Pur Sang 2023 Domaine Didier Dagueneau | Loire

Description: Pur Sang 2023 | Didier Dagueneau

Domaine Didier Dagueneau’s Pur Sang 2023 is one of the Loire Valley’s most iconic wines. Made primarily from grapes grown on the “La Folie” plot, north of the village of Saint-Andelain, it embodies Louis-Benjamin Dagueneau’s unwavering pursuit of purity and precision. This Sauvignon Blanc ranks among the most refined expressions of the grape variety on the Pouilly-Fumé terroirs. The cuvée’s name speaks for itself: there is something unyielding and almost indomitable about this wine.

Terroir and Grape Variety

Here, the wine’s verticality and mineral energy stem from the soil of La Folie, which blends clay, limestone pebbles, and pure flint. Poor in nutrients and exceptionally well-drained, this substrate forces the roots to seek water deep underground. The old vines, ranging from 25 to 60 years old depending on the row, derive remarkable concentration from this soil. Flint, ubiquitous in this part of Pouilly-Fumé, imparts to the grapes that mineral tension characteristic of the great Loire terroirs.

Viticulture and Winemaking

The estate cultivates its vines using biodynamic methods and harvests exclusively by hand. The grapes undergo very gentle pressing and a long settling period before being slowly fermented using indigenous yeasts. The wine is then aged for 12 months in barrels, without systematic stirring and with very little sulfur added at bottling. The result: a silky texture with a very distinct mineral backbone.

Pur Sang 2023 | Didier Dagueneau: The Sommelier’s Review

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin

This wine combines density and purity in a balance that few dry whites can claim. Its integrity and mineral brilliance promise at least ten years of beautiful evolution, with a peak expected between 2029 and 2035. At this stage, decanting is essential to reveal its full vitality. Serve at 12°C in slightly flared glasses to allow its full complexity to unfold.

The Nose

Full of vigor, the wine opens with flint and chalk, whose vibrant, almost iodine-like minerality fills the glass. As the wine opens up, aromas of lime zest, pink grapefruit, and white fruits gradually emerge, blending with smoky mineral notes and the generous floral notes of white flowers in a breathtaking balance.

On the palate

The palate is strikingly lively, with a crisp, incisive acidity right from the first sip. The silky texture vibrates with minerality accented by flint and chalk, while the richness of flavors of white fruit, green mango, and fresh citrus interacts with the terroir’s verticality. The finish lingers delightfully on noble, mouth-watering bitter notes, whose most pleasant textural sensation invites you to return to the glass time and again.