Domaine Pascal Jolivet Reinstates Blanc-Fumé as the Name to Domaine’s Loire Valley Wine

NEW YORK –(Business Wire)– The house of Pascal Jolivet has grown to be one of the most dynamic domaines in France’s Loire Valley, and is known as one of the most famous producers of Sancerre. In recent decades, winemaker Pascal Jolivet has also made a reputable name for his wines produced in the Pouilly-Fumé regions, however this fall he will pay homage to their history by rebranding them under the vintage name they originated with. Jolivet announces that his esteemed por|olio of Pouilly-Fumé wines will be renamed as “Blanc-Fumé” starting with the winery’s 2018 vintage.

An idea Jolivet has been fermenting for years, this rebranding is not only sentimental, but also sensible. The new moniker is a nod to Jolivet’s rich family heritage, which has a legacy of producing wine for nearly a century. Prior to Jolivet creating his own domaine, his grandfather Lucien Jolivet, was already using the name “Blanc-Fumé” on his labels, more than 60 years ago.

“I believe that the American consumers who love our Sancerre will be curious to discover our new Blanc-Fumé, » said Jolivet. “Hopefully we will create the demand that these excellent wines are deserving of and inspire other producers in the appellation to use the new (old) name.”

Additionally, “Pouilly-Fumé” is often confused with “Pouilly-Fuissé,” which can mislead wine lovers who do not yet understand the vast distinctions of the two. While the former refers to the dry white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Loire Valley, the latter appellation hails from Burgundy and is made with Chardonnay, expressing diﬀerent tasting proﬁles. Jolivet hopes this rebranding will not only make it easier for Americans to understand the distinctions of the category, but easier to discover as well.

Blanc-Fumé’s direct translation is “smoky-white,” which is also an apt name for this wine due to the smoky-grey hue its grapes take on as they mature, as well as the “gun-ﬂint” aromas that the wine expresses.

Domaine Pascal Jolivet’s Blanc-Fumé wines will be 100% produced from Jolivet’s own vineyards, under the supervision and expertise of his vineyard management team, using organic farming methods. These wines are viniﬁed by Jolivet’s talented winemaker Valentina Buoso in accordance with the winery’s prestigious natural practices: wild yeast, temperature-controlled viniﬁcation, ageing on lees, cold seeling (no enzyme), and low sulﬁtes. To date, the vineyard has produced 30,000

As the neighboring Sancerre appellation is gaining popularity, Jolivet is conﬁdent that the Blanc-Fumé rebranding will capture the interest of the wine drinkers looking for an alternative to Sancerre. The wine quality of Blanc-Fumé is comparable to Sancerre: same grape (sauvignon blanc), same complexity, similar price-point, but with diﬀerent tasting proﬁles. With “Blanc-Fumé” being a moniker that is easier to remember and pronounce, ordering a glass of this wine will now be just as simple as asking for a “Sancerre.”

An About Pascal Jolivet:

In 1987 Pascal, as a winemaker and merchant, created the « Pascal Jolivet » brand. In 1990, Jolivet built a brand-new winery to produce his own range of wines and in 1993 he bought his ﬁrst 6 hectares (14.82 acres) in “Bué-en-Sancerre ». In 1998, more than 20 years ago, the U.S. was only the 7th largest export market for Sancerre. In collaboraBon with his importer, Frederick Wildman & Sons, Pascal Jolivet was gradually placed on the top wine lists around the naBon, opening the door to many other Sancerre producers. Today the U.S. market is by far the number one export market for

the region, representing 50% of the total export of the Sancerre appellation. Pascal Jolivet exports his wines to more than 90 countries, with the U.S. receiving nearly one-third of his total production.

Source : BusinessWire

September 24th, 2019