The famous French organic winemaker Jo Pithon from Anjou in the Loire Valley has sold his Pithon-Paillé vineyard, which he founded in 1978, with around 15 hectares of vineyards, to the investor Ivan Massonnat from Paris. Massonat is partner of PAI Partners, one of the largest private equity companies in Europe. Nothing has been disclosed about the purchase price for the operation with wine trading companies.
Pithon and his wife Isabelle have no descendants and want to retire. Therefore, they were looking for a buyer for their winery, which has become famous with dry and noble sweet Chenin Blanc wines, who shares their ideas of an organic business. Massonat, after taking over and buying more vineyards in the region from Pithon-Paillé, wants to form a completely new farm for which there is no name yet. However, he will continue to produce mainly Chenin Blanc.
(uka)