Alphonse Mellot Edmond Sancerre Blanc 2016
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Robert
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Pairs well with oysters, crayfish cooked in a court-bouillon, scallops in caramelized chicory, sautéed Sancerre chicken with mixed vegetables in butter, chitterlings sausage in mustard seed, fresh Chavignol goatsmilk cheese, blue and remade, fresh fruit topped with toasted cheese in Sancerre zabaglione, egg whites with vanilla custard.
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Named after Alphonse Edmond, the father of present owner of Alphonse Mellot, this is the top wine from an always-impressive estate. Richness and concentration almost overwhelm the wine at this young stage, showing that it is set for aging. The acidity and biodynamically grown fruit of this powerful wine need to open up. Drink from 2020.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The white-golden 2016 Sancerre Edmond is clear, fresh and fragrant on the coolish, flinty, pure, concentrated, refreshingly mineral and even iron-scented nose. From about 50- to 90-year-old vines on calcareous marl soils, this is a deep, pure, fresh, refined and elegant Sancerre with a tight mineral structure, yeasty layers, great intensity, almost Riesling-like acidity and finesse and a very long, complex, grippy, lip-smacking finish. This is a powerful and sustainable classic. The 2016 is rich and powerful but full of energy, grip and tension. A Sancerre worth waiting for. 13% alcohol. Tasted in November and January 2020. Rating: 94+
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2020- Vinous
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Parker
Robert
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Enthusiast
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Robert
There is much controversy surrounding the origins of Sancerre. Certain historians attribute it to Julius Cesar, others to a Saxon settlement that is said to have been established during the reign of Charlemagne. It is however certain that its history goes back to the beginning of the Middle Ages, before the year 1000 and that a Castle was erected on this privileged site.
As far back as the XVI century, in 1513 to be exact, the local records mention the MELLOT family, whose life even at that time was governed by the seasons of the vine and the production of wines of excellent quality. The Mellot family, vinegrowers and wine merchants, was again mentioned during the siege of the town. They pursued their patient labours and continued to gain recognition because César Mellot was appointed as Wine Advisor to Louis XIV in 1698.
At the beginning of the XIX century, ALPHONSE MELLOT founded a tavern in Sancerre where one could savour the local wines and so began a flourishing trade that was to continue. In 1881 he was granted a licence to ship his wine throughout France and all over the World. This marked the beginning of a pacific conquest which has been pursued and developed by the family business from father to son ever since, with the eldest son continuing to bear the name of the Founder Alphonse.
Today, this century old winemaking tradition is perpetuated by Alphonse MELLOT, father and son, the 18th and 19th to bear the name.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Marked by its charming hilltop village in the easternmost territory of the Loire, Sancerre is famous for its racy, vivacious, citrus-dominant Sauvignon blanc. Its enormous popularity in 1970s French bistros led to its success as the go-to restaurant white around the globe in the 1980s.
While the region claims a continental climate, noted for short, hot summers and long, cold winters, variations in topography—rolling hills and steep slopes from about 600 to 1,300 feet in elevation—with great soil variations, contribute the variations in character in Sancerre Sauvignon blancs.
In the western part of the appellation, clay and limestone soils with Kimmeridgean marne, especially in Chavignol, produce powerful wines. Moving closer to the actual town of Sancerre, soils are gravel and limestone, producing especially delicate wines. Flint (silex) soils close to the village produce particularly perfumed and age-worthy wines.
About ten percent of the wines claiming the Sancerre appellation name are fresh and light red wines made from Pinot noir and to a lesser extent, rosés. While not typically exported in large amounts, they are well-made and attract a loyal French following.