Alphonse Mellot Sancerres

I was blown away by the quality of these wines, and the tasting at this domain was one of the highlights of a trip to the eastern Loire. The only caveat is that some of the cuvees are done in wood, which will not appeal to lovers of crisp, lean Sancerre. I don't think I've ever tasted a Mellot wine before, which is not surprising given the limited availability of these wines in the US. A producer I will now seek out. The pricing ex-cellar (which is at the level of Cotat or Vatan) certainly suggests that there must be quite a devoted following in Europe.

• 2008 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre La Moussière

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  Basic cuvee that shows the richness of the vintage but with more than adequate acidity to tie it together. Fine value here. None of these wines had the more pronounced, pungent Sauvignon character.

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• 2008 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Vieilles Vignes Les Romains

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  A step up in intensity from La Moussiere. Again, very pure and it had excellent structure for this rounder vintage.

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• 2007 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Vieilles Vignes Les Romains

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  This displayed the difference between 2007 and 2008 well. This was leaner than the younger wine with more easily notable acidity on the finish.

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• 2008 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Satellite

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  Wow, what an inviting, unusual nose here, with pear in addition to background citrus. Denser and richer than the first 2 wines but with terrific underlying acidity. Pretty profound Sancerre.

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• 2008 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Génération XIX

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  Very similar to the Satellite, rich without any hint of overripeness, pear and quince with a tad of honey, long, ravishingly refreshing finish. Delicious.

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• 2008 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre "La Demoiselle"

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  After the richness of the Satellite and Demoiselle, this wine showed more classic limestone on the nose and finish. It was just as intense and long as those 2 wines but not nearly as forward. Great structure for aging-a vin de garde.

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• 2007 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Edmond

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  Interestingly, this had a similar degree of richness as the special '08 cuvees did, and I think this is imparted by the wood used here. The wood influence is discrete, yet it somewhat defuses the tremendous acidity underneath. Like all the wines in the range, this too is a splendid example, yet I like a couple of the unwooded (or less wooded) '08 cuvees even better.

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• 2008 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Rouge La Moussière

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre Rouge

  I almost forgot to note the one red we tasted at this domain, which would have been a mistake. Unbelievable depth of ruby for a Loire valley Pinot. Lush feel, excellent black and red fruits, and quite a tannic punch. Acidity is not particularly prominent. This is serious Pinot that belies its origin and is one of the best examples I've tried. Needs time.

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