2022 Serge Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume "Les Pentes", Loire Valley, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

The Les Pentes vineyard is located on a steep slope facing south, which is crucial for optimal grape ripening in the sometimes cooler Loire Valley climate. The soil in this vineyard is rich in flint, which imparts the distinctive, smoky minerality that Pouilly-Fumé wines are known for. The slope’s exposure to sunlight ensures the grapes achieve optimal ripeness while maintaining their bright acidity.

The vines in this vineyard are carefully tended, with organic farming practices in place to promote soil health and biodiversity. The low yields in the vineyard help produce concentrated, high-quality fruit, and the careful hand-harvesting ensures only the best grapes are selected for this wine.

Grapes were hand-harvested, with a small percentage macerated on their skins for eight to 12 hours. Fermentation was maintained at a steady, controlled temperature and, once completed, the wine remained on its fine lees for an additional four-month period. After, the wine was separated from the lees and allowed to stabilize for roughly 60 days prior to bottling. 

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

The Serge Dagueneau estate totals 23 hectares, with vineyards dedicated almost entirely to Sauvignon Blanc. Their story is inspiring: Léontine Dagueneau, born more than 130 years ago, was a widowed and hard-working woman who had two hectares of vines on a vegetable/livestock farm where she also produced a cheese of local renown. Her grandson, Serge Dagueneau, took the helm in 1971. By the late 1980s, Serge expanded the estate holdings to 11 hectares, all in Les Berthiers, a small hamlet on the road to the nearby village of Saint-Andélain. Today, Valérie Dagueneau, Serge’s daughter (and cousin to the late, great Didier Dagueneau), is the fourth generation to run the domaine, marking a return to its feminine roots. She has been instrumental in maintaining the traditions while making needed improvements–an overhauled cellar and renovated winery that was finished in 2013. Since 2017, all farming has been fully certified HEV3 (High Environmental Value) organic, while biodynamic conversion in selected sites started in 2018.