Adress: 180 Avenue de Verdun 18300 SANCERRE
Country: France
internet: http://www.fouassier.fr/
Wine district: Sancerre
wines
Established for several generations on the peak of Sancerre, the Fouassier family is one of the oldest wine grower families of Sancerre.
At the time of the phylloxera, Jules Fouassier was part of the 500 wine growers of the Sancerre village (nowadays we are about ten).
After the phylloxera crisis, Jules Fouassier planted the Clos Paradis in 1902. He caused a stir in the vineyard since he planted this plot at 1.20 squared meters with the trellis we know today (1 stake of acacia every 5 feet and three wires).
Contrary to the popular imagination, the wine growers used donkeys to work in the vineyard because some small plots were planted at 0.80 meters in rows.
Jules was always a precursor in many fields and was the first who used copper and sulphur to fight against the oïdium and the downy mildew.
After the First World War, Jules sent his son, called Gustave (and nicknamed Tav') at an apprenticeship, so as to learn about the trade of cooper and wine grower. At that time, he paid his training 800 ‘francs or'.
In 1923, Gustave participated to a farm competition in Paris with some colleagues. Nobody knew the wine of Sancerre, but this minor and unrecognized wine that was at the premises of its current renown captivated a lot of persons.
In the 30's, Gustave'son, called Raymond, started to work in the vineyard at only 13 years old since his father was suffering from a serious disease.
In 1958, Raymond Fouassier was the first who bought a straddler-tractor (Bobard's brand) in the vineyard. In 1959, Raymond went on mechanically equipping and sold his last Percheron carthorse.
