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Château Doyac
Château Doyac: organic & biodynamic Haut-Médoc estate in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne. Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Le Pélican, natural cuvées, direct from the grower...
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Château Doyac, organic and biodynamic Haut-Médoc wine from Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne
Château Doyac - Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux
Château Doyac is a 27-hectare family estate in AOC Haut-Médoc, in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne (Gironde), run by the de Pourtalès family since 1998. On a clay-limestone terroir, the vineyard is certified organic and biodynamic (Demeter and Biodyvin). The grand vin, the red Château Doyac, is classed Cru Bourgeois Supérieur of the Médoc; it is rounded out by Le Pélican, single-varietal cuvees and a natural range, to discover direct on Avenue des Vins.
In the north of the Médoc, in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, an estate with old roots, already listed in Féret's "Bordeaux et ses vins" in 1850, has found a new lease of life. Since 1998, Max and Astrid de Pourtalès have crafted fine, balanced wines here, now farmed biodynamically by their daughter Clémence, a winemaker. From ageworthy Haut-Médoc to natural cuvees, all share the same signature: balance, freshness and a fine saline note on the finish. To discover direct on Avenue des Vins.
A family, love at first sight for a terroir
In 1998, Max de Pourtalès returned to his Bordeaux roots after an international career in banking, and acquired Château Doyac, in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, in the Haut-Médoc appellation. His wife Astrid left the world of dance and performance in New York to join him in this adventure. It was love at first sight for an estate with old roots, already mentioned in the 1850 edition of Féret's "Bordeaux et ses vins".
The house philosophy can be summed up in Max de Pourtalès's own words: to make "fine, elegant wines" that have substance but, above all, respect balance and freshness. Supported by their team and by the advice of oenologist Éric Boissenot and his partner Emilio de Longhi, the family seeks, each year, the blend that best reveals the personality of the vintage. The family motto, "Quid non dilectis?", "What would one not do for those one loves?", says the rest.
Clémence de Pourtalès, biodynamics as a legacy
In 2016, Clémence de Pourtalès joined the family estate, winemaking degree in hand, after working in New Zealand and in Bordeaux Classified Growths. It was she who led the estate's conversion to organic farming, then to biodynamics, with a simple conviction: to grow resilient vines, rooted in living soils.
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A Haut-Médoc terroir, in the north of the appellation
Château Doyac lies in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, at the northern tip of the Haut-Médoc appellation, on the Left Bank of the Gironde. The vineyard covers 27 hectares of clay-limestone soils, a terroir that brings freshness, finesse and the mineral tension found, on the finish, as a fine saline note, the signature of the estate's wines.
The grape mix is typically Médoc, led by merlot (60%), rounded out with cabernet franc (35%) and cabernet sauvignon (5%). To these are added, on small plots, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir, which give rise to the estate's white cuvees and single-varietal wines.
Château Doyac (Haut-Médoc)
AOC Haut-Médoc - Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne - Bordeaux Left Bank
A 27-hectare clay-limestone terroir, in the north of the Haut-Médoc, for organic and biodynamic wines combining substance, balance and freshness.
Biodynamics, at the heart of living soils
Château Doyac is certified organic and farmed biodynamically, with the dual Demeter and Biodyvin recognition, the two benchmarks of biodynamic viticulture. The de Pourtalès family works to reveal the terroir and raise the quality of the wines while respecting the environment and the vineyard, with one clear aim: to grow resilient vines rooted in living soils. The estate is also committed to the Bordeaux Cultivons Demain CSR approach.
Since 2023, the estate has been home to four Kune Kune pigs, a breed native to New Zealand, which work the soil on a few hectares. Weeding at the foot of the vines, loosening the soil, providing natural fertiliser: these new allies, as effective as they are endearing, embody in their own way the estate's philosophy of living things.
Gentle winemaking, ageing in amphorae, foudres and barrels
Winemaking is carried out in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with indigenous yeasts and no added inputs. Clémence de Pourtalès favours a gentle extraction, to encourage freshness and finesse of tannins; concentration is natural, achieved through deliberately limited yields.
Ageing lasts around twelve months, shared between Bordeaux barrels, 20- and 30-hectolitre foudres and amphorae, a trio that brings elegance and purity without ever marking the wine with oak. Each year, the Château Doyac blend reveals aromas of ripe red fruits and a roundness that make it enjoyable in its youth, while keeping a real ability to age.
An estate praised by critics
Le Pélican blanc 2024 - 95/100, 2nd place at the Falstaff Trophy Bordeaux Blanc 2025
The estate's sauvignon blanc took 2nd place (ex aequo), with a score of 95/100, at the Falstaff Trophy Bordeaux Blanc 2025. The magazine praises "a biodynamically farmed Haut-Médoc estate that convinces with its precision and elegance".
Over the vintages, Château Doyac's wines are regularly singled out by French and international critics: 91/100 for the Château Doyac 2020 from both La Revue du vin de France and Wine Enthusiast, a Terre de Vins "Coup de cœur" on the 2021 en primeur, a 2022 Gold Trophy at Bordeaux Vignoble Engagé, and a listing in the Guide Hachette des Vins. So many markers that confirm the consistency and singularity of this organic and biodynamic Haut-Médoc estate.
The wines of Château Doyac
The de Pourtalès family makes two families of wines. The first, classic, in the Haut-Médoc and Médoc appellations, brings together Château Doyac, Le Pélican and a cabernet franc. The second reinvents the Bordeaux codes, in IGP Atlantique, with single-varietal wines in Burgundy bottles and a natural range. All share one identity: balance, finesse, elegance and that fine saline note on the finish. Available vintages change with the bottlings; find those on offer on the estate's page.
Château Doyac
Red · AOC Haut-Médoc · Cru Bourgeois Supérieur · merlot-led
The estate's great wine, led by merlot, aged twelve months in barrels, foudres and amphorae. Aromas of ripe red fruits, a balanced, fresh palate and a roundness that make it accessible in its youth as well as after a few years of cellaring. Serve with red meat, roast poultry or a cheese board.
Le Pélican blanc
White · AOC Médoc Blanc · 100% sauvignon blanc
A dry white that is rare in the Médoc, 100% sauvignon blanc, from a plot on the limestone plateau of Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne. Fine, saline and precise, this is the cuvee awarded 2nd place at the Falstaff Trophy Bordeaux Blanc 2025. Ideal with shellfish, fish and seafood.
Le Pélican rouge
Red · AOC Haut-Médoc
The estate's second wine, in the spirit of Château Doyac but more supple and immediate. A generous, fruity Haut-Médoc to open with convivial cooking, grilled meats or slow-cooked dishes.
Cabernet Franc
Red · AOC Haut-Médoc · single-varietal, Burgundy bottle
A single-varietal Haut-Médoc that puts cabernet franc centre stage, presented in a Burgundy bottle. A fragrant, elegant wine with fine tannins, playing on finesse rather than power.
Pinot Noir & Chardonnay
IGP Atlantique · single-varietal wines in Burgundy bottles
Two Burgundy nods crafted in Bordeaux: a pinot noir and a chardonnay, each from one hectare planted on the estate, vinified as single varietals in IGP Atlantique. The curiosity and know-how of an estate that likes to step off the beaten track.
The natural range: Rouge Frais, Rosé & Pétillant Naturel
Easy-drinking wines · serve chilled, all about the fruit
The estate's laid-back side: the Rouge Frais, a quintessential easy-drinking red, a rosé and a pétillant naturel. Wines of immediate pleasure, to serve chilled, for the aperitif and gatherings with friends.
Organic and biodynamic Haut-Médoc, direct from the estate
Why choose the wines of Château Doyac
An organic and biodynamic Haut-Médoc. Certified organic, Demeter and Biodyvin, an estate that farms living soils, right down to the Kune Kune pigs that work the vines.
An acclaimed grand vin. The red Château Doyac, classed Cru Bourgeois Supérieur of the Médoc, and a Pélican blanc awarded at the Falstaff Trophy Bordeaux Blanc 2025.
A complete, singular range. From ageworthy Haut-Médoc to single-varietal wines in Burgundy bottles and natural cuvees, an estate that likes to surprise without ever betraying balance.
A house signature. Fine, balanced, fresh wines marked by a fine saline note on the finish, faithful to the de Pourtalès family's philosophy.
Direct from the estate. On Avenue des Vins, you order Château Doyac's wines without needless intermediaries, with careful delivery across France and Europe.
Frequently asked questions about Château Doyac
Where is Château Doyac located?
Château Doyac is a 27-hectare estate in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne (33180), in the Gironde, at the northern tip of the Haut-Médoc appellation, on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. Its vineyard sits on clay-limestone soils.
Are Château Doyac's wines organic?
Yes. Château Doyac is certified organic and farmed biodynamically, with the dual Demeter and Biodyvin certification, the two main benchmarks of biodynamic viticulture. The estate is also committed to the Bordeaux Cultivons Demain CSR approach.
Who runs Château Doyac?
The estate has belonged to the de Pourtalès family since 1998, when Max and Astrid de Pourtalès took it over. Since 2016, their daughter Clémence de Pourtalès, a winemaker, has run the vineyard and led the estate into organic farming and then biodynamics.
Is Château Doyac a cru bourgeois?
Yes, the estate's grand vin, the red Château Doyac in AOC Haut-Médoc, is classed Cru Bourgeois Supérieur of the Médoc, the second tier of the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc classification, which recognises estates outside the 1855 ranking for their quality and consistency.
Which grapes are grown at Château Doyac?
The estate's grape mix is 60% merlot, 35% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon for the Haut-Médoc reds. To these are added small plots of sauvignon blanc (for Le Pélican blanc), chardonnay and pinot noir, used for the white cuvees and the single-varietal wines in IGP Atlantique.
What are the cuvees of Château Doyac?
The estate makes Château Doyac (Haut-Médoc red, the grand vin), Le Pélican rouge (Haut-Médoc), Le Pélican blanc (Médoc Blanc, 100% sauvignon), a single-varietal Cabernet Franc (Haut-Médoc), a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay in IGP Atlantique, as well as a natural range: Rouge Frais, Rosé and Pétillant Naturel.
What is Le Pélican by Château Doyac?
Le Pélican is a range by Château Doyac. Le Pélican blanc is a dry white that is rare in the Médoc, 100% sauvignon blanc, in AOC Médoc Blanc, which took 2nd place with a score of 95/100 at the Falstaff Trophy Bordeaux Blanc 2025. There is also a Pélican rouge, in AOC Haut-Médoc, in the spirit of the grand vin but more supple.
How are Château Doyac's wines aged?
Winemaking takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with indigenous yeasts and no inputs, using a gentle extraction. Ageing lasts around twelve months, shared between Bordeaux barrels, 20- and 30-hectolitre foudres and amphorae, to preserve the elegance and purity of the fruit without marking the wine with oak.
What food pairs with Château Doyac and how long can it be kept?
The red Château Doyac, balanced and fruity, can be enjoyed young as well as after a few years of cellaring; serve it at around 16-17 °C with red meat, roast poultry, slow-cooked dishes or cheeses. Le Pélican blanc and the natural cuvees, served chilled (10-12 °C), go with shellfish, fish, aperitifs and convivial cooking.
Where can you buy Château Doyac's wines direct?
Château Doyac's wines are available on Avenue des Vins, in a short supply chain: the bottles come straight from the estate, with no needless intermediary, and are shipped to France as well as to the European countries eligible for delivery. The selection and vintages vary with the bottlings.
Organic and biodynamic Haut-Médoc, direct from the estate
Château Doyac - a 27-hectare family estate in AOC Haut-Médoc, in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne (Gironde), run by the de Pourtalès family since 1998. Certified organic and biodynamic (Demeter and Biodyvin). Grand vin classed Cru Bourgeois Supérieur of the Médoc.
Cuvees: Château Doyac (Haut-Médoc), Le Pélican rouge (Haut-Médoc), Le Pélican blanc (Médoc Blanc, sauvignon), Cabernet Franc (Haut-Médoc), Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (IGP Atlantique), Rouge Frais, Rosé and Pétillant Naturel.