x
  • Weather

    8° C Broken clouds
  • Time

    12:19 PM
  • Wine average?

    90 Tb
  • Popularity ranking?

    257

History

SANCERRE is first and foremost an isolated hill that rises up in the middle of a serene landscape bathed by the soft light of the Loire river. The oldest part of the town, built like an amphitheatre on the south-western slopes of the hill towers up to a height of three hundred and twelve meters, dominating the landscape and offering a magnificent panorama.
 

There is much controversy surrounding the origins of Sancerre. Certain historians attribute it to Julius Cesar, others to a Saxon settlement that is said to have been established during the reign of Charlemagne. It is however certain that its history goes back to the beginning of the Middle Ages, before the year 1000 and that a Castle was erected on this privileged site.

As far back as the XVI century, in 1513 to be exact, the local records mention the MELLOT family, whose life even at that time was governed by the seasons of the vine and the production of wines of excellent quality.


The Mellot family, vinegrowers and wine merchants, was again mentioned during the siege of the town. They pursued their patient labours and continued to gain recognition because César Mellot was appointed as Wine Advisor to Louis XIV in 1698.
At the beginning of the XIX century, ALPHONSE MELLOT founded a tavern in Sancerre where one could savour the local wines and so began a flourishing trade that was to continue. In 1881 he was granted a licence to ship his wine throughout France and all over the World. This marked the beginning of a pacific conquest which has been pursued and developed by the family business from father to son ever since, with the eldest son continuing to bear the name of the Founder Alphonse.
 

Today, this century old winemaking tradition is perpetuated by Alphonse MELLOT, father and son, the 18th and 19th to bear the name.

Close

Vineyards

 

 

Before the existence of any form of life be it crawling, swaying or walking , stone is always present, it is referred to by the Philosophers as the pure presence of the World. Blind and completely void of consciousness, basic in its vitality and energy, stone is an intrinsic part of the grammar and the syntax on which a style is based, what in other terms is known as 'Terroir' Michel Onfray ('Les formes du temps' (The shape of life)).

 

The 'terroirs' of Domaine la Moussière are a true gift of past generations.
Located at the very heart of the appellation on Kimmeridgian soil, this magnificent limestone gives way to the marls of Saint Doulchard and the chalky soil of Buzançais. 
When cenomanian they are flinty-clay and when oxfordian they are layered chalk. It would indeed be a shame for these differences not be expressed. The bed must be delicately ploughed over in order to allow the invisible forms of life that are now oxygenated, to develop right down to the rock, and thus to be able to accommodate and nourish the roots of the vine.
This marvellous alchemy now makes it possible for the minerals liberated from the soil to be soaked up by the fruit which can then best be expressed by that much used word 'Terroir'.

 


This is the only way in which each wine will develop different mineral characteristics, thus constituting a "memory catalogue" of the soil and climatic conditions. This makes tasting so much more enriching and the wines itself become real works of art.

Close

Winemaking

The wines are produced from the upper Sancerre vineyard, the most famous of which is the « DOMAINE LA MOUSSIERE ». Its exceptional quality has led to it being officially classified as a unique category amongst the Sancerre wines.

The DOMAINE DE LA MOUSSIERE comprises one single vineyard of over thirty hectares.
 

Its ideally exposed location on the south-western tip of Sancerre, its chalk soil and its specific sub-soil are all perfect conditions for the cultivation of the vine. White Sancerre is produced from the noble grape called « Sauvignon », with small, very tightly packed grapes, that is amongst the oldest known varieties.
Sancerre has an eminent position in the hierarchy of white wines thanks to its great finesse, its bouquet and fruitiness.

Red and rosé Sancerre are produced from the « Pinot Noir » grape, particularly from the older vines of the 'Vieux Clos Chambrastes'. Legend has it that this vineyard is located on the site of an ancient roman encampment.

Close
Incorrect Information
If you found some information that is wrong, let us know
UPGRADE MEMBER PLAN
Upgrade your membership now, it's quick and easy. We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards. Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Thank you for your support!
 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

 

HOW TO USE TASTINGBOOK?

We recommend you to share few minutes for watching the following video instructions of how to use the Tastingbook. This can provide you a comprehensive understanding of all the features you can find from this unique service platform.

This video will help you get started



Taste wines with the Tastingbook


Create Your wine cellar on 'My Wines'



Explore Your tasted wines library



Administrate Your wine world in Your Profile



Type a message ...
Register to Tastingbook
Sign up now, it's quick and easy.
We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards.
Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal, where you can sign up for a free 7-day trial period. You can cancel your membership at any time. We wish you a rewarding journey to the world of Fine Wines.

Free 7 days Member trial

 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

  Register