Alphonse Mellot is famous for Sancerre, but the family's roots sit close enough to Burgundy that they also grow Pinot Noir just outside the appellation lines. Les Penitents comes from Cotes de la Charite, a pocket of the upper Loire in the Nievre, farmed biodynamically like everything the estate touches. It's light-bodied and silky, leading with fresh red fruit, a little earth and spice, and fine-grained tannins that speak to real care in the cellar. Serve it with a slight chill and it sings, a ringer for anyone who loves pretty, transparent Pinot Noir.