Wine of the Month, April 2023
Menetou-Salon 'Les Thureaux' 2021
Joseph Mellot
Loire Valley, France
£15.00 + 100 bonus loyalty points
A zesty and refreshing Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc with bright citrus flavours and a hint of minerality.
Spring is in the air and on the assumption we might soon be blessed with some warmer weather - especially with Easter upon us - this month we're venturing down to the Loire's central vineyards for a delicious Sauvignon Blanc from the appellation of Menetou-Salon. It sits right beside the somewhat better-known Sancerre and shares a lot of the characteristics of its illustrious neighbour having very similar soils and climate. It's no surprise, therefore, that the wines have a lot in common with Sancerre.
Here's a chance to try out all that's good about French Sauvignon Blanc from bang in the centre of the country.
The producer, Joseph Mellot, has a long history in this part of the world having been established in the early 1500s by Pierre Etienne Mellot and over time they've become one of the largest and most prestigious estates in the area. Today things are under the stewardship of Catherine Corbeau-Mellot whose hands-on approach has definitely paid dividends with the quality of their output.
While the upper Loire Valley is home to some famous names with well-founded reputations like Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, their famous limestone soils and rolling hills spread over a wider area and there's a lot of interest to be had by looking at some of the further-flung places that are capable of producing equally impressive wines. We'd go as far as to say that in a blind tasting this Wine of the Month would bear comparison to many of it's big-name counterparts.
If you're a fan of the more restrained and subtle character of French Sauvignon Blanc compared to the bolder, more up-front fruity styles from Down Under this is just the sort of thing that will be up your street. And with the customary bonus loyalty points available as an incentive what more excuse do you need to give it a try?
Starting on Friday 31st March and throughout April it's available at £15.00 per bottle singly, or as part of a Mixed Six and for every bottle purchased you'll earn a bonus 100 loyalty points as well (that's worth £1.00 on redemption)
Check out the details here
