Not to be Forgotten...
2009 Dagueneau Silex & Pur Sang
New Vintage Release...
"The 2009 collection promises to be the best group of Sauvignons rendered in that year."
-David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate
There are many who might think the story of Dagueneau ended in 2008 with the tragic death of Didier Dagueneau.
From everything we've heard (to say nothing of the outstanding reviews, below) this is just not true: the 2009 collection may very well be one of the very best.
The truth is that Didier's son Louis-Benjamin had worked for several years with his father and the transition, at least in winemaking terms, has been smooth. As Schildknecht makes clear, “the crew here are no doubt exceptionally capable of carrying on.”
This email goes out only to those of you who have supported Dagueneau and the greats of the Loire (Vatan, Cotat) - another thing which has not changed is the limited quantities available.
The 2009 vintage was a ripe one in the Loire, which plays very well into the style at Dagueneau. As with some of France's other great white wine makers (Dauvissat, Roulot, Lafon, etc) the ripeness comes across more as a textural emphasis - the wines somehow remain vibrant.
The star of the Dagueneau portfolio is the Silex. Schildknecht refers to the "vibrant, buoyant finish" on, get ready, "this silken textured seducer." In any event, the wine has focus - let's stay there.
While the Silex is always the headliner, in 2009 watch out for the Pur Sang. Writes Schildknecht: "Rock-licking minerality, in the mouth this could be mistaken for a great Riesling."
Sauvignon Blancs like this do not come easily or regularly - these truly are exceptional wines that deserve to stand next to the great wines of Chablis and the Côte d'Or.
We'll leave it at that - quantities are just so limited. Please find the reviews below. To order, please reply to this email or call the store at (212) 980-9463. Oh, and because it's Saturday, note that you may not hear back from us until Monday!
Stephen Bitterolf
Wine Director
Crush Wine & Spirits
Pur Sang
Schildknecht, Wine Advocate: "Based primarily on fruit from a relatively clay-rich site in Saint Laurent, the Dagueneau 2009 Blanc Fume de Pouilly Pur Sang smells deliciously of elder flower white peach, and cassis. Vividly peachy and with rock-licking minerality, in the mouth this could be mistaken for a great Riesling. Nettle and grapefruit lend brightness in a long, luscious, vibrant finish that also incorporates rich, saline oyster liqueur and oyster meat-like elements. This is going to be both accessible and at the same time worthy of careful attention to its nuances over the coming decade or so."
Silex
Schildknecht, Wine Advocate: "From an enclave just outside the cuverie in Saint Andelain, the Dagueneau 2009 Blanc Fume de Pouilly Silex delivers an almost inordinate diversity of floral, herbal, citrus (predominately grapefruit), and pit-fruit (predominately nectarine) elements, with the bitterness of fruit pits, smoky pungency of red currant and crushed stone, as well as notes of shrimp shell reduction and iodine inflecting a long, bittersweet, yet at the same time vibrant, buoyant finish. This silken textured seducer should gain with time in bottle and be worth following for ten or a dozen years."