Domaine Didier Dagueneau - Sancerre - Mont Damné - White - 2022

Wine:

From just 0.6 hectares of limestone soils in Chavignol—right in the heart of the unofficial grand cru of the Monts Damnés slope—the 2022 Sancerre Le Mont Damné White is a striking wine from one of the most prized south-facing hillsides in the region. The vintage brings generous ripe and exotic fruit, but it’s all reined in with finesse. This is a wine of controlled richness and quiet power, styled with the precision and restraint of a truly gifted winemaker. A standout expression from one of Sancerre’s most iconic terroirs.

Vinification:

Hand harvested. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels, then again for 10 months in bulk before bottling.

Temperature:

Serve between 10 and 12°C in a large glass.

Food and wine pairing:

Langoustines or prawns in tempura, slices of turbot roasted in white butter sauce, veal sweetbreads in curry sauce, goat's cheeses such as the famous Crottin de Chavignol.

Cellar aging:

From today until 2042, and beyond for enthusiasts.

An undisputed Loire Valley icon with 3 stars from the French wine guide RVF, the Didier Dagueneau estate is, quite frankly, in a league of its own. With dazzling freshness, precision-cut fruit, and finish that just doesn’t quit, these wines are etched into your memory from the first sip.

Almost impossible to get your hands on—unless your name’s on the wine list of a three-star restaurant—these wines are usually gone before they even appear.

We covered the story in detail in Racines, our magazine: long ageing on lees forms the backbone of Dagueneau’s crystal-clear style, lifted by pinpoint oak handling—whether in 320L “cigars” or 600L demi-muids. The result? Wines that are sharp, luminous, and utterly expressive.

Now run by Louis-Benjamin Dagueneau—who’s been carrying the torch for over a decade—the estate continues its artisanal, no-compromise approach, just as his father intended.

Which brings us to this rare moment: we’re thrilled to offer a tiny allocation of some of his finest wines from Pouilly-Fumé and the mind-blowing Jardins de Babylone in Jurançon (rated 2 stars in RVF). Possibly some of the most captivating wines on the planet.

One last detail: the estate stepped away from appellations over a decade ago—so you’ll find these wines under the humble label “Vin de France.” The contents, though? Anything but.