Alphonse Mellot - Côtes Charité Les Pénitents Chardonnay 2021

Alphonse Mellot, a skilled winemaker, offers a fascinating interpretation of Sancerre through single-vineyard wines that showcase the nuances of each terroir. The average age of his vines—75 years—allows him to produce an impeccable lineup, with even the entry-level wine—the estate cuvée—already at the highest level. Eighteen hectares in the La Côte de la Charité IGP also attest to his mastery of Chardonnay. We salute the work and inspiration of this tireless enthusiast, whose efforts crown more than 30 years of research and uncompromising dedication.

Alphonse Mellot Jr., the 19th generation to run the flagship estate in Sancerre, owns 53 hectares of vineyards cultivated using biodynamic methods and offers a range of single-varietal Sancerre wines that are remarkably clear, elegant, and refined. Several of these wines—Edmond, Les Romains, and Génération Dix-Neuf—stand out for their concentration, precision, and expression. This year, I’ve expanded my notes a bit, as I truly sensed differences in complexity among the wines, rather than mere differences in style. Pinot Noir enthusiasts should try the 2014 Les Herses.

Founded in 1513, the estate’s current owner, Alphonse Mellot, is the 19th generation to run the family-owned winery. The estate is located in the center of the village and features an extensive network of cellars. With 56 hectares of vineyards, Mellot produces Sancerre for supermarkets (the La Moussière cuvée, made from young vines, is stocked at Sainsbury’s in the United Kingdom, for example) as well as top-tier cuvées made from old vines, such as the Cuvée Edmond, whose grapes come from a 6-hectare plot of old vines within the 38-hectare La Moussière vineyard. The resulting style, fermented in wooden vats of various sizes, is pure and precise and manages to retain an enticing acidity even in hot vintages such as 2018, 2019, and 2020. The flagship wine, Génération XIX, comes from a one-hectare plot at La Moussière where the vines average nearly 90 years of age. Handled with care, it is fermented in 900-liter vats, resulting in an exceptional and alluring Sauvignon Blanc of intense purity and with a structure that will allow it to age gracefully. The estate also produces Pinot Noir: La Demoiselle comes from a rare flint-based terroir that gives it a smoky, spicy, and firm style, while the limestone soils of the Le Paradis vineyard—which contributes to the red Génération XIX—offer a more alluring elegance, and the clay-rich section of Chambrates provides softness and ease. The Pinot Noir wines also make generous use of high-quality oak. Having adopted biodynamic farming very early on, the estate has been certified since 1999.