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THE VINEYARDS AT DOMAINE
MICHEL VATTAN NOW FARMED
BY PASCAL JOULIN
it over in 2008, totally transforming the winery. “Originally, all the wines were sold to
trading companies, none of them were bottled”, explains Pascal Joulin. Since then,
introduction of bottled sales has ushered in a new era and allowed Joulin’s wines to
travel outside France.
The transition has gone hand in hand with a significant expansion in vineyard acreage.
Rising from 2 to over 9 hectares, the vineyards now embrace a broader range of sites,
thereby enhancing the range of wines illustrating Sancerre’s rich tapestry of terroirs.
Concurrently with this, Pascal Joulin has poured vast amounts of energy into promoting
his wines, attending dozens of exhibitions – both trade and for the general public
– from Paris to ProWein and Vinexpo Asia where he will be travelling this year.
Joulin’s approach to promoting and marketing his wines revolves around a robust
strategy of international growth. His strategy has paid off - 80% of the wines are
now sold in export markets, with a particular focus on the United States where he
immediately and successfully “found the right partners. Being a winegrower is a
major venture, both from a people and a financial perspective. International growth
stems from extremely hard work aimed at establishing strong relationships with your
partners. Enhancing value is essential and to do that, you need sales”.
In 15 years, Joulin has been so successful at promoting his wines that he now works on
an allocation basis. The technique allows him to spend time in his vineyards, which
he farms using environmentally-friendly methods.
A self-described “opportunist” in the vineyard, he takes the same approach in his
winery, crafting remarkable Sancerre wines. These include a single-vineyard selection
with partial maturation in Chassagne-Montrachet barrels, along with a wine made
from old vines over 80 years old that is matured in amphorae.
20 SPRING 2024 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE