François Cotat - Sancerre "Les Monts Damnés" 2024

ID:
• Origin: Chavignol, Sancerre, Loire, France
• Appellation: Sancerre AOC
• Grape variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
• Alcohol percentage: approx. 13.0%
• Style: Powerful, razor-sharp, mineral and very intense
• Aging potential: Now until 2040+

Sancerre “Les Monts Damnés” 2024 from François Cotat comes from one of Sancerre's most iconic and steep terroirs. The wine is intense and concentrated, with aromas of citrus zest, white peach, ripe gooseberry and subtle tropical hints, intertwined with pronounced flint, chalk and saline minerality. On the palate it is both firm and powerful: a deep core of fruit, a vibrant acidity and an impressive structure typical of this steep, limestone-rich slope. The finish is exceptionally long, mineral and energetic, with an almost electric tension.

Vinification.
The grapes are harvested by hand on the extremely steep slopes of Les Monts Damnés, where low yields and perfect ripeness are crucial. After gentle pressing, the must ferments slowly with minimal intervention. The wine matures on its fine lees for a long time to build structure and complexity, with an aging process that typically lasts about 12 to 16 months in barrels and/or vats. This is followed by bottle aging, so that the wine can better integrate and refine its powerful terroir structure.

The domain.
Domaine François Cotat in Chavignol belongs to the absolute top of the Loire and is famous for its unique, uncompromising style. Cotat works on a very small scale and traditionally, with manual harvesting, low yields and a cellar approach that lets nature do the work. The wines are rarely "easy" in their youth, but gain enormously in complexity with time. Les Monts Damnés is one of the most sought-after bottlings of the domain: intense, mineral and built for long aging, a reference for great Sancerre.