Chateau Doisy-Verdrines Barsac Sauternes 2011 (37.5cl)

A white with peaches, honey and lemon-curd character. Caramel, too. Full body, medium-sweet with a fresh, clean finish. Lots of mineral undertones and lightly toasted oak. Needs five to six years to come together. Intensely sweet in the finish. Try in 2019.

94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, January 2014

The most extensive of the Doisy estates has made a stunning wine in 2011: fine, elegant and beautifully restrained with peachy concentration balanced by flavours of citrus peel and pink grapefruit. Powerful and dense, this is rich yet refreshing on the palate, promising up to a decade of bottle development. 8+ years.

95 Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2012

Perfect combination of generous flavours, lifted aromatics and freshness. Despite its power, the palate feels fresh and lively, ready for another sip. 150g per litre residual sugar with nearly 14% alcohol! Very successful vintage that is denser and sweeter than the 2009.

18 Jeannie Cho Lee, Decanter.com, April 2012

The 2011 Doisy-Vedrines has a far more taciturn bouquet than the Doisy-Daene, offering its trademark tropical, peachy aromas that will hopefully develop more delineation throughout its maturation. The palate is medium-bodied with a viscous entry. There are attractive spicy notes and a satisfying build in the mouth towards its botrytis-rich, tropical finish, although on this occasion I find it needing more tension to merit a higher score. Drink 2014-2030.

90/92 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (200), April 2012

Château Doisy-Védrines is a wine estate based in the commune of Barsac (part of the Sauternes appellation) known for its sweet, white botrytized dessert wines. The estate was rated a Second Growth in the 1855 classification of Sauternes and Barsac and produces a sweet white wine from the Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grown on the estate.

The 35-hectare (86-acre) vineyard was originally part of a wider Doisy holding established in the area in 1704. In the years following the French revolution, the estate began to fracture, divided into Château Doisy-Védrines, Château Doisy-Daëne and Château Doisy-Dubroca.

Doisy-Védrines is the largest of the three, although former Doisy-Daëne proprietor, Denis Dubourdieu acquired the Doisy-Dubroca estate in its entirety in 2014 and has consolidated the two.

Doisy-Védrines has been owned by the Castéja family since the 19th Century. The Castéjas – a well-known name in the region – also own several other Bordeaux estates through their major négociant business Borie-Manoux. These include Château Batailly in Pauillac and Château Trotte Vieille in Saint-Émilion.

The vineyard is planted to 80 percent Sémillon, 15 percent Sauvignon Blanc and five percent Muscadelle. As is often the case in local sweet wine production, the grapes are harvested in successive waves, or "tries" in French. Pickers will only harvest the most botrytis-affected bunches, leaving others for subsequent "tries".

Once fermented, the wine spends around 18 months in barrel, of which roughly half are new. Production stands at around 40,000 bottles annually, including the second wine, Château Petit Védrines.

Although Doisy-Védrines is located in Barsac, it takes advantage of the appellation laws that allow it to be labeled with a Sauternes designation.