Baron Patrick de Ladoucette Pouilly Fume 2023
(Loire Valley, France) - [JG 94] [WE 92]

About the Winery:
The largest and most famous Pouilly-Fumé vineyards have been in the hands of the Comte Lafond and Ladoucette families since 1787 when the Comte Lafond purchased the estate from the illegitimate daughter of the French king, Louis XV. The estate is now owned by Baron Patrick de Ladoucette, a descendant of the Comte Lafond, and Pouilly Fumé has earned a reputation as one of the world’s great white wines.

After taking over Ladoucette in 1972, the Baron extended his activities to Sancerre, Chablis, Vouvray and Chinon. Today, the Baron produces Loire Valley wines under the de Ladoucette, Marc Brédif, La Poussie, Régnard and Baron Patrick labels.

Winemaking:
Grapes are destemmed before pressing, which is completely gravity-fed, a process which avoids any harshness or stalkiness. This process results in 80% free-run juice. Thermo-controlled fermentation at 60°F in stainless steel tanks for six to eight weeks, before maturing from three to six months on natural lees, with regular stirring. The wine is blended seven to eight months after harvesting and stored in glass-tiled tanks. No wood is ever used in the vinification process in order to preserve the freshness and full flavor of the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

Tasting Notes:
The delicate and complex olfactory expression opens on aromas which remind of white flower, exotic fruits. There is a very beautiful complexity for a vintage where the end-of-season’s sun brought a lot to the aromas. Excellent complexity that translates into great and elegant richness. Nice attack, straight and bright, it takes place with elegance on fruity notes associated with a dense structure and a beautiful acidity which brings a great length in the end of the mouth. There are aromas of exotic fruits (litchi, mango).

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - John Gilman:
"The 2023 Pouilly-Fumé from Domaine de Ladoucette is another beautiful wine in a long string of beautiful wines from this iconic estate. The bouquet is deep, pure and still fairly youthful, wafting from the glass in a complex blend of lemon, green apple, gooseberry, gentle grassiness, a lovely foundation of flinty soil tones and a floral topnote redolent of white lilies and lime blossoms. On the palate the wine is deep, crisp, precise and full-bodied, with a great core of fruit, superb mineral undertow, zesty acids and a very long, impeccably balanced and focused finish. I love the backend lift here! This is delicious right out of the blocks, but will age beautifully and will be an even better drink five to ten years down the road. 2025-2040." (Aug 2025)

92 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"This is a classic Pouilly-Fumé. Gala apple and late-summer field grass fronds tussle in front of an audience of lilac and orange blossom on the nose. A mix of orchard fruit and dried lemon peel fills the palate that is fruity without being indulgent." - Reggie Solomon (Dec 2025)