News — Sauvignon Blanc

Cult Loire - Bizot Disciple:
2021 Nicolas Barbou Touraine Oisly Utopie Creative

The 2021 Utopie Creative is absolutely brilliant. Barbou turned the vintage's cool profile and fresh acidity into an absolutely riveting wine. It's both enveloping and sleekly kinetic, with bright, almost red fruit notes, herbs, stone fruits, and a saline core.

Mind-Bending:
2022 Arnot-Roberts Sauvignon Blanc
Randle Hill Vineyard Yorkville Highlands

For many years, Arnot-Roberts has been producing some of the most exciting wines in California.

A Benchmark
2022 Pascal Cotat Chavignol Monts Damnés

When it comes to Sancerre, Cotat's village of Chavignol is a very special place. Today, we focus on Chavignol's top vineyards from one of the region's long standing benchmarks.

The Outlier
2019 François Cotat Sancerre Caillottes

François Cotat produces some of the greatest expressions of Sancerre (and Sauvignon Blanc) in the world.

The Damned Mountain
2019 François Cotat Sancerre Les Monts Damnés

François Cotat's Monts Damnés has served as an enduring benchmark of what's possible for Sancerre.

"Damned hills" Sweet Spot - 200 Cases Made:
2018 Boulay Sancerre La Comtesse

Gérard Boulay makes some of the most elegant, complex, and longest-lived Sancerres.

La Comtesse is his top wine. It originates from 50-70-year-old vines in a choice section of Mont Dam­nés in the Chavignol area. Vatan's famous Clos La Neore is close by. 

The Crown Jewel of Sancerre: 2018 Pascal Cotat La Grande Côte

La Grande Côte produces what may be the most profound expressions of Sauvignon Blanc.

It produces epic and soaring Sancerres that age brilliantly. 

The Outlier: 2018 François Cotat Sancerre Caillottes

Generally speaking, you'd summarize Cotat's wines as deep, layered, and rich. Caillottes turns this characterization on its head. We like to think of Caillottes as the outlier in Cotat's lineup. It's also deliciously compelling.

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2016 François Cotat
Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu

For decades, Cotat's Sancerres have stood as the pinnacle of the appellation. Taste bottles of François Cotat with a healthy amount of time in the cellar and their importance only becomes more clear. Beyond Sancerre, they are simply great examples of mineral-drenched and slow-to-unfold regal wines. 

The King of Chavignol:
2015 Francois Cotat La Grande Côte

When it comes to Sancerre, Cotat's village of Chavignol is a special place. And La Grande Côte is king.

Subtle Complexity, Supreme Refreshment:
2015 François Cotat Sancerre Les Caillottes

François Cotat is know for his lavish, complex expressions of Sancerre. His Caillottes works on an entirely different wavelength.

The Damned Mountain:
2015 Gérard Boulay Sancerre Monts Damnés

Gérard Boulay's Sancerres are some of my favorite expressions of the appellation. The Boulay family has held land in Sancerre for over 600 years. Along with Vatan and the Cotat cousins, Boulay produces some of the most elegant, complex and long-lived Sancerre.

On Their Own Plane:
2015 François Cotat Les Monts Damnés

Check out the best wine lists or carefully selected cellars and it's a safe bet that you'll find François Cotat's wines.

Loire Icon:
2015 François Cotat Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu

François Cotat's Sancerres have long exemplified just how ageworthy, grand and compelling the wines can be. The wines really exist on their own plane. Only the Sancerres of Vatan and François' cousin Pascal are held in a similar regard.

Sancerre for the Ages:
2015 Pascal Cotat Monts Damnés and La Grande Côte

When it comes to Sancerre, Cotat's village of Chavignol is a very special place. Today, we focus on Chavignol's top two vineyards from one of the region's longstanding benchmarks. 

One of the finest Sancerres of the vintage - 2012 Francois Cotat Monts Damnes

I have to admit it. Cotat's wines had fallen off my radar. Then, I had a bottle of 2000 Les Monts Damnés at a restaurant a month ago. Suddenly, I found myself looking at my storage and kicking myself for not buying more.