Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Génération Xix Blanc 2020 (750ml) *
Product price
$100.99
Description
Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre usually trades in cut and tension, but this bottling from Alphonse Mellot leans toward richness and scale instead. The fruit comes off a parcel of La Moussière where some of the vines date to 1912, rooted in Kimmeridgian marl, and the 2020 was raised about ten months on its lees. That long lees contact, plus a ripe vintage that pushed alcohol to 14.5%, gives you a white with real weight rather than the lean, mineral wire many shoppers expect from the appellation.
The nose runs tropical, pineapple and something floral above it, and the palate follows through round and silky, coating rather than cutting. There's honeyed depth here alongside a mineral thread that keeps the ripeness in check. Bold and full-bodied, yes, but it stays balanced and satisfying rather than heavy, an ambitious take on Sancerre that fills the mouth and holds together.
Product Details
| Category | Wine |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire |
| Subregion | Sancerre |
| Varietal | Sauvignon Blanc |
| Producer | Alphonse Mellot |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Size | 750 ML |
| Subtype | Still |
Expert Reviews
The 2020 Sancerre Generation XIX is seductive with its round, full body caressing the palate. It offers pure fruit that's redolent of pineapple as well as florals. At 14.5% alcohol and with 10 months on lees, there's plenty of weight. While the alcohol is a bit higher than I'd like, this is still an impressive and ambitious style. Tasted from tank. (Vinous, August 2021)
From a part of the lieu-dit of La Moussière where the oldest vines date back to 1912 and grow on Kimmeridgian marls, this super-ripe wine has a mouthwateringly tropical nose that precedes a deliciously silky palate with gorgeously ripe, mineral fruit. There is a lot of alcohol here, but the wine tastes balanced and rich, rather than overblown. Honeyed and mineral, mouthfilling and satisfying, this is bold, classy and irresistible. (Decanter, May 2025)