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.
