Domaine Didier Dagueneau Vin de France Silex 2020

Dagueneau is an absolutely essential name in Loire wines. "A quality extremist" who takes the Pouilly wines to a unique level. It is Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre that set the global benchmark for Sauvignon Blanc. Didier Dagueneau crusaded for his idea of authentic Pouilly Fumé. He knew that healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines produces the purest, most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. Domaine Dagueneau's self imposed yield limit of 45 hectolitres per hectare has everything to do with his wines not being 'typical' of the appellation. A creamy texture replaces raw acidity; mineral flavours combine with exotic fruits. The two signature wines, Silex and Pur Sang rank amongst the great white wines of the world. They are in a dimension beyond being merely outstanding Sauvignon Blanc.

If anyone wonders why this domaine is so famous, this wine holds all the answers. In many ways, Silex is the ultimate Dagueneau wine; super-mineral, pure and crystalline, and typically very long-lived. Silex means ‘flint’ and this wine is produced only from the flint-rich soils on the north-facing slopes of the hill of Saint-Andelain. The vines here mostly range between 35 and 65 years old, and yields are kept lower than in most other vineyards. Silex is fermented and aged in the famed Dagueneau cigar-shaped barrels as well as other casks, and a portion is now aged in 220-litre Wineglobe—glass vessels that are neutral, avoid reduction and allow for lower SO2 levels. Because of the soil type and the concentration of the mature vines, this wine is always intense and often austere when young, typically requiring several years (between five and 10) to truly express itself.

While this was a warm season leading to richness in many wines from the region, the Silex 2020 shows ripe fruit, but there's no sense of being overblown. The fine line that races through many wines relying on flint-based parcels is there, carrying the nectarine and oak-derived vanilla flavours, but its influence never tips into austerity nor firmness. There's a sense of tenderness that runs through its core while remaining light in body. - Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, 92-94 points 

The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Sauvignon Blanc
Country - France
Region - Loire Valley
Vintage - 2020
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.5%