Joseph-Mellot

The Mellot dynasty was founded in Sancerre almost five centuries ago by Pierre-Etienne Mellot and, since then, the family has always been involved in winemaking. In fact, in 1698, César Mellot, was entrusted with the weighty task of advising King Louis XIV on his choice of wines. Throughout the years, each new generation has continued to enrich and perfect the family's winemaking skills. 1882: the Mellot family opened a restaurant, the Auberge Joseph Mellot, in the heart of the village of Sancerre, in a superb building typical of the style of the region. Many famous personalities have dined here over the years, including the impressionist painter Claude Monet. The auberge has always been run by the women of the family and today it is Alexandre's sister, Marie-Jo, who welcomes customers. In the 1920s, Alphonse Mellot, Alexandre's great grandfather, was the first Sancerre producer to exhibit his wines at the Foire de Paris. He went on to win a number of medals at various food and wine events. He then opened a wine warehouse in the Bercy “Halle aux Vins” (Paris) in order to develop sales in the capital. His two sons, Joseph and Edmond, took over from him in 1946. 1947: to develop the renown of their wines even further, the brothers opened a wine bar in Paris - a replica of the family auberge in Sancerre. 1960: Joseph Mellot's wife opened a wine shop "La Vigne et le Vin" in Sancerre to act as a showcase for the wines from the family estate. In the 1960s, the brothers began regularly exporting to Denmark, Holland and Great Britain. 1969: the brothers decided to split up. Joseph then took over from his father, Alphonse, and gave his name to the establishment. Since then, the Maison Joseph Mellot has continued to develop its renown and its image. 1984: Joseph's son, Alexandre, took over the business. From 1984 to 2001: Considerable changes have taken place over the past twenty years. When Alexandre Mellot took over the family estate he decided to extend the vineyards, modernise the winery equipment and give a new impetus to export sales. In 1987, he was joined by Catherine Corbeau, who took charge of the sales and marketing operations. Together, they developed new strategies for both the viticultural and marketing activities and steadily bought more vineyards in order to be totally in control of their supplies. Today, Joseph Mellot is the only estate that owns vineyards in all the appellations of the region. The vineyard area now extends over 85 hectares: 30 in Sancerre, 24 in Pouilly-Fumé, 14 in Quincy, 11 in Reuilly, 2 in the Coteaux du Giennois and 4 in Menetou-Salon. Over the years, Alexandre and Catherine developed a number of fruitful relationships with other wine professionals, who have also contributed to the continued success and development of the company. 1994: they acquired the Jacques Marchand estate in the Pouilly-Fumé appellation. 1995: they took over the Pierre Duret estate in Quincy. 1999: they added the Clos du Pressoir vineyard in Menetou-Salon and one in the Coteaux du Giennois to the estate. 2001: Jean-Michel Sorbe transferred his properties in Quincy and Reuilly to Joseph Mellot. Since 2001: Over the past few years, the focus has been firmly placed on Quincy and Reuilly and in 2002 a new winery was built in Quincy for the grapes from these two appellations. Named " Le Sentier du Vin ", the winery includes a wine tasting room featuring a sensory introduction to wine and an outdoor discovery path. Alexandre always aimed at constantly improving vinification techniques and placed great store in being involved in each and every stage of the winemaking process – from pruning the vines to choosing the labels. In just a few years, he achieved the goal he set himself when he began running the company – to develop an expertise in each of the appellations of the region. Following Alexandre’s untimely death in 2005, Catherine, aided by their experienced staff, is now at the helm. Attentive, demanding and passionate about her job, she is committed to upholding Joseph Mellot’s long-standing traditions of quality. Catherine’s team includes: - Olivier Rivain, sales manager. - Dominique Pilou, sales manager for Asia and the Eastern Countries, Germany and America - Laurent Goussard, vineyard manager - Frederic Jacquet, cellar master - Christophe Magnien, administrative and financial manage

Loire Valley, France

Route de Ménétréol, 13

33 (0) 248 785 454