Alphonse Mellot : Les Pénitents Chardonnay 2021

Characteristics and tasting tips for Les Pénitents Chardonnay 2021 from Alphonse Mellot

Tasting

Color

With its deep yellow hue and golden highlights, this wine reflects beautiful fruit maturity and a remarkable balance between concentration and freshness.

Nose

The nose reveals fine aromatic intensity dominated by citrus and exotic fruit notes. A delicate bouquet of stone fruits gradually unfolds, with notes of peach and apricot intertwined with citrus touches and a subtle hint of vanilla. Aromas of Golden Delicious apple, pear and lemon zest shape a refined aromatic profile, enhanced by a stony minerality characteristic of limestone terroirs.

Palate

On the palate, this wine charms with its silky, even texture, offering perfect balance between acidity and fruit expression. The medium- to full-bodied mouthfeel reveals flavors of perfectly ripe pear and lemon zest that linger on the tongue. Citrus fruits, florals and fleshy stone fruits show great purity, while the elegant, long finish unveils notes of salted hazelnut. Bright, fresh acidity defines this vintage, bringing precision and vibrancy to the whole.

Food and wine pairings

This Chardonnay shows all its finesse and freshness as an aperitif. It pairs elegantly with oysters, white poultry and dry goat cheeses. Its balanced structure and natural liveliness also make it an ideal partner for delicately flavored fish prepared simply, or white meats.

Serving and cellaring

Les Pénitents Chardonnay 2021 can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve through approximately 2028.

Alphonse Mellot crafts a rich, delicate Loire wine

The estate

At the beginning of the 19th century, Alphonse Mellot founded the family estate in Sancerre, which has since been expanded from father to son.

As early as the 16th century, local archives mention the Mellot family as renowned winegrowers and wine merchants. As an anecdote, in 1698 King Louis XIV chose César Mellot as his wine adviser.

The eldest of each generation bears the founder’s first name. This is how, even today, Alphonse Mellot father and son perpetuate this winemaking tradition and produce high-quality Sancerre wines from a single, contiguous vineyard of more than 30 hectares.

The vineyard

Les Pénitents is Alphonse Mellot’s only Chardonnay, sourced from the historic Nièvre terroir, now part of the IGP Côtes de la Charité, located 35 kilometers southeast of Sancerre. This vineyard was once planted and cultivated by the Benedictine monks of Cluny, who received these lands as a donation from Count Étienne de Sancerre. Almost destroyed by phylloxera at the end of the 19th century, it came back to life thanks to several dedicated producers, including Alphonse Mellot, starting in the late 1980s. Oxfordian limestone forms a transition between the Loire Valley and Burgundy’s Côte d'Or. The entrochal limestone soils on which the vines, planted in 1990, grow define this Middle Jurassic geology, ideal for producing highly complex wines. The estate maintains organic and biodynamic certification, an approach adopted very early on, since 1999.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage in the Loire Valley proved particularly favorable for this Chardonnay. Marked by a cooler, more structured growing cycle, this vintage produced wines with remarkable freshness and energy. The whites stand out for their fine natural acidity and clean aromas, revealing impressive freshness and balance. The climatic conditions heightened the wines’ tension and precision, giving rise to finely chiseled cuvées.

Vinification and aging

Vinification of Les Pénitents Chardonnay 2021 uses a combination of wooden vats and cement tanks, an approach that enables controlled fermentation temperatures while bringing nuance and complexity. Aging on lees lasts between six and eight months, providing roundness and richness while preserving the wine’s natural freshness.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay.