2019 Alphonse Mellot Vingt Mille Pieds Sous Rosé
Producer: Alphonse Mellot
Region: Sancerre, Loire Valley
Country: France
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2019
ABV: 14.5%
Occasional Wine Note: We have yet to run into a Sancerre we didn't like. On the other hand, Rosés are little bit of a mixed bag. After trying this one, though, we're still at 100% on the Sancerre side. Beautiful cherry flavors and aromas blend well with some savory notes and the region's signature minerality. The finish is long and begs for another sip. This is a Spring/Summer delight that can really be enjoyed any time.
Vinous
Critic Score: 96
The 2018 Rose Vingt Mille Pieds Sous Sancerre is a complex and robust Rosé that is worthy of a Michelin-starred dining table. Perhaps that is because it has been treated as if it were a fine wine; instead of being a red wine cast-off, the vines have been tended and the grapes picked with the specific intention of making a high quality Rosé. Fully dry, it offers excellent concentration, gourmet texture and is lightly tannic. Complex and savory with red cherry flavors lingering on the long finish. Best Rosé in the Loire this year? Maybe. It's a close run between Mellot and Bourgueil's Yannick Amirault.
Wine Advocate
Critic Score: 91
Mellot's 2019 Sous Sancerre Vingt Mille Pieds turns out to be an impressive Sancerre rosé. This pure Pinot Noir from a vineyard planted with 20,000 vines per hectare was fermented and aged in round "GalileOak" barrels. The color is an intense antique pink, and the bouquet is deep and elegant in its concentrated red fruit and floral aromas reminiscent of framboise and hints of well-integrated oak. The attack on the palate is dense and finessed, whereas the medium to full-bodied wine is elegant and charmingly fruity, revealing fine tannin grip and alcoholic bitters. The finish is noble, vinously intense and elegant. This is a serious, sustainable Pinot to have with food. The 14.5% stated alcohol is quite a lot, but you don't notice it if you drink the wine at this early stage.