Alphonse Mellot Sancerre ROUGE Generation XIX

Winery	Domaine Alphonse Mellot
Region	Loire Valley
Appellation	Sancerre
Type	Red Wine
Varietal	Pinot Noir
Vineyard Size	1 hectare
Soil	Kimmeridgian marl and limestone soils
Vineyard Orientation	Southeast
Average Age of Vines	Almost 100 years old
Farming Practice	Organic – Certified, Biodynamic
Maturation	12 months, half in wooden vats and half in 1200-litre hogsheads, end of maturing en masse for a minimum of 7-9 months
Vintage	2014

Génération XIX, an expression of the 19th generation of the family name and a cuvee marking the highpoint of a range expressing the winegrower’s love for his art – a unique Sancerre that provides a remarkable explosion of savours from the very heart of the estate. This 100% Pinot Noir red has a rich and complex nose opening to notes of blackberry, bilberry and morello cherry, a deep ruby red robe and a perfectly balanced, powerful and generous palate combining such oriental fruits and spices as pink pepper, vanilla and cinnamon on a background of mineral freshness. Génération XIX will reveal its full richness and complexity when matched with poached eggs, mushroom fricassee, roast venison with grand veneur sauce, steak or plain chocolate mousse. Patience and long cellaring will bring this fine and truly stylish wine to new heights of perfection.

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Shelf Talker

Tech Sheet

93pts Wine Enthusiast – 2014 vintage

“In celebration of the 19 generations of the Mellot family, this wine is a blend from different parcels of the estate. It is spicy, smoky and full of black cherries and powerful tannins. Because it is still young and vibrant in its fruits, drink from 2020.”

90pts The Wine Advocate – 2014 vintage

“The dark crimson-colored 2014 Sancerre Generation Dix-Neuf offers an intense and generous bouquet of ripe, well-concentrated dark berries and floral aromas. Smooth and round on the palate, this is a full-bodied, fresh and elegant Pinot Noir with a nice purity and spiciness, and a pretty long and complex finish. Te tannins are firm and crisp, and make this a serious and fleshy Pinot with intensity and character.”

The Wine Advocate – 2008 vintage

“The old-vines Mellot red 2008 Sancerre Generation XIX – which I should really call “black” – is to my mind his most interesting and successful Pinot of its vintage. Soy, brine, dark chocolate, and raw walnut accent red raspberry, blackberry, and purple plum in a performance prominently and tartly acidic – like that of its immediate siblings – but with a far more consistently refreshing cast, augmented by invigorating finishing salinity, subtle plum pit bitterness, and an underlying meatiness that is rich rather than leathery. There is impressive concentration here and promising depth.”

Alphonse Mellot Sancerre ROUGE Generation XIX