Description
Château La Dournie Etienne is a true charmer, powerful yet delicate, robust yet silky smooth: the Saint-Chinian paradox! A garnet colour with a beautiful lustre, a complex nose developing notes of ripe fruit and smokiness, underpinned by a lovely freshness. A distinguished palate with notes of garrigue, almonds and toasted hazelnuts, flavours of very ripe morello cherries, and a fresh, slightly peppery finish.
The estate
Acquired in 1870 by the Etienne family, Château La Dournie is a family estate passed down from mother to daughter for over six generations. It is now run by Véronique Etienne: ‘I needed to put down roots; I didn’t leave. […] It’s important to me to spend time in the vineyard, to find increasingly natural solutions and put them into practice. I don’t like loud, overly ripe wines. There needs to be harmony and lightness, fruit, and yet the concentration characteristic of our schist soils. [read more]
In the vineyard, in the cellar
Syrah (60%) – Grenache (15%) – Carignan (25%). The 5 hectares harvested to produce this cuvée are on schist soils. A distinctive terroir rich in aromas and colours, it gives the wines finesse and aromatic power. The harvest is carried out by hand, with yields never exceeding 35 hl/ha. The grape varieties are vinified separately. After destemming, they undergo a traditional vinification process lasting 20 to 30 days, involving racking and pumping over. The cuvée is blended once fermentation is complete, and ageing continues in barrels for approximately one year.
