Château Daugay
Located on the slopes west of St Emilion, Château Daugay is one of a small number of properties that takes its name from the lieu-dit of Daugay, itself a derivation of daou gay, a local name for the jays that used to gather among the trees on these slopes. Although, if you read my profile of Château Quintus, previously known as Château Tertre-Daugay of course, you will discover an alternative theory that daugay is derived from an old Gascon word for a look-out post. I suspect we should perhaps take both explanations with an appropriately large pinch of salt.
Unlike its neighbour Château Quintus, the position of Château Daugay on the slopes is far from prominent, and I confess I have driven close by many times without giving it so much as a glance. It was not until I was presented with a bottle to taste during a visit to Château Angélus that I was reminded of this estate’s existence. Long a possession of the extended Grenié–Boüard de Laforest family, its appearance at Château Angélus was a marker of the property coming more firmly into the family fold, which suggested to me that there were changes and improvements afoot. And that it was probably time to look at this St Emilion estate more closely.
Origins
The land at Daugay originally belonged to the noble de Sèze family, about whom I have already written in my profile of Château Berliquet; the two properties are of course very close to one another, and the Berliquet and de Sèze families were joined by marriage.
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