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More wines available from Alphonse Mellot
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Alphonse Mellot Cuvee Edmond Sancerre Blanc 2018
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$74.28
Now mature, this wine balances crisp citrus with warm apricot flavors. It is smooth and intense, with a texture that...
750ml
Bottle:
$98.94
Pale gold yellow in colour with light green sheen brilliant, bright and clear a young honest appearance. A rich...
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$98.33
Having tasted the white Generation XIX a year ago before it headed for the bottling line, its pedigree continues to...
750ml
Bottle:
$80.89
$89.20
Pale gold yellow in colour with light green sheen brilliant, lively and clear a mature appearance. Mature and fresh...
More Details
Winery
Alphonse Mellot
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
In its native France, the Cabernet Franc varietal grape is used in the production of a wide range of wines, from the bright and pale red colored single variety bottles, to the magnificent oak aged and world-beating wines of the Bordeaux region. The past century has seen many other countries catch on to the importance of this fine grape varietal, and today, it is one of the most widely grown grapes in the world. It thrives in cool, temperate valley regions, where it can ripen fully and produce plump fruits carrying all their distinctive flavors and aromas. The production of Bordeaux-style wines around the world simply wouldn't be able to reach such heights without Cabernet Franc, which lends its fascinating and complex aromas to the mix and makes them the memorable wines they are.
Region: Loire Valley
Despite being most closely associated with fine white wines made with the excellent Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc varietal grapes which thrive there, the region of the Loire Valley in France also produces several other quality wines. The sub-region of Chinon is highly esteemed for its excellent Cabernet Franc based red wines, packed full of unique character and excellent fruity flavors, and the sparkling crémant wines of the region are adored by people all over the world. The region benefits enormously from the fertile valley it sits in, and the oceanic breezes which blow over the area, cooling the vines and helping them reach full and balanced levels of ripeness. The Loire Valley is an ancient wine region, with a viticultural history which stretches back two thousand years and is stronger than ever today.
Country: France
It is widely understood and accepted that the finest wines in the world come out of France. Whether you are drinking a vintage bottle from one of the famed Grand Cru wineries of Bordeaux - such as Chateau Margaux or Chateau Lafite-Rothschild - or a more simple and affordable bottle from one of the lesser known appellations in Burgundy, the likelihood is that the wine is packed full of intense and interesting flavors, and has a fine, balanced structure typical of almost all French produce. This reputation for excellence is taken extremely serious by the French, with dozens of regularly updated laws and regulations ensuring the quality and accurate labeling of wines. Such dedication and passion for fine wine, representative of the region in which it is produced, means customers can be assured that when they buy a bottle from France, they are buying something almost certain to please and delight.