Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Rouge La Moussière 2020

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All you really need to know about Alphonse Mellot is that they’ve received the distinguished classification of “hors concours,” which means “unrivaled in quality.” That about sums up the dedication, longevity, and passion demonstrated by the Mellot family, who have been grape growers and wine merchants in Sancerre since the 16th century. King Louis XIV even named César Mellot his personal wine consultant in 1698, a job we’d certainly not turn down. Produced in some of the highest-elevation vineyards in Sancerre, planted among the famous Kimmeridgian limestone, and farmed with organic and certified biodynamic methods – the Mellots’ wine showcases the top of the barrel of what is possible when excellent terroir, location, and experience come together.

Although the 18th and 19th generations now run the show (Alphonse Senior and Alphonse Junior), they aren’t beholden to solely traditional winemaking pressures. Instead, their 15 to 17th-century cellars, located centrally in the historic town of Sancerre, showcase some of the finest and most cutting-edge winemaking technology to allow them to produce the purest, most delicate expressions of not only white, red, and rosé Sancerre. This 2020 Sancerre Rouge comes from their flagship vineyard, La Moussière, where up to 45-year-old vines on a south-southwest exposure allow the fruit to experience plenty of sunshine and mature fully, even with the chilly continental climate that blows through. The organic and biodynamically grown grapes experience cold maceration for 5 to 10 days before temperature-controlled fermentation for roughly 4 weeks, then pressing, malolactic fermentation, and aging on fine lees for 10 to 18 months.

Red Sancerre (Pinot Noir) was once the most populous grape grown in the region, prior to the phylloxera epidemic in the 1800s, but today Sauvignon Blanc has slid into the top spot. Still, the comparable rarity of Sancerre Rouge makes it even more treasurable – and it is renowned for its soft perfume, velvety structure, and mineral earthiness, all tied together with that signature pinot noir fruity backbone. This one showcases a rich crimson hue, opening with fragrant fruity and woodsy tones the likes of raspberries, mulberries, and forest floor. In prance sour cherries, red currants, pink peppercorn, some vanilla, and cinnamon on the tongue, plus some spiced, woodsy notes for something ethereally pleasing and compelling. This is on par with top-notch Red Burgundy, and just as rare...but for a fraction of the cost! And your price drops even lower (with FREE shipping) when you order 3 or more...what are you waiting for?!

PAIRING IDEAS: Rich, hearty, and savory, a good shepherd’s pie would do mighty well paired up with this robust Sancerre Rouge.