Alphonse Mellot: Vineyards
The Alphonse Mellot facilities are located on Rue Porte-César, a name which surely harks back to the time of César Mellot, in the late 17th century. This is within the town of Sancerre, in the north-east section, close to the Rempart des Augustins which affords the town’s many visitors a fine panoramic view across the broad waters of the Loire to the vineyards of Pouilly-Fumé beyond. The vineyards are therefore, obviously perhaps, distant from the domaine, as there is no room for vines within the confines of this hilltop town. Even so, the majority of the vineyards are not too far away, as I have already alluded in my introduction.
The source of most of the fruit is La Moussière, a very expansive vineyard covering at least 35 hectares in many different parcels. These vines are located next to the main road between Sancerre and Bourges, and are on the right-hand side of this tree-lined thoroughfare as you head towards the town. The terroir here is largely Marnes de Saint Doulchard, a marl of Kimmeridgian origin, a rock type (pictured) that characterises some areas of Sancerre as well as Pouilly-Fumé.
Please log in to continue reading: