Didier Dagenau est mort [stora dödsfallstråden].

[Jimmy Forsman]

Didier Dagueneau dies

Didier Dagueneau, one of the greatest Sauvignon Blanc producers in the world, has died in a flying accident at the age of 52.

Dubbed 'one of the greatest winemakers of our generation' by renowned consultant Denis Dubourdieu, Dagueneau was known worldwide as an outspoken and brilliant winemaker.

Unlike many winemakers in the Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre regions, Dagueneau did not start his career in wine and raced sidecars in his youth. He said it was only after 'two falls in quick succession' that he went into winemaking.

Even after settling on winemaking, he remained true to the pursuit of reckless sports, making a name for himself in the world of sled dog racing, in which he won the European and world championships.

He was killed yesterday, in a microlite accident in the Dordogne region of France. According to reports, the microlite stalled after take-off, plunging 50m before hitting the ground. One other person was seriously injured.

Constantly on the quest to make the greatest Sauvignon Blanc in the world, he produced several wines from vineyards scattered around his winery in St-Andelin, in Pouilly Fumé. Notable wines included Buisson-Renard (orginally the vineyard was called Buisson-Ménard, until a renowned French wine writer misread the label), Pur Sang, and Silex – perhaps his most famous wine.

Dagueneau also produced the exhorbitantly-priced Asteroïde cuvée from 18 lines of ungrafted vines. He also made wines from a vineyard in the steep Monts-Damnés region of Sancerre, and produced a sweet Jurancon with friend Guy Pautrat.

Known as the 'wild man of the Loire', Dagueneau was equally notorious for his outspoken opinions, frequently attacking winemakers in the region for their lax attitude towards winegrowing and winemaking practices.

He was equally critical of members of his family.

'I had a few scores to settle with the family,' he said. 'So I decided to make wine, to make better wine than them. That was my first motivation. So I decided to make the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world. Not at all pretentious for someone who's been making wine for two years.'

He us survived by his partner Suzanne, and four children.

Tragiskt!

 

[Mysonoxen]

SV: Didier Dagenau est mort.

Åh nej!

Schysst som fan var han också, en riktig cool skäggig go gubbe.

Eftersom han delade min passion för snabba bilar och våghalsiga äventyr är jag inte direkt förvånad att han slutade på detta vis.

Tragiskt var ordet.

R.I.P. Didier

 

[Jimmy Forsman]

SV: Didier Dagenau est mort.

Det verkar gå en liten trend just nu att folk ska hållla på och dö i tid och otid!

Another one bites the dust.

Chateau Carbonnieux owner dies

Anthony Perrin, the owner Bordeaux chateau Carbonnieux, has died of lung cancer aged 68.

Perrin, described by Stephen Brook in The Complete Bordeaux as 'genial', was one of the main figures in Bordeaux's winemaking circles.

Along with his father Marc, who brought the run-down and abandoned property in 1956, he is credited with reviving the fortunes of Carbonnieux, situated in the Pessac-Leognan area of southern Bordeaux.

Among other accomplishments, Perrin was president of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux from 1992-1994. He is also credited with being instrumental in bringing the Passac-Leognan appellation into being. Until 1987, the region was part of the wider Graves appellation.

But it was at Carbonnieux that Perrin made his name. The chateau had been empty and neglected since the First World War. It was sold by owner M Chabrat in 1956. At the time of the acquisition, Perrin's father Marc also owned considerable vineyard area in Algeria, which the family lost following the country's independence from France in 1962.

Marc Perrin died in 1982, leaving Anthony to run the estate.

Along with several modernising moves throughout the last 30 years, Perrin is credited with calling on the services of renowned wine consultant Denis Dubourdieu who started advising for Carbonnieux in 1988.

A regular face on the Bordeaux wine scene, Brook said Perrin was, 'a familliar and welcome presence at events both formal and informal'.

The 92ha (hectare) estate is unusual for its appellation in that its vineyards are roughly evenly split between red (50ha) and white (42ha) vines. Most top chateaux in the region have signifcantly more plantings of red varieties than white.

Perrin also made numerous acquisitions, including chateaux Haut-Vigneau, Lafont-Menaut, and Le Sartre, all in Pessac-Leognan. The latter, purchased in 1981, was formally passed onto Perrin's sister in 2005.

He is survived by his wife and three children. Sons Philibert and Eric are understood to be taking over the running of the family properties.