Cape Heritage and The Loire
Timed Online Auction, 1 - 12 August 2024
The Loire
About the SessionAn eclectic selection of interesting and super rare vintages from the Loire Valley. Rich in ancient limestone and silex soils, the Loire valley is known for their passionate, historic family producers, many of them farming organically, and forming the spiritual cradle of noble varieties including the likes of Sauvignon blanc in the famous appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume in the continental east, through the Chenins from Vouvray, and Cabernet Franc from Chinon and Saumur further downstream to the west. Brimming with variety and value, the catalogue includes highly collectable lots from acclaimed classics like Domaine Huet, Alphonse Mellot, Henri Bourgeois and Thierry Germain.
About this Item
In the 14th century, Alphonse Mellot founded a tavern in Sancerre, specialising in local wines. In 1881, he was granted a licence to ship his wine throughout France and abroad; marking the beginning of a family business that has been passed down over 18 generations. Today, Domaine Alphonse Mellot, which stretches across the upper Loire Valley, is run by father and son, both named Alphonse Mellot. While Sancerre produces predominantly white wines, Mellot has an almost 50:50 split between white and red production. Farming their 47 hectares of vines organically and biodynamically, they are the benchmark for quality in Loire.
Provenance
Restaurant Mosaic
Critics Ratings
‘Tasted assembled from barrel in tank, the Mellot 2010 Sancerre rouge Generation XIX leads with scents of lightly cooked purple plum and faintly smoky hot goose fat. Richly textured, its tannins really well-covered, this offers a sappy, mouthwatering mid-palate suffused with smoke, salt, chalk, and red meat. This ought to show well for at least half a dozen years.’ - David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate, 92/100 (June 2012)
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