Domaine Didier Dagueneau Vin de France Silex

Domaine Didier Dagueneau Vin de France Silex

$400.00
6 + $360.00 each
12 + $334.00 each
Out of stock

Variety

Sauvignon Blanc

Vintage

2018

Size

750ml

Country

France

Region

Loire Valley

Description

“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.” David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate

“When his father died in September of 2008, Louis Benjamin was only 26 years old. While some things have changed since then, much remains the same. The dogs are gone, and the house has a different flair, but the meticulous attention to detail in the vineyards and the precision in the cellar have, if anything, become even more perfectionist under his direction.” Joel B Payne, Vinous

In many ways the ultimate Dagueneau wine, Silex is super-mineral, pure and crystalline, and is typically driven, intense and 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 most other vineyards. Silex is fermented and aged in the famed Dagueneau cigar-shaped barrels as well as other casks.

Because of the soil type, this wine is often intense, regal and almost austere in personality when young, and requires at least a few years before it begins to truly express itself. The 2018 shows all the characteristics of a classic Silex yet it is already wonderful drinking. It’s the most mineral, the most vibrant, the most intense Pouilly in the line-up, with loads of smoky, powdery drive, but also good depth. There are immediately appealing characters of mixed citrus (cumquat and orange) as well as some amaro/bitters-like notes and all kinds of florals. These are balanced by generosity from the ripe fruit and aging on lees, which give an added kiss of flesh. The length is other-worldly. A fully ripe and already glorious Silex—if anyone wonders why this Domaine is so famous, this wine holds all the answers.