Ladoucette Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc

Pouilly-Fumé, France

Vintage:2023 (Current)

2021 (Past) | 2022 (Past) |

Tech Sheet Download Download PDF with Scores Download PDF without Scores

Ladoucette Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc 2023
  • VFTC 94
  • WE 92

Reviews

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points December 2025, Reggie Solomon

This is a classic Pouilly-Fumé. Gala apple and late-summer field grass fronds tussle in front of an audience of lilac and orange blossom on the nose. A mix of orchard fruit and dried lemon peel fills the palate that is fruity without being indulgent.

View From the Cellar 94 Points August 2025, John Gilman

The 2023 Pouilly-Fumé from Domaine de Ladoucette is another beautiful wine in a long string of beautiful wines from this iconic estate. The bouquet is deep, pure and still fairly youthful, wafting from the glass in a complex blend of lemon, green apple, gooseberry, gentle grassiness, a lovely foundation of flinty soil tones and a floral topnote redolent of white lilies and lime blossoms. On the palate the wine is deep, crisp, precise and full-bodied, with a great core of fruit, superb mineral undertow, zesty acids and a very long, impeccably balanced and focused finish. I love the backend lift here! This is delicious right out of the blocks, but will age beautifully and will be an even better drink five to ten years down the road. 2025-2040.

Overview

Purchased by the Comte Lafond, an ancestor of the current owner, Baron Patrick de Ladoucette, Château du Nozet and its surrounding vineyards have a reputation for producing the finest Pouilly-Fumé. The vineyards are in Pouilly-Fumé Contrôlée, which includes Pouilly-sur-Loire, Saint-Andelain and Tracy-sur-Loire at the eastern end of the Loire Valley (including the vineyard of the Château du Nozet estate). Both clay and limestone influence the delicate characteristics in Ladoucette Pouilly-Fumé.

The vineyards of the appelation Pouilly-Fumé extend from the north to the east between the villages and hamlets of Boisgibault, Le Bouchot, Les Berthiers, Les Cassiers, Les Loges and St. Andelain. A large part of the vineyards belonging to de Ladoucette are situated on the south side of the hill of St. Andelain. More than 250 acres of estate vineyards surround the Château du Nozet. 

Winemaking

Grapes are destemmed before pressing, which is completely gravity-fed, a process which avoids any harshness or stalkiness. This process results in 80% free-run juice. Thermo-controlled fermentation at 60°F in stainless steel tanks for six to eight weeks, before maturing from three to six months on natural lees, with regular stirring. The wine is blended seven to eight months after harvesting and stored in glass-tiled tanks. No wood is ever used in the vinification process in order to preserve the freshness and full flavor of the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

Tasting Notes

The delicate and complex olfactory expression opens on aromas which remind of white flower, exotic fruits. There is a very beautiful complexity for a vintage where the end-of-season’s sun brought a lot to the aromas. Excellent complexity that translates into great and elegant richness. Nice attack, straight and bright, it takes place with elegance on fruity notes associated with a dense structure and a beautiful acidity which brings a great length in the end of the mouth. There are aromas of exotic fruits (litchi, mango).

Technical Information

Varietals: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Soil Composition: Clay and limestone (Kimmeridgian marnes on fossilized limestone)

Average Vine Age: 25-35 years

Aging: On lees for 3 to 6 months with regular stirring