VDF Les jardins de Babylone 2019 Didier Dagueneau | Loire

The"Le Jardin de Babylone demi-sec" cuvée from the Didier Dagueneau wine estate is a sublime and very rare cuvée that pays tribute to the richness of the Jurançon terroir. Produced mainly from Petit Manseng grapes, this cuvée was born by accident in 2013, when the sugar concentration proved insufficient for a sweet wine. Following this unexpected but sublime result, Louis-Benjamin Dagueneau repeated the experiment, giving birth to this demi-sec of great purity and unique lightness on the palate.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin: The 2019 vintage, marked by a hot, dry summer and a warming foehn effect in September, favored exceptionally ripe grapes. Thanks to precise sorting, the bunches are carefully selected to preserve their aromatic potential. The Petit Manseng grape expresses all its intensity, without heaviness, with natural fermentations that give it finesse and balance.

The nose reveals deep, enveloping notes of honey, beeswax, lemon zest, pomelo and mandarin, accompanied by stewed fruits such as plum, apricot and quince. As it opens, the bouquet evolves towards exotic aromas of dates, dried pineapple, hazelnuts and sweet spices, forming a rich, harmonious aromatic whole.

The palate is brilliantly lively, despite its 70 grams of residual sugar. Juicy acidity supports the fruit and gives the wine a balanced freshness, avoiding any heaviness. Flavors follow one another on candied citrus, creating a long, salivating sensation, almost endless on the palate.