Alphonse Mellot : Les Pénitents Pinot Noir 2020

Tasting characteristics and advice for Alphonse Mellot’s Les Pénitents Pinot Noir 2020

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a vibrant ruby-red hue, deep and purple-tinged, with remarkable intensity and captivating brilliance.

Nose

The nose gradually opens on lovely red-fruit aromas, unveiling notes of black cherry and raspberry. Floral hints of violet enrich the bouquet, alongside touches of sweet spice and subtle mineral nuances that reflect the identity of the terroir.

Palate

The attack is supple, revealing a crisp, sensual palate with fine, silky tannins. The velvety texture offers beautiful harmony, carried by a natural freshness that lingers through to a persistent, elegant, flavorful finish.

Food and wine pairings

This pinot noir is a wonderful match for marinated meats, hand-cut sausages grilled on the barbecue, or duck breast with pepper. It also pairs perfectly with a veal sauté with tomato, roasted poultry, or a lightly aged Crottin de Chavignol.

Serving and cellaring

Les Pénitents Pinot Noir 2020 will benefit from being opened forty-five minutes before serving and served at a temperature between 14 and 16°C. This wine can be enjoyed now, but will continue to evolve through around 2027, or even through 2029 to gain complexity and suppleness.

A biodynamic pinot noir from Côtes de la Charité in the Loire Valley

The estate

At the beginning of the 19th century, Alphonse Mellot established the family house in Sancerre, which has since been passed down and expanded from father to son.

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

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

The vineyard

The very old vineyard of Côtes de la Charité, located within the IGP of the same name, lies on the foothills of the Morvan, characterized by steep slopes. Already prestigious in the 12th century, when it was planted and cultivated by the Cluniac monks, this vineyard was almost wiped out by phylloxera before being reborn in the late 1980s. Crossed by the Way of St. James, which explains the symbolic name “Les Pénitents”, the terroir benefits from a temperate continental climate with wide temperature swings. The soils, mainly clay-limestone and sometimes siliceous, allow the vines to root deeply and lend the wines their characteristic finesse and minerality. Acquired in 2005, this eighteen-hectare terroir was then in a dilapidated state, requiring a complete rebuild. Farmed organically and biodynamically with BIODYVIN certification, the vineyard is worked by hand with minimal yields to favor quality and the natural expression of the terroir.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage in the Loire Valley is marked by a particularly hot summer that promoted optimal grape ripeness. These exceptional weather conditions made it possible to achieve remarkable phenolic ripeness, essential for crafting a high-quality pinot noir. The early harvest produced perfectly ripe grapes, encouraging the expression of fresh fruit and an elegant structure while preserving natural freshness.

Vinification and aging

Les Pénitents Pinot Noir 2020 is crafted using traditional vinification that respects the terroir, resulting in a wine with silky tannins and a balanced palate. The oenological approach prioritizes precision and balance, aiming to create crystalline, focused, taut wines with a fine mineral dimension, rather than massive or overly concentrated expressions.

Grape variety

100% pinot noir.