Domaine Roger Pabiot — Pouilly-Fumé "Le Coteau" 2023
The Winery
Domaine Roger Pabiot is a fifth-generation family estate in Pouilly-sur-Loire, right on the Loire River bank facing Sancerre. Pauline Pabiot — the current winemaker — took the reins in 2017 and has elevated the domaine's reputation considerably. They farm 14 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc on the classic silex (flint) and limestone soils that make Pouilly-Fumé so distinctive.
"Le Coteau" (meaning "the hillside") is their flagship cuvée — old vine Sauvignon Blanc from their best parcels.
The Wine — 2023 Vintage
- Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Region: Pouilly-Fumé AOC, Upper Loire Valley, France
- Vintage notes: 2023 was a beautiful year in the Loire — warm and dry with excellent aromatic concentration
Tasting Notes
Nose: Explosive aromatics — boxwood, white grapefruit, lemon zest, acacia flower, and that signature pierre à fusil(gunflint) minerality that defines great Pouilly-Fumé.
Palate: Ample and fleshy yet laser-focused with vibrant acidity. White peach, green apple, citrus pith, and a subtle smoky nuance. Great texture without being heavy.
Finish: Long, saline, and mineral — persistent and elegant. The silex terroir speaks loudly here.
Food Pairings
Perfect with oysters and shellfish, goat cheese (chèvre is a classic Loire pairing), grilled sole or turbot, vegetable risotto, or light herb-forward pasta dishes.
Accolades — 2023
- 🏆 Coup de Cœur + 3 Stars — Guide Hachette des Vins 2024 (a big deal in France)
- 🥇 Gold Medal — Ligers Competition 2023
- 🥈 Silver — International Wine Challenge
Organic (Certified): Pabiot is one of only 3 certified organic domaines out of 120 in all of Pouilly-Fumé. That's an incredibly rare distinction. All 20 hectares are fully certified organic.
Biodynamic (Demeter Certified): In 2016, they became the first and only Demeter-certified biodynamic domaine in Pouilly-Fumé. Full stop. They use biodynamic preparations, work soils by tractor 3–5x annually, hand harvest, and yield an intentionally low 30 hl/hectare (density planting at 10,000 vines/hectare — rare outside Burgundy).
Sustainable/Natural: No added yeasts or enzymes, minimal sulfur, indigenous yeast fermentation at low temps, lees aging. Fermentation in stainless steel, concrete, neutral oak, and ceramic amphorae.
💬 The Story Behind It
A young Jonathan-Didier Pabiot worked with legendary natural wine producer Léon Barral in the Languedoc, then came home and convinced his skeptical father Didier to convert. Within 6 months of seeing the results in the vineyard, Dad was on board. They joined forces in 2010 — full organic. Then went full biodynamic by 2016.
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