2004 Blanc Fume de Pouilly par Didier Dagueneau

A new wine from the Loire’s iconoclastic superstar Didier Dagueneau. His big bold Sauvignons, i.e., the steely Silex and Pur Sang, are so admired and so much copied that he’s gone back, this time, to the old name for Pouilly-Fume -- Blanc Fume de Pouilly. Instead of his usual startling graphics, the label is the transcript of a simple song. The cuvee includes grapes from the famous Pur Sang, Buisson Renard and Silex vineyards.

This first vintage is a beautiful wine, crisp and juicy, with a chiseled minerality and a scent of key lime. Solid and well-made, it has plenty of personality and is a relative bargain for a wine of this quality. Especially from M. Dagueneau. It’s also a terrific wine with food. Think shellfish, grilled scampi, fish in beurre blanc, even a roast chicken with preserved-lemon butter tucked under the skin.

Quick swirl

Region: Loire Valley

Price: About $45

Style: Crisp and minerally

Food it goes with: Shellfish, grilled scampi, roast chicken

Where you find it: Available at fine wine retailers throughout Southern California

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-- S. Irene Virbila