Didier Dagueneau
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Didier Dagueneau,
Ready, but will keep,
The only wine in the range that is a blend of fruit from more than one vineyard – one third from marl and two thirds from flinty soil over a richer clay base. From younger vines, and the most accessible of the Domaine’s wines when young. This is a very pure, crisp and focused expressed of Sauvignon Blanc. While the gooseberry and verbena characters of the grape are present, this has much, much more. From tropical pineapple, to fleshy stone fruit and glorious refreshing acidity. There is a smokiness echoed by mineral, lime rich finish that lingers.
If you enjoy any of the top New Zealand Sauvignons (Cloudy Bay, Dog Point et al), Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé then these wines should be categorised as ‘must buys’, they are truly excellent examples of what is possible with Sauvignon Blanc.
Laura Atkinson-Godwin, Private Account Manager
Established and forged into one of the world’s top Domaines by larger-than-life Didier Dagueneau, the estate has been run by his son Louis-Benjamin and daughter Charlotte following his father’s untimely death in 2008. Louis-Benjamin has continued very much in his father’s footsteps, with intense focus and complete dedication to producing wines that many consider to be the ultimate expression of Sauvignon Blanc.
Their vineyards are worked meticulously following organic principles with great attention to detail in the winery includes a finely-tuned element of ageing in large oak barrels to produce wines that Louis-Benjamin describes as a ‘compromise between richness and freshness’. The wines have been described as pushing the concept of terroir to the extreme.
Critics have always marvelled at the wines from both Didier and now from Louis-Benjamin, Andrew Jefford didn’t hold back: “His (Didier Dagueneau’s) wines smelled not of Sauvignon Blanc ... but of spring, like standing beneath a waterfall: the flavours were clean, limpid eerily palpable, a soft shock.”
David Schildknecht of Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate was equally effusive: “Tasting at this address has never been more exciting and the wines have never been more evidently at the summit of the Loire Sauvignon pecking order.
If you enjoy any of the top New Zealand Sauvignons (Cloudy Bay, Dog Point et al), Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé then these wines should be categorised as ‘must buys’, they are truly excellent examples of what is possible with Sauvignon Blanc.
Laura Atkinson-Godwin, Private Account Manager
Established and forged into one of the world’s top Domaines by larger-than-life Didier Dagueneau, the estate has been run by his son Louis-Benjamin and daughter Charlotte following his father’s untimely death in 2008. Louis-Benjamin has continued very much in his father’s footsteps, with intense focus and complete dedication to producing wines that many consider to be the ultimate expression of Sauvignon Blanc.
Their vineyards are worked meticulously following organic principles with great attention to detail in the winery includes a finely-tuned element of ageing in large oak barrels to produce wines that Louis-Benjamin describes as a ‘compromise between richness and freshness’. The wines have been described as pushing the concept of terroir to the extreme.
Critics have always marvelled at the wines from both Didier and now from Louis-Benjamin, Andrew Jefford didn’t hold back: “His (Didier Dagueneau’s) wines smelled not of Sauvignon Blanc ... but of spring, like standing beneath a waterfall: the flavours were clean, limpid eerily palpable, a soft shock.”
David Schildknecht of Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate was equally effusive: “Tasting at this address has never been more exciting and the wines have never been more evidently at the summit of the Loire Sauvignon pecking order.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
£300.00
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Didier Dagueneau,
Ready, but will keep,
From the Domaine’s oldest vines, up to 80 years old, planted in tightly-packed soil made up of larger flints and clay. The flagship wine of the Domaine combining richness, breadth and power with minerality and freshness.
A pungent, attractively complex nose of lime citrus, hint of kerosene and resinous herbs. Mouth wateringly vibrant flowing into a mid-palate iron like grip, crushed stone and oyster shell. The wine grips the palate with a tannic fruit pith like grip. A serious wine with a long bitter sweet finish, buoyant and well balanced. 2016-2025+.
Stuart Rae, Private Account Manager
A pungent, attractively complex nose of lime citrus, hint of kerosene and resinous herbs. Mouth wateringly vibrant flowing into a mid-palate iron like grip, crushed stone and oyster shell. The wine grips the palate with a tannic fruit pith like grip. A serious wine with a long bitter sweet finish, buoyant and well balanced. 2016-2025+.
Stuart Rae, Private Account Manager
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
£500.00
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Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
£650.00
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Original Carton
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
£900.00
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Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
£698.00
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Showing 1-8 out of 8 items
Didier Dagueneau used to be known as the "wild man of Pouilly", not only for his hirsute appearance (long curly hair and a dramatic beard) but also for his ideas. He was recognised as a brilliant winemaker and the best producer in the appelation. The motorcycling fanatic Didier still raised the hackles of his Pouilly neighbours by accusing them of bottling wine cocktails - a mixture of wine and sugar.
He crusaded to redeem the reputation of Pouilly Fume by slashing yields in half and tilling his vineyards with horses instead of using a tractor. The secret of this perfectionist's success lied in his scrupulous attention to detail at every stage of the winemaking process, from vineyard management (biodynamic since 1993) to the cellar, where work proceeds in textbook fashion.
Unlike many winemakers in the Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre regions, Dagueneau did not start his career in wine and raced sidecars in his youth. He said it was only after ‘two falls in quick succession’ that he went into winemaking.
Dagueneau estate makes four different dry white wines, all Pouilly Fumes. The basic wine is the En Chailloux, a blend from several vineyards, which is softer and easier drinking. Next up in quality is Buisson Renard, more flinty in style, but still round, and more ageworthy. The remaining two wines are both superstars from single vineyards, and are barrel fermented. Both come from slate soils with one being called Silex, and the other known as Pur Sang (the french for thoroughbred - a reference to the horse tilling).
The iconoclastic Loire Valley winemaker Didier Dagueneau died in an ultra-light aircraft accident at the tragically early age of 52. Didier Dagueneau’s son Louis-Benjamin (whose name now appears on the wine labels) is now in charge of the domaine.