Rencontre avec Véronique Dausse

For over fifteen years, Véronique Dausse has embodied the soul of Château Phélan Ségur. Located in the heart of the Saint-Estèphe appellation, this family-owned estate stands out with its 70 hectares of vineyards stretching across an exceptional terroir, producing balanced, fresh, and precise wines.

As Managing Director, she preserves the heritage of this emblematic Saint-Estèphe estate while exuding a dynamic spirit of modernity and innovation. Under her leadership, Phélan Ségur has taken on numerous challenges: securing its place among the greatest and has enhanced its reputation by blending viticultural tradition with gastronomy.

In this interview, Véronique Dausse welcomes us into her daily life, shares her fondest memories, and unveils the ambitions that continue to drive her team towards excellence. Between technical challenges, team development, and a constant pursuit of precision, she offers us a bright vision.

What is your current state of mind?

I recently had a conversation with the owner where he told me, “we are fighters!” The context is challenging, but the project is thrilling. For me, the real challenge is to successfully push the estate forward. There are two aspects to this. On the technical side, the wines have truly taken off, and I believe they have never been better than they are today. Secondly, success depends on the recognition and acceptance of this fact. In this regard, journalists and critics now rank us among our classified peers.

What convinced you to take on this project?

The project appealed to me because Château Phélan Ségur was already well-established and recognized within the industry. However, breaking the glass ceiling of an estate outside of any classification was exhilarating. It was an exciting challenge that we built step by step.

What have been the major milestones in your fifteen years at the head of the estate?

Over these fifteen years, we have experienced two ownership transitions, with a handover in 2018. The Gardinier family had a clear vision for their vineyard and business model. They successfully positioned the Phélan Ségur brand and its wines at a very high level through significant and well-thought-out investments.

My position was created because Thierry Gardinier needed someone to manage the estate on a daily basis. Even though I had to establish myself over the first two years, it worked for two reasons: he trusted me and gave me the keys.

In 2010, the sale of 20 hectares (roughly 50 acres) to Château Montrose brought Château Phélan Ségur’s vineyard to 70 hectares (circa 173 acres), its point of equilibrium. However, we had to reorganize the business, part ways with some vine-growers, and reinvent ourselves with fewer plots, including our old Cabernet Franc vines.

In 2018, Philippe Van de Vyvere, a Belgian industrialist and great lover of Bordeaux wines, arrived with his legendary determination and a clear vision: “Make the most of this beautiful terroir to aim for excellence.” The freedom he grants us is a tremendous opportunity, allowing us to be flexible, reactive, and innovative.

What major changes have taken place in the vineyard and the cellar?

The former cellar master identified a hidden gem in 1998: Fabrice Bacquey. Trained and sensitized to all aspects of Phélan Ségur, Fabrice took over in 2012. His journey is a testament to the wonderful human stories that unfold within the estate.

In 2022, Stéphane Rougé joined the team as vineyard manager, bringing an additional dimension to the estate’s existing sustainable viticulture. His expertise enables the estate to continue improving wine quality. At the same time, we have strengthened existing biodiversity by planting 5,000 trees over seven years on our 114 hectares (282 acres).

In the cellar, we now benefit from the expertise of Julien Viaud, and since Michel Rolland’s arrival in 2007, we have implemented integral vinification for certain batches. We use optical sorting for better selection of each parcel, and since 2020, we’ve fermented with naturally occurring yeasts present on the grapes each vintage. These efforts have paid off, as seen in our tasting results: our wines are precise, brilliant, and radiant. In this pursuit of detail and excellence, we have maintained the traditional racking method for our grand vin. The next step in this journey will be to evolve our vat room by installing smaller tanks that better represent our parcel-based approach.

All these initiatives are driven by Philippe’s vision while granting us freedom to focus on minute details and aim even higher.

Finally, one notable development has been the increase in the number of women in our teams, particularly in the vineyard, with salary adjustments ensuring equal pay for equivalent tasks. Training programs such as L’École de la Vigne and Les Vignerons du Vivant have allowed us to recruit young people at risk of dropping out and help them grow within our teams. This initiative has resulted in two confirmed hires.

What is the spirit at Phélan Ségur?

Lorène Babin (communication manager): There is a strong sense of cohesion within our small team. We have around twenty people in the vineyard, six in the cellar, and about a dozen at the château. Everyone is free to offer their ideas, which enables a highly rewarding “intrapreneurial” spirit. The recognition and reputation Phélan Ségur has gained over the years generate exciting energy and motivation.

Véronique: We also prioritize internal cohesion. For example, we regularly have lunch together, and everyone shares updates on their activities with the entire team to strengthen the sense of teamwork on our project. Since we are a small team, everyone must be adaptable and interchangeable to keep the estate running smoothly.

What has been the most difficult moment at Phélan Ségur?

The most challenging time was maintaining confidentiality during the sale of the estate between 2016 and 2017. The Gardinier family asked me to continue managing the business while preparing the sale without anyone knowing. I lost sleep over it, worried about the future of the team and the estate.

What is your most cherished memory?

I have hundreds: the sight of happy vine-growers, receiving a great score, or visiting another vineyard. These are moments that validate all the hard work.

Are there vintages that have particularly marked you?

1955, 1961, and 1990 are extraordinary vintages. Among the more recent ones, 2020 is my favorite. It was the first year that all four major grape varieties, including Petit Verdot, were included in the final blend. This exceptionally refined vintage stands out for its floral and fruity aromas, as well as its powdery and chiselled tannins—terms that Fabrice Bacquey, our cellar master, loves to use.

How do you like to talk about Phélan Ségur wines?

Je suis vice-présidente de l’ODG de Saint-Estèphe, j’aime ce terroir et sa diversité d’expression selon les propriétés. La structure tannique est la signature de Saint-Estèphe.

I am Vice-President of the Saint-Estèphe ODG, and I love this terroir and its diverse expressions across different estates. The tannic structure is the signature of Saint-Estèphe. When I arrived at Phélan Ségur, I appreciated its restrained austerity—its reserved, discrete nature makes it an ideal dining companion. The viticulture we practice allows us to harvest our Cabernets at full maturity. This adds an extra dimension to balance, finesse, and freshness. We have gained in approachability, with gourmet and digestible notes.

The DNA of Phélan Ségur is also about gastronomy. The Gardinier family (Maison Taillevent, Drouant…) ensured this, and we have maintained it with our in-house chef, Jean-Luc Beaufils. We offer exclusive lunches at the château for clients who want to fully experience Phélan Ségur wines.

Balance, freshness, and precision are the key words of Phélan Ségur.

Véronique Dausse

What is your vision of the customer experience?

I have always sought a balance between opening the doors of the château and preserving the intimacy of this private family estate. I firmly believe that visiting the cellars, tasting wines during the aging process, or sharing a meal around our wines are ideal moments to create a memorable experience for visitors. Creating desire is a subtle craft, especially for a property like ours, where the wines are accessible.

After meeting each person, we place great importance on maintaining a personalized connection through a CRM tool that each team member is responsible for enriching. Every detail matters, and each interaction is recorded with as much information as possible to tailor our exchanges. This requires time, but it pays off. The customer experience must extend beyond the initial encounter.

Stream of Consciousness

A film: Out of Africa by Sydney Pollack.
A song: Hotel California, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, and classical music, especially opera.
A book: Belle du Seigneur by Albert Cohen.
A rejuvenating activity: attending the opera or classical music concerts. Simply putting my hands in the soil.
A vintage: 2014 Phélan Ségur.
A dish: Lièvre à la Royale.
A memorable bottle: Salon 2002 and Clos Saint Hune 2000.
A grape variety: Chenin Blanc.
A scent: boxwood and fig tree.
A perfect Sunday: a concert on Friday, a dinner with friends on Saturday, and a peaceful Sunday morning reading the newspaper with coffee.