2021 Emmanuelle Mellot Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Loire Valley < France

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Certified biodynamic farming (EcoCert); volcanic soils with 35% quartz; de-stemmed, then fermented and aged in stainless steel for 6 months; bottled unfined/unfiltered with minimal added So2; 12.5% ABV

Winemaker: Emmanuelle Mellot

The Mellot family name is one of the French wine community’s most famous, with a history going back more than five hundred years (to 1513) in the Central Loire Valley where they make their home in Sancerre and bottle wines under the name Domaine Alphonse Mellot.  The winery has historically been passed from father to son, as is the case for the family winery now, and that was where Emmanuelle grew up at the feet of some of the most revered growers and winemakers in France. She also worked for the domaine for years, but eventually Emmanuelle was ready to step out of her father's shadow and create a name for herself.   And so she began her own negociant business (to make wine from purchased fruit).  She sources from friends and neighbors working with organic and/or biodynamic methods (as her family’s estate does) from different high-quality satellite appellations near Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, and selects specific plots or barrels for her own project.   Her goal (aside from making fabulous organic wines) is to shine the light on these lesser-known appellations -- because the Loire is much more than (the mostly conventionally farmed) Sancerre appellation.   Unlike her father's wines, Emmanuelle's wines have a very floral style, ripe fruit and just enough tension.