Alphonse Mellot In- Store Tonight 6-8pm. Sancerre Royalty Don't Miss Out! 

Tonight for a limited time we have Alphonse Mellot in-store at Pearson's. Don't miss your opportunity to meet and taste some of the World's Greatest Wines from one of the World's Greatest Wine Producers. Tasting starts promptly at 6pm and ends at 8pm. It will be an exciting event with a huge lineup of wines. Also, everyone in attendance will have a chance to win a signed bottle of Generations XIX or La Moussiere. We hope to see you all here!

“True artists with Sauvignon… [the Mellot family’s] worthy aspirations have gradually raised them to the peaks of the great Sauvignons of the world. Alphonse Mellot’s white Sancerres are amongst the most brilliant and pure illustrations of the genius of the Sauvignon grape.”  The World's Greatest Wines, Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve

If anyone doubted Sauvignon Blanc’s place in the pantheon of Noble White Grapes (and many do), a walk through Alphonse Mellot’s famed La Moussière vineyard or a taste of any bottle of Mellot Sancerre should set matters straight. Mellot’s Sauvignons are capable of recalling great white Burgundy, sometimes Chablis, sometimes Côte d’Or. And they typically age better than most white burgundies do these days!

Sancerre is first and foremost an isolated hill that rises up in the middle of a serene landscape bathed by the soft light of the Loire river. 

The oldest part of the town, built like an amphitheatre on the south-western slopes of the hill towers up to a height of three hundred and twelve meters, dominating the landscape and offering a magnificent panorama. 

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. 

The wines are produced from the upper Sancerre vineyard, the most famous of which is the Domaine De La Moussiere. It's exceptional quality has led to it being officially classified as a unique category amongst the Sancerre wines. Domaine De La Moussiere comprises one single vineyard of over thirty hectares. 

It's ideal exposed location is on the south-western tip of Sancerre, it's chalk soil and its specific sub-soil are all perfect conditions for the cultivation of the vine. 

White Sancerre is produced from the noble grape called « Sauvignon, with small, very tightly packed grapes, that is amongst the oldest known varieties. 
Sancerre has an eminent position in the hierarchy of white wines thanks to its great finesse, its bouquet and fruitiness. 

Red and rosé Sancerre are produced from the Pinot Noir grape, particularly from the older vines of the 'Vieux Clos Chambrastes'. Legend has it that this vineyard is located on the site of an ancient roman encampment.

Domaine De La Moussière, where the estate’s most historic white wines are grown, is one of the most remarkable and best kept vineyards in France. It is a beautiful, south facing, rolling slope, with deep, limestone-rich, ploughed soils. The vines are densely planted (8,000-10,000 vines per-hectare) and there is a large percentage of old vines. Incredibly, 40 people are employed to manage 47 hectares! If anyone can be said to be guardians of Sancerre terrior, it is these hardy souls pruning through winter on the frigid slopes of La Moussière. Here, everything is done by hand, biodynamically and to immaculate standards. The winery is full of the kind of equipment (sorting tables, conveyor belts, pneumatic presses, large wooden temperature controlled fermentation tanks, etc.) that you only typically find in the fine st Burgundy domains – absolutely no expense has been spared.

We will be tasting and offering: