Alphonse Mellot Sancerre La Moussiere 2022

The Mellot family, vinegrowers and wine merchants, has been living and working in Sancerre since at least the 1600's. César Mellot was appointed as Wine Advisor to Louis XIV in 1698, and then at the beginning of the 19th century, Alphonse Mellot founded a tavern in Sancerre where one could savor the local wines. In 1881 he was granted a license to ship his wine throughout France and all over the world. This marked the beginning of a pacific conquest which has been pursued and developed by the family business from father to son ever since, with the eldest son continuing to bear the name of the Founder Alphonse. 

Today, the wines are produced from the upper Sancerre vineyard, the most famous of which is the Domaine La Moussiere. Its exceptional quality has led to it being officially classified as a unique category among Sancerre wines. Comprised of one single vineyard of over thirty hectares, La Moussiere is ideally exposed on the south-western tip of Sancerre, its chalk soil and its specific sub-soil are all perfect conditions for the cultivation of the Sauvignon Blanc vine. 

Sancerre has an eminent position in the hierarchy of white wines thanks to its great finesse, its bouquet and fruitiness.   An elegant aperitif, Sancerre also pairs well with raw oysers, scallop or tuna tartare, mussels "à la Charentaise", white fishes with white butter sauce, chanterelle mushroom omelette, baked Norway lobsters, trout meunière, pike in saffron, braised chicken with white sauce and goat's milk cheeses (especially from Chavignol). 

We tasted and positively loved this Sancerre. We found lychee, yellow apple skin and citrus notes with terrific intensity, stony and deep, smooth and silky. It was not herbal or too lean like some can be. Exceptional. Can't wait to drink a bottle.