SOLD OUT!
Dagueneau Tasting
“His wines smelled not of Sauvignon Blanc but of spring, like standing beneath a waterfall: the flavours were clean, limpid, eerily palpable, a soft shock.” – Andrew Jefford
Didier Dagueneau was known as the “wild man of Pouilly” for many reasons – his long, unkempt hair and dramatic beard, his love of motorbikes and sidecar racing, and because of his revolutionary approach to winemaking.
Back in the 1980s and 90s, he dismissed the Sauvignon Blancs of Pouilly-Fumé as fruit-forward cocktails little more than a mixture of wine and sugar. Instead he strove, with the zeal of a religious prophet, to make wine that was a specific, precise expression of place – in this case the stony vineyards of central Loire.
His wines became the most famous of the region, transforming attitudes to a grape that hadn’t always been taken particularly seriously by making taut, steely, and linear wines which had decades of ageing potential.
Sadly, Dagueneau died in 2008 in a ultra-light-aircraft accident – dying as he had always lived his life, on the edge. His domaine was taken over by his two children, Louis-Benjamin, who now makes the wine, and Caroline. They have followed their father’s dedication not just to quality but to purity and authenticity.
Here at Back Room Wines, we’re excited to share these wines with you at a focused, sit-down tasting where we together explore these astonishing, unique wines, all from the 2015 vintage.
We’ll be starting with “Blanc Fumé de Pouilly,” Dagueneau’s village blend made from young vines – although crisp and focused, this is the most accessible of the wines when young.
“Pur Sang” means thoroughbred, referring to the horses Dagueneau brought in to replace tractors to till the vineyard. Creamy and hedonistic, this is the bridge to Silex, Dagueneau’s flagship wine.
From 80-year-old vines growing in tightly-packed flint and clay soils, Silex has an astonishing richness, power, depth and breadth of flavor, and concentrated structure: a wine which dramatically alters perceptions of Sauvignon Blanc.
Places are extremely limited for this one-off opportunity to taste some of the world’s greatest white wines, so reserve your place now by ordering your ticket online.
All wines are net priced and are limited to 1 bottle per person attending the event on a first-come-first-served basis.
Price: $25 per person.