La Moussière Alphonse Mellot Sancerre (75cl, 13.5%)

A biodynamic, single-vineyard Sancerre made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The Mellot family has been rooted in Sancerre since 1513, and La Moussière is the domaine's tête de cuvée from a single thirty-hectare vineyard. Kimmeridgian limestone gives way to the marls of Saint Doulchard and the chalky soils of Buzançais, a geological mosaic that drives the wine's mineral complexity. Fermentation is split evenly between stainless steel vats and new oak casks, followed by seven to eight months of aging on fine lees. The nose opens with citrus blossom and grapefruit before crushed flint and dried herbs. The palate is rounded and airy, with ripe pear and lemon, concentrated chalk, ripe stone fruit, fresh pineapple and nettle accents. The finish is crisp, mineral-driven and impressively long, with lingering smoke and chalky salinity.