In the glass
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. -
Roast turbot
The wine's textural weight matches firm-fleshed fish; lemon-curd register echoes a brown-butter sauce. -
Truffled scrambled eggs
Lees creaminess meets soft scramble; black truffle finds the wine's fine spice. -
Aged Comté (30+ months)
Hazelnut crystallisation in the cheese partners the wine's preserved-lemon depth and chalk.
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.
- 2002 — First vintage of Génération XIX as a homage to the 19th generation
- 2014 — Generation XIX listed in Decanter's Loire vintage report (single-hectare 1930s-planted La Moussiere parcel)
Facts
- Producer
- Alphonse Mellot
- 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
- Demeter Certified
- Organic
- ECOCERT
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Scores
- Vinous 95 (2020 vintage, reviewed 2023)
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 remarkable 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.