Domaine Masson-Blondelet: Modern Times
It was Louis Blondelet that brought the family to where they live today; he left La Charité-sur-Loire to settle in Le Bouchot, close to Pouilly-sur-Loire, and the Blondelet family have remained here ever since. Although documents concerning Louis do not state his profession it seems likely to be that this move was related to wine. Here he met and married Anne Laurent on June 25th 1850, and they had a son, also named Louis (born 1851). The younger Louis Blondelet was a vigneron, and is noted to be the proprietor of vineyards in Le Bouchot. He married Marie Thouvenot on February 13th 1881, and this union was also blessed with a seven children, the most notable of which was a son, Paul Blondelet (born 1895).
Paul had at least two sons, Fernand and Gaston. The vineyards seem to have come first to Fernand Blondelet, and he married a local girl named Camille, and together they had at least two daughters, Michelle and Annick. Within this generation we have the origin of two notable Pouilly-Fumé domaines; Michelle Blondelet initially learnt the skills of viticulture and winemaking working alongside her father, but when she married Jean-Michel Masson the foundations for the creation of Domaine Masson-Blondelet were laid. Sister Annick, however, is also established in the region, at Domaine Tinel-Blondelet. In this profile, however, I will focus purely on the Masson-Blondelet side of the family.
Please log in to continue reading: