On a hillside above the Dordogne in Razac de Saussignac, Thierry and Isabelle Daulhiac have spent three decades turning a traditional family property into one of Bergerac's most committed biodynamic estates.
Backstory
Since 1992 the couple has overseen a nineteenth-century manor house and fifteen hectares of hillside vines passed down through two earlier generations. They found conventional farming in place and steadily moved the estate toward organics and then biodynamics.
The Region
Le Payral sits in the southwest of France, between the Monbazillac and Sainte-Foy appellations, about two kilometres north of the Dordogne River and overlooking the valley.
Vineyards and Farming
Thierry began the official organic conversion and certification in 2005, and the estate earned Demeter biodynamic certification in 2018. The Daulhiacs farm roughly eight hectares of white grapes, Semillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc, and seven of red, Merlot with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Winemaking
Demeter certification guides a restrained cellar: indigenous yeasts, limited filtration and reduced sulphur doses. Aging takes place in a combination of oak and steel, blending traditional practice with a few modern touches in pursuit of elegant, pure-fruited wine.
The Wines
The portfolio spans dry whites, Saussignac sweet wines and Bergerac reds, including a Malbec-driven cuvée. The thread running through them is clarity of fruit and a gentle hand from vine to bottle.
