Pre Arrival Pascal Cotat Sancerre "La Grande Cote" 2025

Notes:

Notes of pear, orange oil and nectarine preface the 2025 Saint-Véran Vieilles Vignes de Saint-Claude, a medium- to full-bodied wine that is concentrated yet racy, with ample chalky structuring extract imparting a sense of freshness. Vinous Media

Producer: Pascal Cotat’s wines have long stood apart in Sancerre for their concentration, texture and ability to develop with age. Based in Chavignol, Cotat works a small collection of steep hillside vineyards, with La Grande Côte and Les Monts Damnés at the heart of the domaine. His style comes from a traditional approach in both the vineyard and cellar: hand harvesting, later picking for full physiological ripeness, indigenous-yeast fermentation and élevage in older wood. The result is a richer, more vinous expression of Sauvignon Blanc that still retains the freshness and mineral character of Chavignol. The vineyards are farmed according to organic principles without certification, with no pesticides used. The 2025 vintage also begins a new chapter for the domaine, with longtime vineyard manager Benoît Fleuriet and his son Aymeric taking over the estate while Pascal remains involved during the transition.

Vineyard: La Grande Côte is one of the great hillside vineyards associated with the Cotat family and contains some of Pascal Cotat’s oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines, more than 50 years old. The steep vineyard is rooted in the terres blanches soils characteristic of this part of Sancerre, combining clay and limestone with a chalk-rich foundation. La Grande Côte is known for producing a broader, more supple expression of Sauvignon Blanc, combining richness and texture with a pronounced line of citrus-driven acidity. The combination of old vines, steep slopes and chalk-rich soils gives the wine considerable concentration while preserving the freshness and mineral character that define the site.

Winemaking: The Sauvignon Blanc is harvested entirely by hand, with Cotat traditionally allowing the fruit to reach greater ripeness before picking. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed, and fermentation occurs naturally with indigenous yeasts in older demi-muids. The wine is subsequently raised in larger, older tonneaux, allowing it to gain texture and complexity without a pronounced new-oak character. Racking follows the lunar cycle, and the finished wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. This traditional approach, combined with the naturally concentrated fruit of La Grande Côte, produces a distinctly textural style of Sancerre with richness balanced by firm acidity and mineral energy.

Technical Details: 100% Sauvignon Blanc; 2025 vintage; Sancerre AOC; Chavignol, Loire Valley, France; La Grande Côte vineyard; some of Pascal Cotat’s oldest vines, 50+ years old; steep hillside site; terres blanches soils of clay, limestone and chalk; hand harvested; whole-cluster pressed; indigenous-yeast fermentation; fermented in older demi-muids; aged in larger, older tonneaux; lunar-cycle racking; unfined and unfiltered; practicing organic farming; not certified organic; 750ml.

Food Pairing: La Grande Côte has the concentration and texture to work with considerably more than simple shellfish. Crottin de Chavignol is a natural regional pairing, while oysters, scallops, crab and lobster complement the wine’s citrus-driven freshness and mineral character. Its richer texture makes it particularly well suited to grilled or roasted sea bass, turbot with beurre blanc, sole meunière, salmon and other richer fish preparations. Roast chicken with herbs, veal in a light cream sauce and pork with mustard are equally strong choices. Aged goat cheeses and firm alpine-style cheeses are also excellent matches.

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