A visionary named Pascal Jolivet

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Pascal Jolivet is one of the most dynamic ambassadors of wine in the world. The Frenchman has impeccable grape DNA. Both his great-grandfather Louis and grandfather Lucien were winemakers. They were succeeding generaBons of Chefs des Caves at Pouilly-Fume's Chateau de Tracy. That link came to a close in 1926 when Lucien Jolivet reBred.

 

Their young descendant Pascal began work in 1980 – with his father Jacques – as the local agent for Champagne Pommery. Tension soon surfaced between the two and in 1982, the son told his father of his change of plans

 

'I told my father “I can't work with you, I want to go back to school”. There was fricBon with my father since I was five, six years old. We were like dog and cat. I started a Master degree in Social Management. But my father wanted to keep me in the family business. So, he proposed he buys a small negociant business that was able to close and to let me manage it the way I wanted to.'

 

Harmony restored between father and son, Pascal Jolivet also acknowledges the financial support given by his father in his negociant business. But the young man had greater ambiBons beyond selling other people's wines.

 

Jolivet's moment with desBny took place 32 years ago. In 1987, he started his own brand. He did so by blending finished wine made by other producers and puZng a label with his name on it.

 

The labels have remained – like the man – essenBally unchanged (unlike so many other wines). Jolivet's career has been a bit like his wines: fresh, unstoppable, and racy.

 

In 1990, Pascal Jolivet built his own winery.

 

'I was impressed by Prince Polignac of Pommery who informed me that in the 1980s, all the big brands in Champagne started investing in new technology such as temperature control systems and stainless steel tanks. I was thinking that it would be great to do that in Sancerre. My feeling was that while I did not have any vineyard, I could sBll make wines with a style. I was very impressed with Champagne where every champagne has its own style: Pommery has its own style, Moet & Chandon, and Roederer. Every champagne brand says that we have our style.

 

Today, we take it for granted but 30 years ago, pioneering Pascal Jolivet was one of the first to introduce temperature control to Sancerre winemaking. Jolivet went beyond the future. He not only introduced temperature controlled vinificaBon in stainless steel tanks, Jolivet also did not clarify the juice, avoided enzymes, and relied only on natural yeast to produce Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume of prisBne purity. Since then, he has also added Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine. And Sancerre Rouge with pinot noir.

 

In 1993, Pascal Jolivet bought his first vineyard.

 

More purchases were added down the years. Today, the winery owns 50 hectares in Sancerre and Pouilly Fume. There's and another 50 hectares in Touraine which produces a sauvignon blanc called AZtude. The 50 hectares account for 80% of Touraine blanc. In 2020, AZtude will be produced in Brely from owned vineyard.

 

When Pascal Jolivet first put his name on a wine label back in 1987, he produced 100,000 boeles a year. Today, that figure has soared to 1.5 million boeles. It's no numbers alone that are impressive. The wines are produced from vineyards that do not use pesBcides nor hebercides.

 

Ever on the move, last month, Pascal Jolivet launched his renamed Pouilly-Fume in the USA last month. It is now known as Smoked White. VisBng him for the harvest on 28 September, the man went down to the cellar and emerged with a 1959 boele of such a named wine from Pouilly-Fumé, all of 60 years ago.

 

In that affirmaBon, Jolivet shows to the world his love and respect for tradiBon and history even as he takes us unrelenBngly into the future.

 

Source: CH'NG Poh Tiong

September 30th, 2019