Some Truly Terrific Wines From Mellecey Wine Group

 

 

Thinking back over the past nine years of GFR, it’s not often that I feel the need to scribe an exhaustive review of a wine agency’s tasting, but at a recent sampling of some of Good Food Fighter Mellecey Wine Group‘s current offerings I was so blown away by the overall quality that I felt I had to do just that, as these were some of the better wines I had tasted in some time… just look at all those apples I handed out!

 

There honestly wasn’t even one so-so wine in the entire line-up. Nothing less than four apples out of five.

 

Gorgeous Sauvignon aromatics that are a million miles from New Zealand SB, and is much more Styrian in style (makes sense really, considering the geography). More herbal than herbaceous and decidedly savoury, a very satisfying middle palate, and a good sustained finish. 

 

Quite reserved but deliciously fruit-driven without a hint of the clumsiness I often find in modern Pouilly Fumé, floral, with mineral accents, classic rain-on-stone/sucking-on-river-pebble stuff satisfyingly Loire. Amazingly this bottle had been open since Monday and was still fresh as a daisy, Astonishing vitality, nice simple labelling also, very impressed.

 

Exceptional quality for what is ostensibly an entry level wine (it is Burgundy, remember), good weight and texture on palate and remarkably rich for this level of wine, classic nutty Burgundian Chardonnay notes both on nose and palate. 

 

2015 Denis Carre Auxy Duresses “Les Vireux” Bourgogne, France $95.95 

A fair bt of reserve on the nose, but this is undeniably top class stuff, almost waxy on nose, beeswax, beautifully textured with substantial weight for this AOC, a savoury/mineral bite/snap on the back of palate after great mid palate, and actually quite powerful, Love this.

 

Old school Pouilly Fuissé, there’s a firmness in the acidity that carries what is gorgeously rich and giving Chardonnay, top of its class here, really delicious, one of the best Pouilly Fuisée I have tasted in some time as they are usually horrendously overpriced IMHO. A whiff of reduction that adds an extra layer. Judicious use of cooperage adds some great complexity to the lovely clean Chardonnay fruit. Wonderful finish that makes you want to simply jump into the next glass. Unfortunately that was the end of the bottle… 

 

I had some issues with this wine at first, but it turned out to be a dodgily washed glass. Many rouge Sancerre are underwhelming (especially when looks at their average price point), but this delivers and is a most enjoyable Loire take on Pinot Noir that exhibits some of the lovely delicate aspects of the grape so often lost in today’s wine world… I wish more Pinot’s displayed this elegance and prettiness. Beautiful and perfumed on both nose and palate.

 

Quite a muscularly tannic Volnay that has a long life ahead of it. Nose is dark berry fruit with just a  hint of the floral. Medium bodied with a formidable structure that may surprise those unaccustomed to Pinots with a bit more classic composition. Needs some time, but oof… this is going to be gorgeous.

 

Very attractive juicy acid profile with well-aligned red berry fruit, Quite crunchy for a Savigny but that is a very good thing, A lighter style of SLB, but very pleasing on both the nose and palate. Crying out for food with that delightful acid. Really sets the salivary glands going.

 

Quite a bit of depth on the bouquet here, despite the wine being a relative infant. Needs quite a few years to truly develop properly but the nose has quite packed red and black berry fruits, the plate is incredibly expressive, with the fruit present on the nose delivering in spades. There’s a fair bit of tannin in this glass, some thing that I can see developing into something rarther silky with a good five years (plus) in bottle, Tonnes of potential here. Exceptional.

 

Impressive raspberry and spice nose with an intriguing slightly herbal note, A thrillingly delicate and finely chiseled wine that shows just how ethereal this lighter style of Burgundy can be. SO much in this glass for those who can appreciate this more delicate style.

 

Kind of strange to go back to what is seen as “entry level”, so it took some time to properly recalibrate my palate. What this perhaps lacks on the nose it more than makes up for on the palate. Bags of red/black berry fruits, firm acids, and well managed tannins, make this a smashing example of quality Bourgogne level Pinot for a killer price. 

 

A little closed on the nose, but there is evidence of greatness to come… it’s just a bit shy right now, There is definitely much more black fruit swirling around in this glass, the palate is certainly tightly wound, but will relax with age. This is going to be a stellar cellar dweller that will reward the patient.

 

Is this 2013 “On the cusp” of greatness? Let’s see… this is a grand wine going through a transition phase, whilst not in any way awkward, it’s going to be showing 100 X better in around 12 months, there’s no denying that this is bloody amazing wine, and although it may sound odd to most, even at that price is worth every penny. And that’s not something I say every day… or ever, for that matter!

 

2015 Laroze Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru, Bourgogne, France $559.95
Very closed, and extremely reductive… this is going to take some serious time to come into into own. It is positively ambrosial in the mouth, despite some tannins that need a good lie down to tame them and reveal their silkiness. ******* amazing structure, that shows the tremendous potential of this blue-chip Pinot. 

 

I have never tasted an Italian Syrah like this… textbook Syrah reduction, bacon fat, and some gorgeous tertiary development with those eight years of age. This one really surprised me. On the palate there was an amazing richness and completeness, ripe dark black fruits, but with an excellent acidic lift. Texturally this was simply fantastic. I could drink a hell of a lot of this if only my budget allowed…  

 

(All ratings are out of a possible five apples)

Mellecey Wine Group are a Good Food Fighter.

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Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… And those wines were astonishingly good.