and a light chlorine scents that betrays its maturity. The palate is fresh and vibrant, quintessentially Barsac in style with barley sugar and mandarin towards the finish. Not as viscous as some vintages that I have tasted, this '66 is motoring along beautifully. Tasted at The Arches lunch in memory of Harry Gill.

Producer Commentary:
2025 Grand Vin Sec
Color: Sweet White

Score: 86.0

Drinking window: 2027 - 2031

Tasting notes: The 2025 Doisy-Védrines Grand Vin Sec has a green apple and kiwi scented nose, like some of its peers, just missing a little complexity. The palate is balanced, with a rounded texture on the entry, but thereafter it never really kicks on and feels a little flat on the finish. I preferred the 2024 last year at this stage.

Producer Commentary:
2025 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2030 - 2055

Tasting notes: The 2025 Doisy-Védrines was picked between September 17 and October 13 over 11 days and three tries. It does not have the purity and intensity of the Doisy-Daëne, well defined, but it just needs a little more expression at this stage. The palate is bright and viscous on the entry, a little fatter than Daëne as usual, with commendable length on the finish. It is just seeking a bit more complexity at the moment; indeed, a second bottle delivers a little more tension. 140 g/l residual sugar.

Producer Commentary:
2025 Doisy Vedrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2035 - 2065

Tasting notes: The 2025 Doisy-Védrines is an infant. Orchard fruit, citrus and floral notes are nicely lifted. This shows notable power and textural resonance. I imagine the 2025 will drink well with a few years in bottle, by which time some of the more incisive contours will have softened. That said, this is a Barsac that shows exceptionally well with age. 

Producer Commentary:
2016 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2026 - 2042

Tasting notes: The 2016 Doisy-Védrines has a clean and pure bouquet with wild honey, quince and grapefruit scents, just a light touch of Mirabelle and saffron. The palate is well balanced, with plenty of weight, unctuous in the mouth but missing a little acidity, especially towards that apricot finish. Just a little top-heavy compared to its peers, although that is the signature style of this Barsac. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.

Producer Commentary:
2022 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2027 - 2044

Tasting notes: The 2022 Doisy-Védrines has a pretty nose with dried honey, peach skin and beeswax scents that unfold in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with an unctuous opening. This feels very smooth, with better acidity than its peers and a brightness on the finish that is very appealing. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.

Producer Commentary:
2005 Doisy Védrines
Color:

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2025 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2005 Doisy-Védrines has a detailed bouquet with wild peaches, apricot and marmalade scents blossoming in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a tangy entry and impressive depth, while vanilla, almond and marmalade surface towards the finish. Delicious! Tasted at the 2005 Sauternes horizontal held at Château Coutet. 

Producer Commentary:
2015 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2025 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2015 Daisy-Védrines has a "sunny" bouquet with finely delineated wild honey, dried peach and saffron aromas emerging with time. The palate is well balanced, tensile and linear, with pure botrytized fruit and a vibrant, honeyed finish that delivers just the right amount of tension. The 2015 is excellent. Tasted blind at the 2015 Bordeaux Ten-Year-On tasting at Farr Vintners. 

Producer Commentary:
2024 Chevalier De Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 89.0

Drinking window: 2026 - 2032

Tasting notes: The 2024 Chevalier de Védrines has an open, slightly Burgundy-like bouquet with orchard fruit and light white peach scents mixed with candied orange peel. The palate is well balanced with a neutral entry, decent weight in the mouth and a scintilla of sour lemon on the finish. I actually like the neutrality of this dry Sauternes—it's quite refreshing. 

Producer Commentary:
2024 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2027 - 2050

Tasting notes: The 2024 Doisy-Védrines does not possess the same level of complexity as the Doisy-Daëne on the nose, although it is clean and fresh with wild honey, peach skin and saffron scents. I would like to see more vigor. The palate is balanced and quite linear, with a touch of peach mixed with apricot and pear. It's less unctuous than historical vintages, though vibrant from start to finish. This is an early drinking but still very appealing Barsac.

Producer Commentary:
2024 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2030 - 2054

Tasting notes: The 2024 Doisy-Védrines is a potent, surprisingly tightly wound Barsac that is going to need at least several years to come together. That won't be an issue, as Doisy-Védrines ages spectacularly well. Today, though, it is far less charming and seductive than it is most years. Bright floral and tropical notes open with some coaxing, but this is a wine for readers who can wait.

Producer Commentary:
2022 Doisy Vedrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2027 - 2052

Tasting notes: The 2022 Doisy-Vedrines is classy, understated and supremely polished. It unfolds in the glass with tropical-inflected notes of tangerine oil, passion fruit and exotic flowers. Airy in feel yet wonderfully deep, the Doisy-Vedrines is very refined in 2022. 

Producer Commentary:
2023 Doisy Vedrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2028 - 2053

Tasting notes: The 2023 Doisy-Védrines is floral, elegant and classy. Jasmine, orange confit, mint, chamomile and lightly honeyed, floral overtones all grace this utterly exquisite, beguiling Barsac. Terrific.

Producer Commentary:
2014 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: The 2014 Doisy-Védrines has a more petrol/resinous nose than its peers and, again, a little Germanic in style, but it lacks the panache of the Clos Haut-Peyraguey. The palate is balanced with a viscous entry and smooth with apricot and wild peach. Yet, I am seeking more mineralité and intensity on the finish that comes across as a bit simplistic against its peers. This tasted much better previously, hence the question mark against my score. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting. 

Producer Commentary:
1989 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2023 - 2040

Tasting notes: 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. 

Producer Commentary:
2022 Doisy Vedrines
Color: Red

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2027 - 2047

Tasting notes: The 2022 Doisy-Vedrines is wonderfully floral and delicate in the glass. Dried pear, spice, chamomile and mint all grace this exquisite Barsac. I very much like the energy here.

Producer Commentary:
2022 Dv by Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 87.0

Drinking window: 2025 - 2035

Tasting notes: The 2022 DV by Doisy-Védrines is backward and closed on the nose at the moment. The palate is well-balanced, with a tangy entry and moderate depth. There's a light, slightly honeyed, simple finish. 

Producer Commentary:
2022 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2027 - 2047

Tasting notes: The 2022 Doisy-Védrines has a backward nose at the moment, though with coaxing, there are light honeysuckle, quince and dried honey scents. The palate is viscous on the entry with its signature weight and girth that fills the mouth. Good tension, not quite as persistent as the Doisy-Daëne at the moment, though it should fill out by the time of bottling. 

Producer Commentary:
2019 Doisy Vedrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2030 - 2055

Tasting notes: The 2019 Doisy-Védrines is heavily reduced on the nose. I wonder if this just needs a lot of aeration or bottle age? The palate is well-balanced with fine acidity, tensile and focused. Plenty of energy here with apricot and tangy marmalade on the botrytized finish. Give this Sauternes 8-10 years. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. 

Producer Commentary:
2012 Doisy Védines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 2022 - 2031

Tasting notes: The 2012 Doisy-Védrines has a rather simple, monotone nose, clean and fresh but just lacking in personality. Scents of green lemon, pear and peach. The palate is better with fine acidity and an attractive viscous texture. There is far more going on here, fresh with quite a minerally finish. This is just let down by the aromatics. Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting. 

Producer Commentary:
2011 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 2022 - 2040

Tasting notes: The 2011 Doisy-Védrines had a lovely bouquet with peach skin, Mirabelle and orange blossom aromas that gain intensity in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a viscous opening, powerful with a lot of botrytis, though here, I am seeking more acidity and tension on the finish. Very fine, but might it pall after a few sips? Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.

Producer Commentary:
2021 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score:

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: There is no Doisy-Védrines this year due to frost damage.

Producer Commentary:
2019 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2024 - 2039

Tasting notes: The 2019 Doisy-Védrines is bright and airy. This Barsac will be fabulous with a bit of time in bottle, once it softens a bit. Lemon peel, mint, white flowers and passionfruit are beautifully lifted. In its youth, Doisy-Védrines is intensely floral and then gains body as it ages, not over years, but decades. There is plenty to look forward to.

Producer Commentary:
2001 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2021 - 2042

Tasting notes: Limpid gold in color, the 2001 Doisy-Védrines offers beeswax, honeysuckle and quince jelly on the nose; hints of gingerbread emerge with time. The oak comes through a bit here, which is odd after two decades. The palate is vibrant and tensile on the entry, delivering the weight one expects from this Barsac, allied with a fine bead of acidity that imparts tension. Tangy marmalade and quince notes appear toward the finish. This is a fine Doisy-Védrines that is à point. 

Producer Commentary:
1971 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 88.0

Drinking window: 2021 - 2024

Tasting notes: The 1971 Doisy-Védrines clearly possesses expressive aromatics, offering scents of apricot, honey and marmalade. The palate is svelte and harmonious with citrus-driven fruit, tangerine and Seville orange marmalade. What it lacks is a sense of fanning out on the finish, fails to "kick on" like other 1971 Sauternes. Nevertheless, it is an attractive Barsac in its dotage. Tasted from a bottle from my personal cellar.

Producer Commentary:
2020 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2026 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2020 Doisy-Védrines is wonderfully effusive. A whole range of floral notes open first, followed by scents of tangerine oil, mint, ginger and spice. There is something about Doisy-Védrines that is quite exotic in 2020. Such a classy wine. 

Producer Commentary:
2009 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2055

Tasting notes: The 2009 Doisy-Védrines has a gorgeous bouquet with passion fruit, quince, beeswax and light figgy aromas that are well defined and gain intensity with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity that cuts through the pure botrytised fruit and leads to a gorgeous viscous finish. Olivier Castèja made a fabulous Barsac this year. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. 

Producer Commentary:
2018 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2023 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2018 Doisy-Védrines has a very sensual and, for this Barsac cru, understated bouquet that gradually unfolds to reveal dried honey, almond and touches of ginger and orange blossom. The palate is very viscous, as is customary with Doisy-Védrines, offering notes of lemon curd, quince, apricot and a touch of spice on the finish. It is quintessentially Barsac with a satisfying, long aftertaste. 

Producer Commentary:
2019 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2024 - 2050

Tasting notes: The 2019 Doisy-Védrines has an intense nose, though it does not quite have the precision of the Doisy-Daëne. The palate is very well balanced, a little fatter than its aforementioned Barsac sibling, a welcome touch of spice (lemongrass and ginger) surfacing towards its satisfying conclusion. Good potential. 

Producer Commentary:
1998 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale color. Tangy, vibrant aromas of peach, flowers and licorice. Intense, well-defined flavors of ripe citrus fruits and spicy, vanillin oak. Juicy and refreshing. Finishes with strong vanilla and spice character and excellent persistence.

Producer Commentary:
2002 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 88.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale, bright yellow. Aromas of yellow plum and vanillin oak. Lush, plump and seamless, with fat flavors of peach syrup, nutmeg and vanillin oak. A gentle, easygoing wine with subtle lingering notes of vanilla, smoke and nuts.

Producer Commentary:
1999 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale gold. Exotic aromas of apricot, butterscotch, honey and smoky, spicy oak; tangy and inviting. Big, rich and spicy, with captivating flavors of peach, apricot and vanilla. Densely packed but kept fresh by brisk acidity. Finishes with excellent length and firm structure. This has terrific personality. An excellent showing.

Producer Commentary:
1999 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet

Score: 88.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2024

Tasting notes: The 1999 Doisy-Védrines came from an ex-château bottle courtesy of my own cellar. It has an attractive if not captivating bouquet of marmalade and apricot scents that do not quite possess the delineation of the best vintages. At 20 years, the palate remains fresh, offering orange peel and pineapple chunks and strong mandarin notes toward the finish. Yet overall this lacks pizzazz and feels rather workmanlike. 

Producer Commentary:
2019 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: The 2019 Doisy-Védrines is a light, airy wine with pretty tropical notes and appealing perfume. The 2019 is at an awkward stage, with the oak showing through, but I expect it will be very, very good in time. Weight and texture develops over time here.

Producer Commentary:
1990 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Vibrant, complex nose of honey and apple; quite delicate for 1990. Racy and harmonious in the mouth, in a distinctly Barsac style. Apple and petrol notes call to mind riesling. Seems quite youthfully unevolved and likely to develop slowly. Finishes very long, spicy and subtle.

Producer Commentary:
2002 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale, green-tinged color. Pure, floral, very fresh aromas of lime, apricot, honeysuckle, clove and coconut. Sweet and succulent, with terrific minerally grip giving firmness to the apricot, honey and spiceflavors. Clean, complex wine. This is 13.8% alcohol, with 128 grams of residual sweetness and 4.3 grams acidity. Should make a perfect aperitif.

Producer Commentary:
1989 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2035

Tasting notes: 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.

Producer Commentary:
1997 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 89.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Palish color. Perfumed, lively aromas of peach, apricot and oak spice. Juicy flavors of apricot and honey supported by racy acids. The spicy oak repeats in the mouth. Moderately viscous, silky and quite suave. Finishes with very good length and moderate sweetness.

Producer Commentary:
1969 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet

Score: 87.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2020

Tasting notes: The 1969 Doisy-Védrines is an off-vintage that I last encountered in March 2000 (following a miscommunication about a client's birth year). This bottle, chanced upon at a shop in Bordeaux, piqued my interest. It has a fragile, rather one-dimensional yet fresh-marmalade-tinged nose and satisfying body after half century, and it feels tangy toward the finish. Nothing spectacular, but bottles with sound provenance will provide a modicum of drinking pleasure. Tasted at a restaurant in Bordeaux. 

Producer Commentary:
2016 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: The 2016 Doisy-Védrines is precise, understated and gracious. Candied orange peel, crème brulee, wild flowers, passion fruit and tangerine are all delineated nicely. The 2016 is deep and resonant on the palate, yet it also retains quite a bit of brightness. Readers who prefer the more understated side of Sauternes will find much to admire. 

Producer Commentary:
2018 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2023 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2018 Doisy-Védrines has a quintessential nose for this Barsac with honey, quince and Satsuma aromas, rather intense if not quite as defined as its peers. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity counterbalancing the unctuous honeyed fruit that segues into a spicy/ginger tinged finish. Excellent. 

Producer Commentary:
2010 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 2022 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2010 Doisy-Védrines has a slight adhesive scent on the nose that obscures the fruit profile. Despite rigorous aeration it does dissipate. The palate is clean and pure on the entry. This has a fine bead of acidity with moderate depth, quite harmonious from start to finish with a twist of orange rind towards the finish. It’s just the nose that needs to address its issues. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. 

Producer Commentary:
2001 Sauternes (Barsac)
Color: Sweet White

Score: 91.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Medium straw-gold color. Very ripe aromas of pit fruits and vanillin oak, with a mentholated aspect. Supple, round and thick; a very full, essentially gentle wine but with excellent penetration. Very sweet, sexy flavors of peach, vanilla and coconut. Finishes dense, thick and very long, with strong oakiness and building fruit.

Producer Commentary:
2017 Doisy Védrines
Color: Sweet White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2022 - 2037

Tasting notes: The 2017 Doisy-Védrines is exquisitely beautiful, a wine of great structure. Apricot, honey, mint, tangerine and biscuit notes all grace this mid-weight, understated Sauternes. Doisy-Védrines can age for decades, but I prefer it on the younger side. 

Producer Commentary:

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