Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A delightfully, pungently intense bouquet of hedge flowers and resinous herbs rises from the glass of Dagueneau 2011 Blanc Fume de Pouilly Silex, anticipating the bittersweet presence of herbal essences and inner-mouth floral perfume that are allied to nut and citrus oils on a dense, subtly oleaginous palate. This finishes with an authoritative sense of grip and I expect it will not only perform well for a decade but benefit from being left alone for the first several years in bottle.
Range: 92-93+ Points
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Famous in the Loire and throughout the world for perfumed Sauvignon blanc, Pouilly-Fume sits due east, across the Loire River from Sancerre. Limestone soils with clay and flint (also called silex) contribute to the wines' freshness and often times smoky, flinty, mineral character.