Winemaker Notes
Due to the extremely short 2021 vintage, Dagueneau has decided to produce only one cuvée, XXI, from all of his vineyards. The result is an exquisite wine showing firm mineral components, bright acidity and a deeply complex textural profile.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
Due to a challenging, small-yielding season (-60% crop) and a high level of rot toward harvest, the XXI is the only wine produced by Dagueneau in 2021. It is a blend of the various cuvées that would typically be bottled separately. Tasted on the verge of being filtered as a finished tank sample, the result is a silky yet mouthwatering expression. It's all gooseberry and elderflower on the nose with green apples and a tangy sense of refreshment on the bright finish. It reflects the cooler side of the vintage with a good grip holding the mouth. It offers decent concentration, but it's not particularly complex or lengthy.
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.