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François Cotat

Iconic and idiosyncratic, François Cotat’s wines are codeword for cellar-worthy Sancerre. Chavignol born and bred, Cotat has five hectares on Sancerre’s most famed hillsides: Les Monts Damnés and Cul de Beaujeu and the lesser-known Grands Côtes, which has a similar exposition to the latest picked parcel, Cul de Beaujeu. François makes four white cuvées (as well as a well-priced Rosé and a red Sancerre) and has always been hands-off, shunning modern technology that his generation embraced. François shares, “The young generation is doing things more simply, and I have more in common with them, although they think I’m a bear.” The grapes are hand-harvested – often late. François is among the last to pick his fruit from these top sites, which means high degrees of ripeness. Fermentations are wild. There’s no settling, so ferments are high solids, and he doesn’t filter, so all the goodness is left in. They’re then bottled relatively early. The wines all have an intensity of concentration that comes from low yields on a top site and impressive structure. While 2022 was a similarly warm year to 2020, the alcohol levels are much more balanced in 2022, which is a welcome relief. Are these wines classic Sancerre? No, they’re Cotat.

From Sancerre’s Charm Offensive (Jul 2023) by Rebecca Gibb MW

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2022 Caillottes

Color: White

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