Cotat Francois
In the small village of Chavignol, part of the famous municipality of Sancerre, the winemaker François Cotat creates labels of great value and authenticity, a faithful expression of this exceptional wine-growing territory of the Loire. Since 1987, François has been dedicated to viticulture, but it was in the late '90s that he took over his father Paul's vineyards in the prestigious subzones of Mont Damnés, Grande Côte, and Cul de Beaujeu. François is a cousin of Pascal Cotat, another renowned producer in the Sancerre area.
The Cotat François winery consists of just over 4 hectares of vineyards, planted exclusively with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, the chosen varieties of the area for white and red wines respectively. The vines lie on characteristic soils known as “terres blanches”, meaning “white soils”, referring to the high content of gypsum and limestone that gives them their peculiar white color. Although lacking certification, François's agronomic management adheres to the principles of organic farming, excluding the use of pesticides. The manual harvest is carried out when the grapes have reached full ripeness, in order to obtain raw material with a high potential for complexity and expressive richness. In the winery, alcoholic fermentation is carried out by indigenous yeasts and the racking is done according to the lunar calendar. The fermentations take place in old demi-muids while the subsequent aging periods occur in large tonneaux of several passes. Throughout the entire processing, the masses undergo no clarification or filtration.
adheres to the principles of organic farming, excluding the use of pesticides. The manual harvest is carried out when the grapes have reached full ripeness, in order to obtain raw material with a high potential for complexity and expressive richness. In the winery, alcoholic fermentation is carried out by indigenous yeasts and the racking is done according to the lunar calendar. The fermentations take place in old demi-muids while the subsequent aging periods occur in large tonneaux of several passes. Throughout the entire processing, the masses undergo no clarification or filtration.François Cotat is particularly appreciated for his Sancerre Blanc, characterized by a mature and mineral aromatic signature and a tense and vibrant taste. The bottles, released in few copies each year, are difficult to find. These are wines with a remarkable aging potential, excellent in youth but capable of maturing sublimely for decades.
In the small village of Chavignol, part of the famous municipality of Sancerre, the winemaker François Cotat creates labels of great value and authenticity, a faithful expression of this exceptional wine-growing territory of the Loire. Since 1987, François has been dedicated to viticulture, but it was in the late '90s that he took over his father Paul's vineyards in the prestigious subzones of Mont Damnés, Grande Côte, and Cul de Beaujeu. François is a cousin of Pascal Cotat, another renowned producer in the Sancerre area.
The Cotat François winery consists of just over 4 hectares of vineyards, planted exclusively with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, the chosen varieties of the area for white and red wines respectively. The vines lie on characteristic soils known as “terres blanches”, meaning “white soils”, referring to the high content of gypsum and limestone that gives them their peculiar white color. Although lacking certification, François's agronomic management adheres to the principles of organic farming, excluding the use of pesticides. The manual harvest is carried out when the grapes have reached full ripeness, in order to obtain raw material with a high potential for complexity and expressive richness. In the winery, alcoholic fermentation is carried out by indigenous yeasts and the racking is done according to the lunar calendar. The fermentations take place in old demi-muids while the subsequent aging periods occur in large tonneaux of several passes. Throughout the entire processing, the masses undergo no clarification or filtration.
adheres to the principles of organic farming, excluding the use of pesticides. The manual harvest is carried out when the grapes have reached full ripeness, in order to obtain raw material with a high potential for complexity and expressive richness. In the winery, alcoholic fermentation is carried out by indigenous yeasts and the racking is done according to the lunar calendar. The fermentations take place in old demi-muids while the subsequent aging periods occur in large tonneaux of several passes. Throughout the entire processing, the masses undergo no clarification or filtration.François Cotat is particularly appreciated for his Sancerre Blanc, characterized by a mature and mineral aromatic signature and a tense and vibrant taste. The bottles, released in few copies each year, are difficult to find. These are wines with a remarkable aging potential, excellent in youth but capable of maturing sublimely for decades.
