Domaine Fouassier

Pouilly Fume

Only separated from the Sancerre area by the river Loire, this area is world famous for its white wine from the local Grape Blanc Fumé. This is the local name for Sauvignon Blanc . This is where the name Fumé comes from. Only white wines! Domaine Fouassier is one of the best producers and produces the wine Domaine des Cassiers.

The Fouassier family is one of the oldest winegrowing families in Sancerre. At the time of the phylloxera, Jules Fouassier was one of the 500 winegrowers of the village of Sancerre (today there are about ten). After the phylloxera crisis, Jules Fouassier replanted the Clos Paradis in 1902. He caused a stir in the vineyard as he planted this plot on 1.20 square meters with the trellis we know today (1 stake of acacia every 5 feet and three wires).

After World War I, Jules sent his son, Gustave, on an apprenticeship to learn about the trade of cooper and winegrower, paying 800 francs for his training.

In 1923, Gustave took part in a farm competition in Paris with some colleagues. No one knew Sancerre's wine, but this small and unrecognized wine that stood in the buildings of its current name captivated many people

In the 1930s, Gustave'son, named Raymond, started working in the vineyard at the age of 13 since his father suffered from a serious illness

In 1959, Raymond continued the mechanization of his last Percheron horse.

In 1966, Pierre Fouassier, Raymond's eldest, started in agriculture at the end of his studies at the winegrowing school of Baume. He got involved in a new work: developing the trading business of agriculture and maintaining the cellar with his father. He already owned 10 acres.

The 1970s marked new growth from a mechanical and economic point of view. As early as 1971, Jean-Michel, the youngest, came to work in the vineyard after completing his studies at the winegrowing school of Baume. He was in charge of the vineyard and cellar.

The new century began with the arrival of the tenth generation with Benoit in 2000 (son of Jean-Michel) and Paul in 2001 (son of Pierre) who introduced a new way of working and a new culture of the vineyard.

Today the estate extends over almost 56 hectares, 80 % of which come from the noble and very old grape variety Sauvignon , and for the rest from the most delicate and elegant red grape varieties, called Pinot Noir . They carry out a traditional cultivation, combining the most ancestral methods passed on by others from the organic or biodynamic culture and the most modern in area of equipment.

The key word is the respect for the terroir, they do their best to respect the environment that is their tool and represents the heritage that they pass on to the next generations.

The oldest part of the cellars was built in 1972, when the old cellars (from the 16th century) in the heart of Sancerre became too small to realize the expansion of the family vineyard.

Work in the cellar begins during the harvest season.

When picked and brought to the property, the grapes are transported to wine presses for white grapes and into wine tanks for red wines.

After receiving the harvest, they carry out a sequential pressing of the white grapes in the most modern pneumatic presses. This king of long pressing is sweet to the harvest and allows us to extract the composites and the noble aromas from the skin and flesh of the Grape . When the juices are expelled, they are sent by gravity into stainless steel tanks. They then lower the temperature of the juice so that a fixed material setting takes place. This is called the most settling.

When the settlement should have taken place, we raise the temperature of the juice. The alcoholic fermentation starts with the yeast, which is naturally present on the coating. These yeasts are called 'wild yeasts'.

This is at this point when they can assist in the long and slow 'birth of the wine', and like any birth, it should be watched closely.