Pascal Jolivet checking our facts.

 So, we had an unexpected visitor to the Bottega today.  Pascal Jolivet is one of  the best known names in Loire sauvignon blanc for his crisp Sancerre and  Pouilly Fume. The most interesting part  of our conversation was regarding biodynamic winemaking.  Matt mentioned that that Dom. des Huards (whose 2002 Cour-Cheverny we just  brought in) had installed a sprinkler system that in the case of frost would  allow them to dampen the grapes so that the water would freeze and create a  protective ice blanket for the grapes.  Monsieur Jolivet looked at us like we  were completely insane and when we insisted, he quickly jumped on the phone  to his friend in Cour Cheverny to check our facts.  Turns out, we were right!  Go Bottega!  Ok, on to the wines… It had been some time since I had tasted through his wines and I was curious to see what he was up to.  We tasted four of his wines, from his basic 2007 “Attitude”, his Pascal Jolivet 2007 Sancerre and Pouilly Fume and the single vineyard 2006 Ch. du Nozay Sancerre.  The wines are all produced sustainably, farmed organically and all natural yeasts are used.  Despite this attention to detail which should let the terroir shine through, both Matt and I were underwhelmed by the wines.  There was an uncharacteristic touch of New Zealand tropical fruit on the Attitude and the others just fell a little flat, fine but nothing too exciting. The wines actually showed the best after we performed a little blending experiment, combining the remaining glass in each bottle into one (probably goes without saying, but this was after Monsieur Jolivet’s departure). We do applaud the work he is doing to produce natural wines and we look forward to his new projects that are entirely organically produced and without added sulfites (Pouilly Fume Indigene and Sancerre Sauvage) as well as his new project in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.