2001 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Silex Blanc Fumé de Pouilly

I'm a firm believer that with very few exceptions Sauvignon doesn't age. Silex is one of those glorious exceptions. If I had this wine blind I think I would be hard pressed to pin it as a Sauvignon. There are honeyed, tropical aromas with a whiff of ginger on the nose that are reminiscent of Riesling, though there is also a distinctively chalky / earthy character that sends me back to the Loire. The palate has a richness and the medium to full body of a ripe Sauvignon plus the acidity is crisp and kind of raspy in a uniquely Sauvignon manner. But it's the complexity and depth of flavors on this Silex that are completely alien to most Sauvs ' layers a guava, ginger nuts, white pepper and minerals. Very long, dry, exotic finish.

Author: Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Straw, melon, white peach and macadamia nut flavors glide along, while live-wire stone, mineral and lime notes ripple underneath, providing a terrific tug of war on the palate. Very, very long finish. Hard to imagine Sauvignon Blanc delivering more harmony or precision than this.

Author: James Molesworth