“The new Didier Dagueneau? That’s easy; it’s his son, Benjamin. But Benjamin has a soul brother, Jonathan Pabiot. Together – well, each at his own domaine – they are making the best, most probing, and most exciting Pouilly-Fumés.” Jacqueline Friedrich, Wines of the Loire, Volume 1 “…make no mistake, there are certainly some stunning wines to be found chez Pabiot; you just have to make sure you get the right Pabiot, as there are plenty of them around Pouilly-Fumé.” Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor Straight off the bat, today we offer the most exciting release yet from this Pouilly-Fumé star—and it’s not just us that think so. Twenty-twenty is the last in a trio of early harvests before the sun took a rest and the rains returned. On both counts, it was another warm and dry year, but without the challenging extremes of the two vintages prior. However, perhaps the critical difference was that this time Jonathan Pabiot had been here before—in 2018 and 2019—and practice, as they say, makes perfect. To sum up Pabiot’s 2020 release; this is what obsessive Pouilly looks like. They are wines of chalky texture, inner vibrancy, mineral reverb and mouth-watering balance. Wines that articulate the stony terroirs of Pouilly-Fumé like few others. Nina Pabiot told us that 2020 is arguably the domaine’s finest vintage so far, thanks in part to the combination of experience, confidence and ever-improving vineyard practice. Come 2021, the dial shifted dramatically towards the cool and late vintage of Sancerre folklore. This throwback year resulted in acidity levels not seen in the region since 2014, bestowing an icy crunch the best growers have balanced with plenty of flesh (via low yields and longer élevage). The single wine we offer from this year is frankly, a belter. All this is to say, if you are new to this grower’s wines, there has never been a better time to take a look. As you will see below, several name changes have occurred this year. Prélude is now called Elisa, and Florilège has become Leon, named after Jonathan and Nina’s two young children. Apparently this has triggered a new take on sibling rivalry, with the two little ones ribbing each other about which wine is the better! The final change is Pabiot’s single vineyard Prédilection, now called Luminance—a fitting name for this intense and light-filled Pouilly-Fumé.