The Mellot family, or at least the name, is not one new to viticulture and winemaking in and around Sancerre. The earliest records, which date from the beginning of the 16th Century, in 1513 to be precise, reveal their presence in the cellars and vineyards around the town, tending the vines and making the wines. Alphonse senior came to take control of the estate in 1970, and was instrumental in steering the family business away from bulk wine towards a smaller, more focused affair, with an ethos of quality rather than volume. Hence today the vineyard owned by the family is a manageable 47 hectares or thereabouts, cared for using organic methods since the turn of the century, although the Mellots had been following agriculture raisonnée prior to that. In latter years it has, however, been Alphonse junior that has taken the lead, and today the duo work together to make and promote these wines.
A recent addition to the Domaine Mellot range, the Domaine des Penitents, of which the Pinot Noir features in our list, is some 18 hectares.
