2023 Les Racines Pouilly Fume, Domaine A Cailbourdin
Loire Valley, France
Domaine A. Cailbourdin is one of the benchmark producers of Pouilly-Fumé, located in the heart of the Loire Valley. Established in 1980 by Alain Cailbourdin, the domaine is renowned for its precise, terroir-expressive Sauvignon Blancs. Based in the famed village of Saint-Andelain, the estate focuses on sustainable viticulture and minimal intervention in the cellar, allowing the Loire’s diverse soils, especially flint (silex), limestone, and clay, to express their personality in the glass. Today, Alain is joined by his son Loïc, continuing the family’s legacy of crafting elegant, mineral-driven wines that age beautifully.
The 2023 Les Racines cuvée, meaning “The Roots”, is a tribute to the domaine’s deepest heritage, made from some of its oldest vines planted on flinty limestone soils. This wine captures the essence of Pouilly-Fumé with clarity, purity, and understated power.
In the glass, it offers a brilliant pale gold hue with vibrant aromatics of lime blossom, green apple, grapefruit peel, and a hallmark gunflint minerality. The palate is tense and focused, delivering layers of citrus, white peach, and wet stone, supported by racy acidity and a clean, saline finish. There’s a subtle roundness and texture that balances the wine’s freshness, offering both immediate appeal and cellaring potential.
Whats in the bottle
100% Sauvignon Blanc
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Domaine A. Cailbourdin is a highly regarded estate located in the prestigious Pouilly-Fumé appellation of France’s Loire Valley, known for producing exceptional Sauvignon Blanc. Founded in 1980 by Alain Cailbourdin, the domaine quickly earned a reputation for crafting wines of purity, elegance, and precision. Alain was a pioneer in focusing on site-specific vinification and letting the region’s distinct terroirs, particularly its flint (silex) and limestone soils, speak through the wine.
The estate is based in Saint-Andelain, the spiritual heart of Pouilly-Fumé, and today covers approximately 20 hectares of vineyards. Cailbourdin’s philosophy is centred on low-intervention winemaking, sustainable vineyard practices, and minimal use of oak, allowing the natural minerality and vibrant character of Sauvignon Blanc to shine.
Domaine A. Cailbourdin offers a range of cuvées, including the flagship “Triptyque Silex”, which comes from old vines rooted in flint-rich soils and is renowned for its power, texture, and ageing potential. The wines consistently display clarity, precision, and a restrained elegance that distinguishes them from more overtly tropical expressions of Sauvignon Blanc.
Now assisted by his son Loïc Cailbourdin, Alain continues to produce wines that are widely respected by sommeliers, collectors, and critics alike. Domaine A. Cailbourdin is a benchmark for terroir-driven, age-worthy Pouilly-Fumé and a reference point for lovers of classic Loire whites.
Alcohol by Volume
13%
Vintage
2023
Country
France
Size
750ml
Types
White Wine
Producer
Domaine A Cailbourdin
Grape
Sauvignon Blanc
2023 Les Racines Pouilly Fume, Domaine A Cailbourdin
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- France