Heritage

A modern Loire success story

In the beginning, Pascal owned no vineyards. Instead, he built relationships with leading growers across the Loire and focused on defining a distinctive house style. His early vision was clear: to produce wines that expressed Sauvignon Blanc with precision, elegance and a strong sense of origin, rather than relying on excessive intervention in the cellar.

From wine brand to Loire estate

A major turning point came in 1993, when Pascal acquired six hectares from his cousins in Bué-en-Sancerre, including parcels in Le Chêne Marchand, Le Grand Chemarin and La Plante des Prés. In 1995, he purchased his first Pouilly-Fumé vineyard of 6.5 hectares in Tracy-sur-Loire.

These acquisitions marked the development of Domaine Pascal Jolivet as an estate-led producer. Over time, the domaine has continued to grow, while maintaining long-term partnerships with trusted growers. This combination of estate vineyards and carefully selected fruit gives Pascal Jolivet both control and range across the Loire Valley.

Region and Vineyards

Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé and Touraine

Pascal Jolivet’s vineyards are centred on two of the Loire Valley’s most important Sauvignon Blanc appellations: Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. These regions sit on opposite sides of the Loire River and are known for wines shaped by limestone, clay, flint and mineral-rich soils.

Sancerre brings freshness, aromatic lift and refined citrus character, often with a chalky or flinty edge. Pouilly-Fumé, across the river, tends to show a more powerful, smoky and mineral expression of Sauvignon Blanc, with depth and structure. Touraine adds further breadth to the portfolio, particularly through the Attitude range, offering accessible Loire Sauvignon Blanc with freshness, precision and regional clarity.

Distinctive terroirs and single-site expression

Pascal Jolivet’s Sancerre vineyards include notable terroirs in Bué, one of the appellation’s most respected villages. Sites such as Le Chêne Marchand give the range a more specific vineyard identity, allowing the domaine to move beyond broad regional expression into site-led Sauvignon Blanc.

The house works across the Loire’s key soil types, including limestone, clay and flint. This gives the wines a broad stylistic spectrum, from floral and citrus-led Sancerre Blanc to more textured, smoky and structured Pouilly-Fumé.

Viticulture and Winemaking

Organic and biodynamic approach

Pascal Jolivet’s philosophy is based on working in harmony with nature. The domaine has developed organic and biodynamic practices, viewing the vineyard as a living system where soil health, biodiversity and careful fruit handling are central to quality.

In 2016, Pascal began working closely with Benoît Dauny, whose family has been associated with pioneering organic viticulture in Sancerre since 1966. This partnership reinforced the domaine’s direction towards organic grapes and lower-intervention vineyard management.

Indigenous yeast and low-intervention vinification

In the cellar, Pascal Jolivet’s style is shaped by low-intervention vinification. Grapes are handled gently, with gravity used where possible to avoid unnecessary pumping. After light settling, fermentations are carried out with indigenous yeasts, allowing each parcel to retain its own regional and mineral character.

Lees ageing plays an important role in building texture, concentration and complexity. Long, slow fermentations help stabilise the wines naturally, with very low levels of sulphur used. Since 2013, winemaker Valentina Buoso has continued this approach, bringing expertise in indigenous yeasts and a focus on fruit purity, linear structure and terroir expression.

Style of Wine

Pascal Jolivet produces still Loire wines, led by Sauvignon Blanc, with rosé and red wines from Pinot Noir. The white wines are defined by purity, freshness, minerality and precision. Sancerre Blanc tends to show citrus, white fruit, floral notes and a refined mineral frame, while Pouilly-Fumé brings more structure, smoky complexity and flinty depth.

The rosé wines offer a fresh, dry and elegant expression of Pinot Noir from Sancerre, suitable for premium restaurant and independent retail listings. The reds, where available, show the lighter, aromatic and finely structured side of Loire Pinot Noir.

A Loire benchmark in the UK wine trade

Pascal Jolivet offers a focused Loire ladder from one producer. Attitude works well for premium by-the-glass Sauvignon Blanc, while Sancerre Blanc, Sancerre rosé and Pouilly-Fumé add recognised appellations for restaurant and retail lists. Single-site cuvées provide extra depth for fine dining, pairing menus and customers seeking more distinctive Loire expressions.

Visit Pascal Jolivet’s website.