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 120 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.
A blend of grapes from grown on limestone and clay-limestone from the villages of Bué, Champtin and Verdigny.
The grapes are manually harvested and sorted a second time in the cellar. At least two thirds of the grapes are vinified in whole bunches, in large conical wooden vats of 45hl. The maceration occurs slowly, by pumping over. This process allows us to infuse the juices, rather than extracting its aromas, and the results is a more delicate, elegant wine. The aging takes place in wooden vats for 8 months.
The season kicked off with minimal frost damage and rapid growth, thanks to April rains and favorable flowering conditions. However, June’s warm and wet weather heightened mildew pressures, while August’s cool, damp conditions delayed ripening. A brief spell of dry, warm weather followed, before more rain hit in September.
This Pinot Noir is a complex wine redolent of ripe black and fruit, delicate warm spices, framed by subtle tannins. It is a wine that can be enjoyed on release but will only improve with age.
Perfect partner with lamb chops, rabbit with mustard sauce, and Black Cod.
Serve at 14°C.
Sancerre AOC, Loire
100% Pinot Noir
Natural Cork
13%
