2023 Pascal Cotat ‘Les Mont Damnés’ Sancerre

Pascal Cotat’s few vines in this very steep vineyard are at the top of the slope, where soil are thin and vines feed directly into the chalky “mother rock.” Aromas of melons, fresh herbs, white flowers; a delicate note of sea salt. Creamy yet light on the tongue; poached white fruits, lime zest, grapefruit. Very long.

Cotat Sancerre is simply some of the most singular Sauvignon Blanc in the world. Like his cousin François, Pascal Cotat (with his winery in Sancerre) crafts uncanny wines that defy both time and definition. These are wines that can age for decades effortlessly, and that marry a plush richness with a laser-like cut and energy. Cotat as a rule harvests by hand and very late, as pushing ripeness to the extreme is one element that gives his wines their weighty texture and complexity. To wit, “They are some of the finest Sauvignon Blancs I have ever put to my lips,” says Robert Parker.