Didier Dagueneau

Something of a maverick in the Loire, Didier had been single-mindedly dedicated to producing wines of the utmost quality with the specific aim of producing the "the best Sauvignon Blancs in the world," until his untimely and tragic death in September 2008. Didier was by no means afraid of experimentation, one of the few to ferment his Sauvignon's in oak barrels. His 11.5 hectares of land are spread over the Pouilly appellation and consist of mainly clay and flint based soils – ‘Silex’ in French. Low yields through de-budding and short pruning, and a manual harvest of successive ‘tris’ ensure that only the healthiest grapes are used. Each of his cuvées are all or part fermented in a mixture of barriques, and, increasingly, demi muid barrels. His son, Benjamin, will now take total control of winemaking and continue his father's great legacy.