Pithon-Paillé: Négoce Wines
It was in early 2008 that, on setting up independently from Philippe Fournier, Jo Pithon and Jo Paillé created their new négociant venture. The focus was on Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, the latter from both the Anjou and Savennières appellations, although the concept also looked beyond these appellations to those more distant. Together the duo selected suitable plots, with a requirement that the vines were managed using organic methods, and they would remain involved with the vigneron throughout the year, providing supervision and advice on the harvest date before taking the purchased grapes or juice. It should be clear therefore that this was not simply a matter of blind-buying grapes.
Jo Pithon and Jo Paillé would take on the fermentations and élevages, with between 10 and 18 months in oak depending on the style of wine. As with all négociants there was a possibility of some variation in the range of wines offered from year to year, especially as in this case the portfolio of vineyards and wines developed, but in general there were five or six wines that formed the core of the Pithon-Paillé offering. Once in bottle they could easily be distinguished from the home-grown Pithon-Paillé wines by the label design, which always featured a ‘bottle as sailing ship’ stained-glass design. The domaine wines always had more distinctive, individual labels.
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