Pascal Jolivet was founded in 1987 and is one of the most dynamic domaines in France’s Loire Valley. Based in Sancerre, the domaine now owns 70 hectares of vineyards spread across the appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé. The domaine supplements the estate holdings with additional fruit sourced from long-term contract growers some of the prime sites of the region including ‘Les Caillottes’, ‘Le Chêne Marchand’ and ‘Le Clos du Roy’. Pascal shares his philosophy with winemaker, Valentina Buoso: to work in harmony with nature to produce wines with purity of fruit, a linear character and minerality, allowing a natural expression of the vineyard to give the wines a sense of place.
Pouilly is situated 200km south of Paris, on the east bank of the Loire. Jolivet own 8 hectares, in the villages of Les Loges, St Andelain and Tracy. Located close to the Loire River and surrounded by forest creates a relatively mild micro climate for the vineyards. The soils in Les Loges (50% of blend) are chalky, giving the resultant wine length and body, while in St Andelain (30% of blend) and Tracy (20% of blend) flint and clay dominate. The grapes grown in these soils add ripeness and fruit to the character to the blend. The vines are trained using the vertical shoot positioning system.
The grapes are organically grown and are hand-picked and sorted. After pressing, the juice is then fermented in stainless steel without the additional of yeasts at 18°C for 25 days. After fermentation, the wine spends a further 12 months maturing on its lees, giving a subtle, rich complexity to the wine before bottling. All parcels are vinified separately. The wine is then blended just before bottling, which takes place without filtration or cooling.
An intriguing Sauvignon Blanc, with an attractive mouth-feel thanks to the lees aging. Rich in texture and complexity, this wine also has a purity of fruit, pronounced minerality and concentration.
Crustacea, fish and vegetable dishes, goats’ cheese
Serve at 10-12°C.
Pouilly-Fumé AOC, Loire
100% Sauvignon Blanc
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