The Genesis of Sauvignon Blanc
Domaine Masson-Blondelet, located in the Loire Valley, offers a unique experience for all Sauvignon Blanc lovers. The 14th* generation is now at work, supported by the 13th, to continue its path while forging its own unique story. Meet Mélanie Masson, who, depending on the season, wears boots for winemaking or heels for sales!
VertdeVin: Why did you decide to make wine ?
Mélanie Masson: We are the 14th generation at the Domaine… So, we still had a certain amount of pressure on us. However, my mother always pushed me to pursue a general education and looked elsewhere. The property comes from her side: before her, it was my grandmother and grandfather who ran the vineyard.
So, I looked elsewhere… I studied at Sciences Po and then business school: so really nothing related to the world of wine. I worked in large companies, and it ultimately disgusted me. In 2000, I said “no, stop!” It wasn’t what I wanted to do. I returned to my roots, I came back to the estate, to the countryside, and I decided to work “for myself.” And I’m not going to lie I love wine, especially white wine. So, it was a no-brainer. For my brother Pierre-François, it was a different story because he studied winemaking: he had chosen from the start to work in this world. That didn’t stop him from going to New Zealand, Germany & Burgundy to see elsewhere too!
Today, I encourage my son to do the same. Because our profession requires a lot of passion and freedom. But we are also deeply attached, deeply rooted in our terroir.
VdV: What is the history of the property ?
M.M: The birthplace of the vineyard is Pouilly-sur-Loire, on the road to Paris. Our mother, Michelle Blondelet, announced to her parents in 1972 that she wanted to be a winemaker. It wasn’t very common for women at the time, and it must have been difficult. But it wasn’t too difficult either because, looking back, I realize that my grandparents were very open-minded. In fact, they had two children, two daughters, and they both became winemakers! In other families, this wouldn’t have been accepted.
Jean-Michel Masson, our father, was the eldest of five children, and since he didn’t have the money to pay for his law studies in Dijon, he worked in the vineyards in Burgundy. As you know, they don’t blend terroirs there. When he arrived at his future wife’s property, he was surprised that she was making blends! He was the one who gave her the idea of making single-plot cuvées.
After getting married in 1975, our parents had their gravity-fed winery built and began making wines based on the terroir: limestone, marl, and finally flint… They were pioneers. Moreover, one of my father’s biggest challenges was not using weedkillers and doing plowing… The neighbors said he was crazy! Even his father-in-law couldn’t believe it. It must be said that working in the vineyard is very arduous, very physical. So, this generation, who were offered chemical products to free them from physical constraints, must be understood, must not be judged. They didn’t have the knowledge we have today about the effects of these products. Incidentally, for the record, we have a wine pump in front of the estate: my grandfather’s. People often ask us what it is. We explain to them that it was operated with the strength of our arms! Today, we have remote controls for that. It was a different time, a different job.
VdV: Where is the estate located and what do you do ?
M.M: We have 18 hectares of Pouilly Fumé vines and 4 hectares of Sancerre. So, 22 hectares in total, with the vast majority of Sauvignon Blanc, of course, and a little Chasselas.
We produce several cuvées: 3 wines per terroir for the Pouilly Fumé (limestone, marl, flint) made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. We are also fortunate to have a plot called “Clos du Château Paladi” in the center of the village of Pouilly, with very old vines (45 years old). We also have the “Tradition Cullus” cuvée, produced from our eldest vines (60 years old) which is the only one vinified in oak demi-muids. Then, depending on the year, we produce a very small “D’or et Diamant” cuvée of 2,000 bottles. Finally, for Sancerre, we have two wines.
VdV: What is the signature of your wines ?
M.M: Our wines are straightforward, precise, direct, and chiseled. That’s our style. We seek minerality, freshness; it’s clean, it’s straight to the point !
VdV: Are there any upcoming projects at the property ?
M.M: We have submitted an experimental application to try planting resistant grape varieties. We are the first in the Loire Valley to do this. However, we haven’t yet managed to find the right method. We learn from our mistakes, even if I’m not sure this is one of them. We also carried out a project in the Corbières region, only to realize that, no, it’s here, in the Loire region, that we should stay. Sometimes you must leave to come back !