Alphonse Mellot : Edmond 2023

Characteristics and tasting notes of Alphonse Mellot's Sancerre "Edmond" 2023

Tasting

Appearance
The wine reveals a brilliant golden yellow hue, illuminated by delicate green reflections that highlight its shine and clarity.

Nose
Wonderfully majestic, the bouquet proves powerful and beautifully complex. It weaves together aromas of fresh grass, anise and liquorice with more indulgent notes of lemon, honey and brioche, reflecting a perfectly integrated ageing.

Palate
Ample and generous, the palate offers a succulent, rich and silky texture. It unfolds flavours of lime, muscat and vanilla, carried by superb tension. The whole extends towards a persistent, spicy and deeply mineral finish, a true signature of its limestone terroir.

Food and wine pairing

This great white wine will pair wonderfully with oysters, scallops, creamed poultry with baby vegetables, an andouillette, or a matured goat's cheese such as Chavignol.

Serving and cellaring

Sancerre "Edmond" 2023 is a wine built for cellaring, which can be enjoyed now or kept in the cellar until around 2032.

The masterful expression of a great white wine from Sancerre

The estate

Although the family's winemaking roots go back to 1513, the creation of the Alphonse Mellot estate in its modern form took place at the beginning of the 19th century in France, followed by an export licence in 1881. Located in the heart of the Loire Valley, this estate of excellence stretches over 76 hectares, all farmed biodynamically. Today, Alphonse Mellot Junior, representing the nineteenth generation, leads this essential family estate, renowned for its meticulous plot-by-plot approach and its wines of remarkable precision.

The vineyard

This cuvée comes from a selection of plots covering around six hectares located on the famous lieu-dit La Moussière, within the Sancerre appellation. Facing south-south-west, these old vines, aged between 40 and 87 years, thrive on soils of Kimmeridgian marls from Saint-Doulchard, known as caillottes. Farmed biodynamically with complete soil work, this terroir benefits from a high planting density, encouraging moderate yields and optimal concentration in the berries.

Vinification and ageing

After a manual harvest in small crates, the grapes destined for Sancerre "Edmond" 2023 undergo rigorous sorting on a table before a gentle sequential pneumatic pressing. The must is cold-settled and then ferments in French oak barrels. Ageing takes place on fine lees for eleven months in wooden vats and new demi-muids, followed by a further blending period of at least twelve months before bottling.

Grape variety

100% sauvignon blanc