François Cotat

The Cotat family produce some of the Loire Valley's most exceptional wines. 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.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 average of 6000 vines per hectare and with average yields of 45 hl/ha, far lower than Sancerre’s ‘rendement de base’ of 65 hl/ha. Thirdly, 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 (a process in which the must of a white wine is allowed to settle before racking off the wine - this reduces the need for filtration or fining) 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. Wine soils in Chavignol share the same chalky heart as Chablis and Champagne; this “terre blanche” imparts a steely, mineral-rich backbone to François' single-vineyard cuvées—“Les Monts Damnés,” “Les Culs de Beaujeu” and “Grande Côte.” Yet at the same time there are wines that show a glycerin-like texture in the mouth, a wonderfully fleshy sweetness that is seldom seen with Sauvignon. Cotat is to Sancerre as Raveneau is to Chablis. François Cotat wines are sold on allocation. Please contact us if you are interested in receiving an allocation.