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C’est le Terroir qui Parle
Pascal Jolivet is one of the most dynamic and forward thinking producers in the Loire Valley. He started making his Grand Vins du Val de Loire in 1982, later establishing his own Domaines Pascal Jolivet in 1987. Specialising in the wines of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, Pascal has very quickly gained a formidable reputation and loyal customers amongst leading Michelin starred restaurants in France and around the world.
Vineyards
Today the vineyards consist of 70 hectares in the two premier appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, bolstered by an additional 50% of fruit purchased from long-term contract growers. In 2005 Pascal purchased an additional 12 hectares in the Touraine area to provide grapes for his ‘Attitude’ range of wines. The Sancerre is composed of wines from three different soil types; calcareous clay, limestone and flint. Pascal believes these selected vineyards produce more subtle, floral characters than can be found in other wines of the same region. The Pouilly Fumé is produced from grapes grown on the other side of the Loire on a variety of mineral rich glacial soils. Consequently it shows more typically gunflint and steely power than the Sancerre.
Cellar Pascal Jolivet is a firm believer in allowing nature to express itself as much as possible in order to make a feature of the purity and terroir of the wines. Consequently the grapes and juice are handled with extreme care throughout the winemaking process. On arrival at the cellar the grapes are sorted by hand, to select the best fruit, then gentle pneumatic pressing is used to extract the juice. The juice flows directly into the temperature-controlled vats by gravity therefore no pumping is necessary. Each parcel of grapes is vinified separately in stainless steel tanks, fermented long and slow without the addition of cultured yeasts. From this each wine retains its unique regional style and allows the mineral flavours of the terroir to be maintained. The grape juice is fermented under strict temperature control, cool but not cold, and left on its lees for between four and six months, bringing a more subtle, rich aroma and complexity to the wine. Attitude: an excellent value, modern expression of Loire varietals comprising of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Rosé. Pascal Jolivet: the great Loire classics; Sancerre, Sancerre Rouge, Sancerre Rosé and Pouilly Fumé. Single Domaines: an expression of the terroir of each estate. In Sancerre; Les Caillottes. In Pouilly Fumé; Les Griottes. Sauvage and Indigène: in top vintages, when the fruit in Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé is deemed superior quality, these wines are produced from very old vines. Biologically cultured, the grapes are fermented naturally, without the addition of yeasts. The wines are bottled after 12 months without filtration or cooling.
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