Domaine Didier Dagueneau

Domaine Didier Dagueneau

Didier Dagueneau was born in 1962 in Saint-Andelain in the Loire Valley to a multi-generational family of winemakers. Despite this, his wild side led him to pursue racing (side-car, motorcycle, & dog-sled). He eventually returned to the Loire to make wine under his own label and quickly began criticizing his winemaking neighbors, when the Puilly-Fume region was associated with high yields and there were rumors of vintage blending.

Through his work, Didier revitalized the image of the appellation & adopted biodynamics in 1993, before being environmentally-aware was main-stream. He also began using oak barrels to maximize contact with the lees. This led to a greater ability to age his wines at a time when this was uncommon in the region. After great success, he ventured into Sancerre and created ‘Le Monte Damne’ and into the Southwest in Jurancon to create the Petit Manseng driven ‘Les Jardins de Babylone’. All of his wines have a great minerality, truly representing their unique terroir.

In 2008, Dagueneau tragically passed away in a plane crash, leaving his son Louis-Benjamin and daughter Charlotte (pictured) to tend to the vineyards & winemaking. Without missing a beat, they have continued to produce fantastic and mesmerizing wines in their father’s style.