Silex Pouilly Fume 2018 Didier Dagueneau

Didier Dagueneau's 2018 Silex is a white Sauvignon Blanc grown on flinty soil at the top of the Saint-Andelain hill in Pouilly-Fumé. The soil gave the wine its name. Silex features flinty soil mixed with clay, which provides excellent drainage and allows the vines to develop deep roots. The vines here are old, and the grapes are harvested by hand.

The 2018 vintage followed two consecutive years of frost damage in the Loire region, and growers in Pouilly-Fumé were able to recover both yield and quality. The harvest yield for the entire appellation was approximately 60 hl per hectare, and the grapes were harvested in pristine condition. The biggest challenge that year was the threat of mildew, which hit organic growers the hardest. Dagueneau practices organic farming. Therefore, a clean and healthy harvest is not something to be taken for granted but is certainly noteworthy.

Winemaking follows the winery's typical method: slow fermentation in oak barrels, aging on the lees (the yeast sediment left after fermentation, which adds texture) for several months, and bottling without fining. Here, oak is used to enhance texture rather than flavor. The 2018 vintage shows ample ripeness, with the flinty character providing a solid foundation to support it.