Didier Dagueneau XXI Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (Loire, France) - [VM 91]

Didier Dagueneau XXI Sauvignon Blanc 2021
(Loire, France) - [VM 91]


$251.00 $159.97 Save $91.03
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VM91
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About the Winemaker:
Was there ever a more mythical iconoclastic figure in the world of wine than the late, great Didier Dagueneau?

A professional motorcycle racer in a former life, Dagueneau took the village of Saint Andelain like a hurricane in 1982. As an untrained hand in growing grapes or making wine, he set about crafting what are now considered the most intense, chiselled and now, sought-after Sauvignon Blancs on the planet.

His wines gained notoriety for their piercing minerality, mind-warping length and kaleidoscopic complexity. They transcended the varietal characters of Sauvignon Blanc, mature majestically and have reframed for many the potential for the variety to convey terroir with the utmost transparency. The term 'cult figure' doesn't really do him justice.

Sadly, he passed away in 2008 but his son Louis-Benjamin and daughter Charlotte have continued their father's exacting standards and the wines continue to redefine the possibilities for Sauvignon Blanc's potential to make some of the world's greatest white wines.

About the Wine:

2021 was a devastatingly short crop due to spring frosts, so Benjamin Dagueneau decided to make just one cuvée, like Didier did when he started back in 1983. The short crop set followed by a cool growing season resulted in a harvest of very few bunches that were graced with the stunning juxtaposition of brilliant high acid and fully ripe phenolics. Mineral components align with pin-point precision and keep the wine grounded but also light on its feet.

We would have to look back a couple of decades to find a vintage graced with these attributes, but 2001 and 2008 come to mind, both of which remain graceful, complex and amazingly generous for vintages that were considered lean upon release


Ratings and Reviews

91 Points - Vinous Media:
"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. (Drink between 2024-2030)" - Rebecca Gibb, MW (July 2023)

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