Alphonse Mellot jnr in their cellars that run under the town of Sancerre

Quick visit yesterday afternoon to see Alphonse Mellot jnr.

Alphonse: "We started on 29th August. We have finished in Sancerre and are now picking in Les Pénitents (Charitois).  

 A bunch of Chardonnay from Les Pénitents (Charitois)

 Chardonnay arriving in case from the Charitois (above and below)

Pinot Noir

Abel Osorio (Nau Frères, Bourgueil)

The very fine 2008 Vieilles Vignes, Bourgueil, Nau Frères

Alphonse Mellot, jnr with Génération XIX

Edouard de la Palme with his AC Touraine Blanc (100% Chenin) 

Sebastien du Petit Thouars with the 2008 Reserve AC Touraine (100% Cabernet Franc)

Both the wines pictured from Edouard and Sébastien will be outlawed from AC Touraine if the idiotic reforms of the appellation come into force. Why you might ask. Simple! They are made respectively from 100% Chenin Blanc and 100% Cabernet Franc. The new regulations will not permit Touraine wines to be made from pure Chenin or pure Cabernet Franc. That these wines come from very close to  the birthplace of François Rabelais, the great promoter and lover of wines made from these two varieties, and that they are archetypal Loire varieties doesn't matter a jot to the Ayatollahs of eastern Touraine!

Frédéric Filliatreau (Domaine Filliatreau, Saumur and Saumur-Champigny)

Gérard Cherrier (Château de Sancerre)


Comte Henry d'Assay pouring his Château de Tracy (Pouilly-Fumé)

Henry Marionnet (Domaine de la Charmoise)