La Moussière is the cornerstone of Alphonse Mellot and in its energy and precision it is not only an unmistakable Mellot but also a quality and stylistic level most producers don’t reach rudimentarily. The 2013 Sancerre La Moussière offers very pure, mineral and fresh fruit and floral aromas on the nose, which are neither green nor tropical, but so invitingly subtle, elegant and proofund that you don’t want to name the scents, just enjoy them. (I got fresh and minerally accentuated Riesling-like flavors of white peaches/nectarines and orange peels the second day…) On the palate, too, this is a pure, complex and powerful Sancerre of great personality, finesse and expression. Tightly woven and animating in its vibrant, citric limestone-minerality, this is a serious, fresh and persistent wine and surely one of the finest 2013 Sancerres I tasted for this report. You may enjoy it now and surely the next five or more years. It comes from 55-year-old vines rooted in calcareous marl soils (like the top wines Edmond and Géneration XIX) and was aged for 8-10 months in new demi-muids (one-third) and in vats (two-thirds). And yes, it’s a 2013, which is an excellent vintage for those who love purity and tension in wine. - Stephan Reinhardt