Profile

Structure

Bodyfull
Tanninlow
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oakoak aged

Drinking window

Latest scored vintage 2020: best 2023 to 2035.

vintage3 yrs15 yrs17 yrs

Critic scores

CriticVintageScore
Vinous reviewed 2023202095/100

Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.

In the glass

Full-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: white peach, honeysuckle, lemon curd, fine spice

Palate: preserved lemon, creamy lees, chalk, saline mineral

Old-vine cuvée from a single hectare of La Moussière planted in the 1930s. Beautiful freshness, distinctive floral notes and chalky minerality from biodynamic farming.

What it pairs with

  • Lobster with beurre blanc Full body and creamy lees handle rich shellfish; saline mineral cuts butter sauce.More wines for lobster →
  • Roast turbot The wine's textural weight matches firm-fleshed fish; lemon-curd register echoes a brown-butter sauce.More wines for fish →
  • Truffled scrambled eggs Lees creaminess meets soft scramble; black truffle finds the wine's fine spice.More wines for truffles →
  • Aged Comté (30+ months) Hazelnut crystallisation in the cheese partners the wine's preserved-lemon depth and chalk.More wines for aged hard cheese →

With cheese

Crottin de Chavignol Local tradition Young crottin has a firm, chalky paste and aged ones turn nutty and dry. White Sancerre's sharp Sauvignon acidity and citrus cut that density and freshen the hazelnut. The consortium lists it first; a pairing guide calls it the classic white.

History

Génération XIX is made from a hectare of vines on La Moussière planted in the 1930s, averaging nearly 90 years old. The 19th generation of the Mellot family launched the cuvée to mark their succession.

  1. 2002First vintage of Génération XIX as a homage to the 19th generation
  2. 2014Generation XIX listed in Decanter's Loire vintage report (single-hectare 1930s-planted La Moussiere parcel)

Facts

Producer
Alphonse Mellot · visiting guide
Grapes
Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
Classification
Sancerre AOC
Oak
Fermented and aged in 600 to 900-litre truncated vats, around 18 months on lees
ABV
13.5%
Price
EUR 65 to 100 at retail
Drinking window
3-15 from vintage
First vintage
2002
Biodynamic
Biodyvin Certified
Organic
ECOCERT
Vegan
Yes (no animal-derived fining)

Frequently asked about Sancerre Génération XIX

What does Mellot Génération XIX taste like?

White peach, honeysuckle, lemon curd and fine spice on the nose; preserved lemon, creamy lees, chalk and saline mineral on the palate. Full-bodied with high acidity and a long, layered finish.

When should I drink Mellot Génération XIX?

Drink between 3 and 15 years from vintage. The old vines and 18 months of lees ageing give the wine long cellaring capacity for a Sancerre.

Where is Génération XIX grown?

A single hectare within the La Moussière vineyard, planted with vines averaging nearly 90 years old. The Mellot family has farmed the parcel for nineteen generations.

Is Mellot Génération XIX vegan?

Yes. The estate is Demeter-certified biodynamic and uses no animal-derived fining agents.

Tags

biodynamic dry full body high acid medium term mood contemplative mood elegant occasion cellar occasion dinner party occasion special old vines old world organic pairs with aged cheese pairs with shellfish pairs with truffles pairs with white fish price premium sauvignon blanc single vineyard still white vegan

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