LOUIS BENJAMIN - DIDIER DAGUENEAU Pouilly Fume Silex 2022 Bottle

Description

The 2022 Pouilly Fumé Silex is an impressive wine that has garnered a score of 94 points from Vinous. Initially showing a dry and tense character upon release, this wine benefits from time to mellow and reveal its true potential. Its texture reflects the clay-flint soils of the region, providing a noticeable fleshiness on the entry, which tightens as it progresses across the palate. This wine is defined by its drive, firmness, and upright structure, showcasing the unique terroir rather than focusing solely on varietal characteristics. Aromatics are subtle, with lemony notes and a wild goat cheese-like quality, alongside a distinct flinty essence, embodying the meaning of 'Silex,' which translates to flint in French.

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VINOUS 94 points
The 2022 Silex is not a lot of fun upon release; dry and tense, it really needs time to mellow. There's flesh from the clay element of its clay-flint soils, which is felt on entry but tightens up as it moves through the mouth. This remains a wine of drive, firmness and upright structure; it speaks of the place it comes from rather than its variety. Aromatics are almost a forgotten element; this is a wine about structure and texture. There is a lemony, wild goat cheese-like note and a distinct flinty whiff. SIlex, after all, means flint in French. - Rebecca Gibb MW

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Didier Dagueneau, affectionately dubbed the ‘Wild Man of Pouilly,’ was a transformative figure in the Loire Valley wine scene, tragically passing away in 2008 at the age of 52. Renowned for his revolutionary ideas about winemaking, he radically shifted practices in Pouilly-Fumé, an area known predominantly for its Sauvignon Blanc. His commitment to quality led him to halve his vineyard yields and implement horse tilling, which promoted healthier soils and enhanced the expression of the terroir.

Dagueneau's meticulous approach extended from the vineyard to the cellar, where he applied biodynamic practices starting in 1993. His devotion to detail redefined the reputation of Pouilly-Fumé, allowing it to regain its status as a source of age-worthy wines that showcased depth, complexity, and a unique character.

Today, the estate is led by his son, Louis-Benjamin Dagueneau, a fifth-generation winemaker who worked alongside his father for years, absorbing both his methods and his perfectionism. Louis-Benjamin continues the legacy of high standards and craftsmanship that Didier established. The wines produced under his stewardship are exceptional: pure, intense, and focused, capturing the essence of their terroir while reflecting the family’s rich heritage in winemaking. Each vintage expresses the unique characteristics of the grapes and the land, offering wines that are not only enjoyable when young but also possess remarkable ageability, staying true to Didier Dagueneau's vision for the estate and its products.