Joseph Mellot, Le Connétable 2022 – Sancerre

The wine has a pale ruby color. The initial nose is sappy, spicy and discreetly oaky – it expresses notes of fresh pine needles, pine bark, sap, peppermint and liquorice, which draws towards star anise and cardamom (completed by a hint of nutmeg and white pepper in the background). After aeration, we find elegant floral perfumes (violet, peony, fresh rose), a juicy, airy and tangy fruitiness – notes of crushed blackcurrant, wild blackberry, strawberry, fresh raspberry and bird cherry jam, as well as a mineral touch of dry limestone. The palate is tight, firm, with grippy and youthful tannins. It expresses the flavors of bird cherry and cranberries with their bitterness and a tannic touch, of crunchy morello cherry, of tangy black plum, of blackcurrant, of blueberry and raspberry, associated with spiciness (liquorice, nutmeg, white pepper and cardamom), herbaceous notes (dried pine needles, dried mint), as well as a touch of roasting (toasted bitter almond) and fresh flowers (lily, violet) The finish is tight, tannic and tangy. The wine is closed at the moment and needs time to develop.