Chateau Dassault St. Emilion Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Chateau Dassault St. Emilion with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn all the best vintages, the history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau Dassault History, Overview

Chateau Dassault was created in the mid-1800s by a member of the Fourcaud family. If the Fourcaud family sounds familiar to you it is because they are best known for creating Chateau Cheval Blanc. At the time of its birth, the estate started out life under the name of Chateau Couperie. At the time, the property was named after its address, 1 Couperie. That changed in 1955 when the vineyard was purchased by Marcel Dassault.

Not only did Marcel Dassault completely renovate the entire Saint Emilion estate and its vineyards, as well as improve the drainage system, but he also renamed the property as well following the old custom of naming your Bordeaux winery after yourself. He rechristened the estate, Chateau Dassault. The family fortune comes from the airline industry, they are the owners of Dassault aviation. The Dassault family has a wide range of investments that include the French newspaper, Le Figaro.

The Dassault family continues to own and manage Chateau Dassault today through their holding company Chateau Wine Estates. If you did not know, Chateau Dassault deserves credit for being the first estate to bring in Michel Rolland as their consultant, starting with the 1982 vintage.

The Dassault family maintains a strong relationship with Chateau Lafite Rothschild, as their wines are aided in their distribution by Lafite Rothschild. In fact, they have a deeper connection with the Rothschild family as they are partners in Chateau L’Evangile. The Dassault family also own a 5% stake in Chateau Rieussec as well as a 5% stake in Chateau LEvangile in the Pomerol appellation in partnership with the Rothschild family.

The Dassault family is also a minority partner in Chateau Cheval Blanc. In 2002, Laurent Dassault purchased the neighboring estate of Chateau La Fleur. At the time, it was expected that the two vineyards, Chateau La Fleur and Chateau Dassault would merge. But that is not what took place. Instead, Laurent Dassault allowed La Fleur to remain its own vineyard with its unique identity.

In January 2014, the Dassault family added to their holdings in Saint Emilion with the purchase of Chateau Faurie de Souchard from the Sicard family. Laurene Brun is currently the manager of the estate. She is assisted by a team of consultants including Michel Rolland and Louis Mitjavile from Tertre Roteboeuf. In late 2016, the Dassault family increased their vineyard holdings in St. Emilion when they bought Chateau Trimoulet.

During the 1990s, there was a problem with off-odors in the wine of Chateau Dassault. That problem no longer exists. Following those problems, Chateau Dassault recently finished another modernizing of their Right Bank wine-making facilities with a renovation of their vat rooms. In 2022, Dassault increased the size of their vineyards by annexing the vines formerly belonging to Chateau Faurie de Souchard.

Chateau Dassault Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The 40-hectare vineyard of Chateau Dassault is planted to 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The current vineyard blend shows a change in their plantings. Previously, the estate had a larger percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. That was reduced in favor of planting more Cabernet Franc. The vineyard changed again with the addition of the vines from Faurie de Souchard in 2022.

The terroir is sand, clay, and chalk soils. The vines average 35 years of age. However, they also have a 2-hectare parcel of very old vines that have co-plantings of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. That parcel of old vines is probably the best terroir found in the vineyards.

Located in the northern part of the Saint Emilion appellation, the vineyard is planted to a vine density of 5,500 vines per hectare. It is interesting to note that not all of their land is cultivated. A sizable portion of the estate has been set aside for verdant, park-like surroundings and gardens.

To produce the wine of Chateau Dassault, vinification takes place in traditional, 60-hectoliter concrete vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels.

Chateau Dassault is aged in up to 100% new, French oak barrels for between 14 to 18 months, depending on the vintage.

The best vintages of Chateau Dassault are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2010, 2009, and 2005.

Production is close to 5,500 cases of Chateau Dassault wine per vintage. There is a second wine, Le D de Dassault.

When to Drink Chateau Dassault, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Dassault is better with at least 4-6 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage.

Chateau Dassault is best enjoyed in the first 5-18 years of life. Young vintages can be decanted for about 1 hour or so. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Serving Chateau Dassault with Wine and Food Pairings

Chateau Dassault is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Chateau Dassault is best paired with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes. Chateau Dassault is also good when matched with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, pasta, and a diverse array of cheese.

In 2005, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chateau Dassault, they bottled a limited number of double magnums that were packaged in an elaborate, custom-designed case and signed by the owner.

In 2008, they produced a unique wine from three barrels, Cuvee Jean Pierre Vigato that was purchased as an exclusive offering by the well-known Parisian restaurant Apicius. The Dassault family is also involved with wineries in the Mendoza region of Argentina and in Chile as well.

www.chateaudassault.com