Didier Dagueneau, Les Jardin De Babylone, 2008

Louis-Benjamin Dagueneau is the master of this exceptional estate dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc.

Since the untimely passing of his father, in September 2008, Louis-Benjamin runs the domaine along with his sister Charlotte. Together they continue to maintain the wine legacy left by their father, who was often referred to as an acclaimed artist and ‘France’s most physically messianic winemaker in a bacchic parody of the Annunciation’. With enormous courage and great willpower, the siblings have risen to the challenge of producing spectacular wines.

The domaine is located in the village of Saint-Andelain on the very best terroirs that Pouilly-Fumé has to offer. The terroirs, the vines and the grapes are king on this 12-hectare estate exclusively planted with Sauvignon. Twelve dedicated staff practice a meticulous needlework, both in the vineyards and in the cellar, under the guidance and driving force of Louis-Benjamin, who worked in the vineyards alongside his father, and who absorbed his perfectionist practices. Run organically and biodynamically, father and son never followed the urge to get any certification. Needless to say, the grapes are hand-picked in a very short time and at optimal maturity.

In the pristine cellar, or shall we say a ‘haute-couture’ workshop, the aim is to give birth to Sauvignon with a crystalline purity and clarity. The near to millimetric ageing in uniquely shaped oak barrels of 320 litres, called “cigares”, and in 600-litre barrels called “tonnes”, offers many benefits to the wines.  

Quiet, yet nonetheless oozing with confidence and charm, Louis-Benjamin hasn’t finished his quest for ultra perfection and, vintage after vintage, he keeps on impressing the higher sphere of Sauvignon lovers. The wines are bursting with an incredible energy, they are splendidly chiselled, and they disclose a powerful personality.