Château Destieux

The story begins in the early 1970s, when Christian Dauriac, a doctor by trade, bought Château Destieux in the commune of Saint-Hippolyte, just two kilometres from the town of Saint-Émilion. Destieux has a long history. After a period of renown at the end of the 19th century and during the first half of the 20th century, it experienced, like so many others, the harsh years of frost (1956-1957), poor sales (the 1960s) and crises… Christian Dauriac took over an estate that had all but fallen into oblivion. In 1982, the “Féret” noted that this cru could not be compared with those of the commune due to a lack of quotations in the last ten years. No matter, its owner already had his conviction and the necessary courage. It’s true that the estate, on one of the highest plateaux on the Saint-Émilion hillside, enjoys a privileged location with an admirable view over the Dordogne valley. It’s an endearing place, but also an exceptional one. The south-facing vineyard at the summit of one of the highest points in the Saint-Émilion region (around 100 metres) benefits from both the geological qualities of the site and the sunshine, which are particularly favourable for growing vines. The vineyard now covers 8 hectares. The cellars were functional, but nothing more. Christian Dauriac patiently took control of every stage, from viticulture to marketing, and raised this wine to the level it deserved. In the favourable climate of the 1980s, he ended up producing AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru on a regular basis, but the doctor, concerned about the future of his vineyard, was not satisfied. He surrounded himself with the best advice, recruited qualified staff and, above all, tried to create the precious stone, without any inclusions, that would enable him to reach his desired rank. Selection was carried out at every level. The vineyards were restructured, and at the same time the winery at Destieux was completely overhauled. A new vat room was designed and two ageing cellars were built. In this way, the doctor confirmed his passion. He had not given up his profession, but his wine was the object of his pleasures. The Destieux wine reflects this. With its deep, dark purple colour, the first few years reveal aromas of very ripe black fruit, with hints of toast from the stave-wood oak. On the palate, finesse is combined with a harmonious structure. Château Destieux was awarded the Saint-Émilion classification in 2006, and this was confirmed in 2012… Passion rhymes with patience, and more often with reason. Château Destieux is the Saint-Émilion wine you need to discover, if you haven’t already done so.