The Estate

the song of a grand cru

Set in a beautiful landscape of prestigious vines as far as the eye can see, Château Daugay is located at the foot of the southern and southwestern part of the Saint-Emilion slope.  Like a lookout protecting the village, the 5.5 hectare estate takes its name from geai, meaning "jay". Records of the name Daugay go back more than 500 years. It comes from the presence of jays – called daou gay in local patois – that congregated on the hills and slopes that now bear this name. The inimitable strident cry of these birds with multi-coloured plumage warns their family that intruders have come into the forest.
Like jays, Château Daugay keeps a watch on the horizon, as far as the neighbouring village of Saint-Emilion, and also has a wide vocal range... of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon notes. These enable Daugay to "sing the wine's tune" by perpetuating meticulous techniques handed down from generation to generation. And, like its emblematic bird, Daugay unfolds its wings of modernity and innovation to fly towards the future.

the flight of a vineyard full of history

Château Daugay's history begins in 1807, when the estate was legally constituted by Romain Chaperon, a solicitor in Libourne. Prior to that date, this Saint-Emilion vineyard belonged to the de Sèze family. A member, Raymond de Sèze, was famous for having defended King Louis XVI at his trial in 1792. The wine quickly gained a following and became known far beyond the Libourne region when it won a gold medal at the 1867 Paris Universal Exhibition.

The early 20th century was a time of great change for Château Daugay. Formerly an "only son", it became united with its "blood brother" thanks to Maurice de Boüard de Laforest, who had just inherited the Angélus vineyard. Very much taken by the region, his sister Henriette in turn acquired Château Daugay, at a distance of just 800 metres, in 1920. At the time, Daugay consisted of 5 hectares of vines and a small manor house built in 1816. From that point on,  Château Daugay and Angélus shared a strong family history marked by passion, authenticity, and expertise. After the Second World War, Christian – Maurice de Boüard's younger son – acquired  Daugay from his aunt and fully integrated it into Angelus. In 1985, with the new Saint-Emilion classification, Daugay separated from Angélus and in 2006 passed into the hands of Christian's daughter, Hélène, who now manages the estate. She applies the same winemaking methods used by her family for generations.

a family nest

Château Daugay is a "rare bird" that was able to take off thanks to a family of enthusiastic winegrowers. They share a love for their terroir and freshly-picked grapes handed down from previous generations. As managers of this beautiful estate, Hélène Grenié and her husband do their utmost to take advantage of their outstanding terroir and express its full potential. This entails draining the soil, green harvesting, leaf thinning, sustainable vineyard management, etc. They are fully aware that quality calls for unstinting efforts at every stage by the winemaking team, who seek nothing short of perfection. The Grenié family can count on their 3 children to take up the challenge and write a new page in the château's history.

 

hélène grenié de boüard
and jean-bernard grenié

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pierre grenié de boüard

Holder of a degree in communication and journalism, Pierre Grenié de Boüard has always been passionately interested in wine. After an experience with noted critics Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve, he decided to work in the wine trade.

thierry grenié de boüard

After management and marketing studies in England, Australia, and Germany, Thierry Grenié de Boüard held several jobs with négociant firms. He worked the vintage at Angélus in Saint-Emilion as well as Klein Constantia in South Africa to learn more about making and ageing wines.
Age 27, he is presently a wine buyer based in Berlin for one of the most dynamic online wine merchants.  

paul-louis grenié de boüard

Paul-Louis Grenié de Boüard is still a student.

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