Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
LOIRE VALLEY<br />
MARKETS<br />
On every level, Pascal Joulin epitomises the ambition<br />
and revitalised approach taken by Sancerre<br />
winegrowers, embracing the opportunities<br />
afforded by a global marketplace whilst also preserving<br />
the authenticity and quality of his wines.<br />
CHANEL AND HER FATHER PASCAL GITTON IN THEIR BARREL CELLAR<br />
VIGNOBLES GITTON PÈRE &<br />
FILS: “OUR CUSTOMERS LOVE<br />
OUR HISTORY, OUR INTEREST IN<br />
TERROIR AND OUR IDENTITY”<br />
Founded in 1945 by Marcel Gitton with just over an<br />
acre of vineyards, Vignobles Gitton Père & Fils have<br />
undergone a remarkable period of expansion and<br />
now boast 36 hectares under vine. Run by Pascal<br />
Gitton, with the support of his daughter Chanel<br />
and wife Denise, the estate continues to excel for its<br />
commitment to vineyard management techniques<br />
that treat the soils of Sancerre with respect and lend<br />
each of the winery’s labels their signature identity.<br />
Chanel Gitton admires the accomplishments of<br />
her predecessors and pays tribute to the visionary<br />
approach of her grandfather: “He truly blazed the<br />
trail for single-vineyard winemaking and would<br />
hive off blocks even back then based on their locality<br />
before vinting them separately in barrels”.<br />
Although the technique is challenging from a logistics<br />
perspective, it has enabled the winery to stand<br />
out for its dozen white wine labels, each of which<br />
shows site-expressiveness.<br />
“We really do this for pleasure”, admits Chanel,<br />
“because having so many labels is not the easiest<br />
tack to take and we don’t need to do this to raise<br />
awareness of Sancerre. But people like it. Our<br />
customers love our history, our interest in terroir<br />
and our identity”.<br />
Her comments are borne out by the wines’ reputation<br />
which extends way beyond national borders<br />
– 70% of them are shipped abroad to no fewer than<br />
45 countries.<br />
In this instance, Chanel ascribes the winery’s<br />
success to her father’s fascination for other<br />
cultures. In the 1970s, his passion led him to explore<br />
new markets, particularly Sweden, making him a<br />
pioneer in exports of Sancerre to the countries of<br />
MARCEL GITTON WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT VINES AND TERROIR<br />
SPRING 2024 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
21
Change language