Vinous
The 2019 Ros Vingt Mille Pieds Sous Sancerre is a complex and robust Ros 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 Ros. 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 Ros in the Loire this year? Maybe. It’s a close run between Mellot and Bourgueil’s Yannick Amirault.
RP91
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Mellot’s 2019 Sous Sancerre Vingt Mille Pieds turns out to be an impressive Sancerre ros. 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.