Situated on the villages of Saint-Andelain and Saint Laurent in the Nièvre region, Domaine Didier Dagueneau has reigned as the master of the Pouilly-Fumé appellation on its 12 hectares since the 1980s. Having succeeded in bringing to the forefront wines considered until then as the "little Sancerres" of the Loire Valley, Didier Dagueneau decided to take his inspiration from the perfect mastery of Henri Jayer in Burgundy and the methods of Marcel Gitan in Pouilly. He thus became a perfectionist of detail and a hard worker, with an immense sense of humour, unbridled creativity and extraordinary genius.
In 2008, unfortunately and to the great displeasure of the wine world, the Didier Dagueneau estate lost its master in a microlight accident. His two children, Louis-Benjamin, barely 28 years old at the time, and Charlotte decided to honor their father and took over the queens of the estate. For nearly 10 vintages, it is clear that the challenge was not only successful but that the succession is now assured and with brilliance! In 2016, Louis-Benjamin was elected Winemaker of the Year by the Revue du Vin de France.
Technically, Didier Dagueneau's estate reaches perfection with a Sauvignon of extraordinary purity. It all starts with an ultra-modernised winery (supplied with electricity by 180 m2 of photovoltaic panels), a weather station and one employee per hectare (which is a lot). The work in the vineyard is done by hand and with a real respect for the environment because, as his father used to tell him, "the drudgery of the work must never be taken into account, only the result matters". At harvest time, the harvest is also done by hand, 60 to 70 cutters and 10 hoods are needed in a very short time and at the ideal time. Alcohol and acidity levels are never corrected and the basis is long ageing on lees without racking, as well as the size of the vats: "cigars" (320 l) or "tonnes" (600 l). The use of yeasts selected on the estate, as well as an irreproachable hygiene allows the use of sulphur to be reduced as much as possible.
Eight vintages are produced by the Didier Dagueneau estate:
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- The white Fumé de Pouilly is a blend of four parcels. It is aromatic and very lively. Accompanied by a crottin de Chavignol, it will bring out its sharpness. Of good keeping, the 2007 are to be tasted today.
- Le Pur Sang, a blend of the vines of La Folie (25 years old), which the brightness of the fruit makes it fiery and vibrant with roundness and peppery notes. Accompanied by a salad of scampi with citrus fruits, it develops a very long finish in the mouth.
- Fox bush, grown on plots of Saint-Andelain (30 years old), more compact, floral and energetic, it has more shoulders. It is reminiscent of citrus zests, but without any bitterness and will go perfectly with a carpaccio of scallops.
- Silex, the crystalline purity of the harder flint clays of the Saint-Andelain hill, allows these exceptional sauvignons to give the best of themselves with vines aged between 30 and 80 years old. Served with a back of turbot with truffles, it will do wonders.
- The Clos du Calvaire: extremely rare because it was interrupted in 2008 (the vines having been uprooted, they are now being replanted and we are waiting for the next vintage.
- L'Atéroïde comes from a vineyard with a free standing vine harvested after a long maturation. Extraterrestrial, with a crystalline mineral power and an extraordinary intensity, it is to be tasted of course with lobster adorned with black caviar.
- Mont Damné de Chavignol, the only Sancerre Blanc, has only been cultivated since 2005 on a single hectare. Its richness, its fat and chalky body, its depth provide exceptional mineral energy. With a Pouligny cheese, it will become a must with any Pouligny cheese.
- Finally, the Gardens of Babylon are produced in the South-West with the famous Jurançons (Petit Manseng).
