Francois Cotat Sancerre 'Cuvee Paul' 2017
The Wine
Exceptionally Rare!
Direct Cellar Release!
Named after François father, Cuvée Paul is a very rare wine made from the best two barrels in the cellar only in special years and set aside as having the greatest potential for ageing. Made from very ripe grapes it shows some gentle sweetness and incredible power. In concert with the fine, stony freshness for which Sancerre is famed there is a wealth of fruit ranging from lively citrus to more tropical notes. Orange peel, lemon oil, pineapple and passion fruit all appear at intervals when left to develop in glass and these would be interesting enough themselves, but the wine is set apart by the undercurrent of exotic spice; cardamom and anise. A glimmer of residual sugar, which merely adds to the luxurious feel in the mouth, together with the poised backbone of bright acidity provides superb balance. A rarity for the cellar, this one will live for 50 years!
The Details
Variety - Sauvignon Blanc
Country - France
Region - Loire
Sub Region - Sancerre
Extra - Cork
Year - 2017
Volume - 750ml
About the Wine Maker 
Since 1947, the Cotat family has been producing some of the most exceptional wines that the Loire has to offer. Today, François is at the helm of this wonderfully modest, tiny domaine (just 4 hectares) inheriting his father's parcels of old vines when he and his cousin Pascal separated the family vineyard in 1990.
Their success and individuality can be attributed to François' intense passion for creating the finest wine possible and his exceptionally placed vineyards. Prudent viticulture combined with densely planted vines, ultra-low yields and relatively late harvesting produces fantastically flavoursome fruit.
There are three things
that define François Cotat’s wines.
Firstly the superb Kimmeridgean terroir around the famed village of Chavignol and specifically it’s vertiginously steep vineyard, Les Monts Damnés.
Secondly, his vineyards are planted at a density of 8000 vines per hectare – higher than the more normal average of 6000 vines per hectare & with average yields of 45 hl/ha, far lower than Sancerre’s ‘rendement de base’ of 65 hl/ha.
Thirdly, that he is often the last to harvest, sometimes a week later than his peers and this, combined with his meagre yields, provides sublime and incomparable quality.”
In the cellar, François uses natural yeasts, no debourbage, no sulphur during fermentation (he uses sulphur at racking and bottling) and only one battonage after the fermentation has finished. Whilst not Biodynamic, he uses organic fertilisers and racks according to the phases of the moon. His incredible wines develop with age and, in the best vintages, can be cellared for more than 30 years.
