Pangault takes on dual role at French co-op

Isabelle Pangault is the new winemaker and brand ambassador at Les Vignobles Foncalieu.Les Vignobles Foncalieu, a co-operative of 1200 winegrowers that spans several regions of Southern France: Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence, Gascony, and the Rhone Valley.

“I am very excited to be named winemaker and brand ambassador,” She says. “The dual aspect will be a great challenge for me, but I am looking forward to it. My job could be compared to conveyor belt, I am the go-between for the cooperative and our clients. On the one hand, being in contact with our clients will help me translate their needs into technical language to communicate to our team. On the other hand, working closely with the winemakers on maintaining the quality of our wines will give me key insight into the richness of the terroirs the process of producing the product that I can feedback to our clients.”

Isabelle, a native of the Loire valley, became involved in the wine sector through barrel-making. The daughter of an oak sawyer, she was initially interested in the wood industry and studied forestry management, but eventually found her true passion lay in winemaking during a tasting with her father, which demonstrated the impact of French oak from different forests on the wine ageing process.

Isabelle was inspired to study at the Paris University of Agronomy and Montpellier University of Oenology. She went on to explore wine production in different regions and internationally, including the prestigious Grands Crus classifications of Bordeaux with Baron Philippe de Rothschild; the Sula Vineyards, pioneers of the ‘Indian wine revolution’; the small yet renowned growers of the Northern Rhone valley; within a cooperative in the Southern Rhone valley; as vineyard manager of Châteauneuf-du-Pape producer, Ogier.

Isabelle’s studies in Montpellier had led her to discover the richness of Languedoc vineyards and, convinced of the region’s potential, she went on to work for the Jeanjean Vineyards as a technical marketing manager, securing another string to her bow.

Isabelle is now facing a fresh challenge in her role as winemaker and brand ambassador for Les Vignobles Foncalieu, where she will be responsible for assuring the style and quality of the wines produced. 

14 July 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor