Francois Cotat, Sancerre, Cul Beaujeu

Yum. Be careful with this one as easy to drink very quickly. Bright acidity in perfect balance with rhe ripe fruit. Delicious.

2014 vintage

Fifth bottle from an eight-bottle lot purchased at Bin Two in Padstow in 2009. Unfined and unfiltered. Pristine bottle, perfect level and cork. Starts out closed and uneasy, but after having been decanted for two hours it finds its feet - if served well above cellar temperature. Aromatically the nose speaks softly, but with eloquent precision, of ripe Sauvignon Blanc grown on a cool site rich in limestone, flower honey, impressive; mature but still fresh palate carried by its minerally …

2007 vintage

In a beautiful place right now. Secondary complexity (resinous herbs, a honeyed edge to the fruit) is building alongside still fresh lemon/lime citrus and silky bright acidity. Deep and long. Spectacular.

2014 vintage

Redemption! MUCH better bottle…more of that crazy geology…crushed limestone chalkiness, salted limes…and less overt sweetness and alc burn. Although still more ripeness in this vintage than others I’ve had, I think this will be crazy good in 10 more years.

2018 vintage

From the depths of the cellar theme at Linda's Table : Easy to guess that this was also a Sancerre given the similarities with the Dagueneau that came before, but I thought this was early-'10s rather than a '07. Remarkably fresh and precise for a wine of this age; richness and intensity made this a beautifully balanced wine as with most Cotats. I think that this is his best plot and it used to be cheaper than the other two …

2007 vintage

Corked

2018 vintage

Badly corked

2018 vintage

Extraordinary

2004 vintage

Tropical and floral, with notes of yellow peach, honeydew, and lavender, it’s a little like a viogner with acidity. The ripeness of the vintage comes through, although this has a bit more sauv blanc character than Vatan of the same year.

2018 vintage

À l'ouverture le vin est fermé et unidimensionnel. Il sent que le pamplemousse. Je le carafe pour environ 45 minutes. Nez plus expressif avec des arômes floraux et d'herbacés. Milieu de bouche court, mais agréable. La finale saline et légèrement amère ne vient pas écraser l'ensemble. C'est équilibré et je ne perçois aucune note oxydative. La bouteille a été éclusée sur une période d'environ une heure. Au dernier verre, le vin était moins expressif et plus amer en finale.

2014 vintage

Popped and poured, light golden straw hue. Forward aromas of yellow grapefruit that veers almost tropical, not terribly complex but fun. Medium-light body. Wow, veers way more into the tropical passionfruit direction on the palate, some yellow & green bell pepper notes...subtle oxidative note as well. Bracing acidity - acid lovers will have a serious crush on this one!! Lasting close, seems ready to go but can probably age for at least a couple more years before the oxidative notes …

2014 vintage

Incroyable jeunesse dans ce sancerre de presque 17 ans, un nez de pur sauvignon, marqué par la splendeur du pamplemousse (jus et zeste), du citron vert, de la mousse de chêne, du végétal frais (herbe humide): quel éclat! Les notes d’évolution sont subtiles, un très léger grillé, qq épices. Globalement la tenue aromatique est assez fraîche, ciselée, et néanmoins complexe. En bouche, l’équilibre est d’une justesse étonnante pour son âge. Fine concentration, milieu de bouche parfumé (agrume et fleurs blanches), …

2007 vintage

Pale--almost green (from magnum) Citrus (grapefruit) and quite subtle herbal notes, but followed by a dense and powerful palate, ending razor sharp. Delicious and refreshing. Better than the 2016 from bottle. 2 magnums consistent. No rush.

2014 vintage

Le nez est assez timide, la bouche est fraîche, bonne acidité, amertume présente, on a du pamplemousse, c'est finement herbacé avec une légère chaleur en fin de bouche. Un Cotat atypique plutôt délicat qui manque de caractère, d'équilibre et de complexité.

2014 vintage

Well...i'm getting a lot more of the tropical sweetness in this bottle...limoncello kamikaze comes to mind? Still bright and crystalline with fresh limes, green apple tart, crushed rock minerality...exotics of gooseberry, chives, quince, lemongrass...really snappy with citrus acidity...yet that perceived sweetness and alc burn is a little off putting for me in this one. Had cloudy waves of "stuff" in the bottle...don't know if that's something...or the fact that half my tongue is still numb from dental work couple hours …

2018 vintage

Drinking beautifully

2014 vintage

I think this is very atypical for Sancerre (or something must have been wrong with the bottle). Green apple, honey, some very faint notes of grass. Definitely feel there is some residual sugar here. Rated low because this is not typical of the style.

2018 vintage

An interesting, but atypical rendition of Sancerre. Blind, I would likely have called RRV SB like Merry Edwards or perhaps a Bordeaux Blanc? Seems to be missing the typical characteristics of Sancerre, though it definitely suggests Sauvignon Blanc on the nose. The "classic" SB notes are muted and overshadowed by overripe citrus fruit, cotton candy, and crème brûlée, which I do not associate with Sancerre. Maybe it was the vintage?

2018 vintage

What a great wine. Reminded me of the 2005 for its precision, minerality, lemony, chalky and honeysuckle notes. Intense and fresh, long finish.

2007 vintage

Christmas Eve Dinner (Restaurant De Lage Vuursche, Lage Vuursche, NL) : A difficult bottle four years ago, when I really did not know what to make of this. It has aged well, with a lovely aromatic development (flowers and very mild pyrazines) and a silky texture, but there remains a troublesome bitter note at its core - particularly present on the finish.

2014 vintage

Francois Cotat tasting 1999-2020 (Utregs Wijnhuis, Utrecht, NL) : From Terres Blanches 0,9 ha vineyard, facing south south-east with a 45% slope. Also here an immense difference between the first glass (PnP) and the second glass 2 hours later. Green apple, honey, citrus, ‘soft’ grass notes. Medium acidity, great length with clearly some RS. 91-92

2018 vintage

My first Cotat and was not sure what to expect given the "not usual Sancerre" CT comments. I agree with that as it's not as acidic or crisp as the typical Sancerre SB. It is a fantastic wine, and Mrs Ozziewine agreed even though she prefers the more traditional Sancerre. It's not acidic or tart but not flabby either. Slightly cloudy in appearance (not filtered) with an elegant oily viscosity and terrific complexity. It has a mellow fruit essence, melon, …

2018 vintage

Simply beautiful luminous yellow with hints of green. Nose is classic aged Francois Cotat. The Sauvignon has developed complexity - all manner of green fruit - apple /gooseberry/ greengages (whatever they taste like !) Intensely flavored. Detailed. Nicely textured palate but nothing overripe here. Medium plus weight. The marked acidity holds a certain freshness still. Long. Everything in place. Goes down easily. Delicious. Really fine. Makes me wonder wherever did Sauvignon Blanc get its reputation for not aging well ? …

2004 vintage

Dinner with the wine group (Zazie's, San Francisco) : Lemon yellow; aromatic, citrus oil, lemongrass, a bit herbal; palate is medium bodied, fresh medium acidity citrus oil, lovely tension but with good density and richness; medium finish. Compared to the 2014, this was riper, rounder, a bit less vibrant. 91-92

2018 vintage

My third outing with this vintage and was astounded, this time, by the unique and unmistakable scent and taste of wild strawberries, freshly picked and eaten. Please don’t mistake this for an empty, pretentious tasting note. Tonight, this wine tasted to me, and the other guests around the table, precisely of wild strawberries. This is my first time encountering such a strong and accurate non-wine flavour profile in a wine. Every sip was astonishing and made for a truly memorable …

2018 vintage

Fourth bottle from an eight bottle lot purchased in 2009. Pristine condition. Decanted for two-and-a-half hours to separate the wine from the very fine sediment and to let its aromas unfurl. Very youthful appearance, pale to medium white gold with green reflections; the ripe but fresh nose is perfectly clean and youthful, delicately honeyed, with subtle nuances that need a good deal of oxygen to show themselves (waxy bottle-age, flowers, toast, lime zest, orchard fruit, pyrazines); the ripe but zesty …

2007 vintage

I like this, but this bid one the riper/sweeter end of the spectrum that should pair well with sushi. Not the green fruit and crispness that it can be in some vintages Pair appropriately but obviously a good and well made wine

2018 vintage

I want to strike a slightly different tone than the other reviews here. No doubt an excellently made wine but not quite what I'm looking for in a Sancerre. A little of minerality on the nose but mostly dominated by tropical fruit and spices. On the palate, more tropical fruit, in blasts really, and a rich, creamy, almost buttery mouth feel. When it's very cold you can feel a bit of that minerality and salinity poke through. Perceptibly sweet, wanting …

2018 vintage

Loire night : Wow an experienced taster guessed this as a Vatan. My first time trying a Cotat white and I was also very impressed. Typical Sauvignon Blanc nose, very aromatic with some green fruits. Some chalkiness with high acid, a driven finish. Some thought it was a bit thin but I thought the minerality being at the forefront worked well. Very youthful still.

2014 vintage

This one is a little beguiling to my palate. I want for a bit more acidity but it’s great for what it is. Probably 90% as good as Vatan, absent a little mint note. I get lychee, pear. No grass or ammonia here, Instead, very clean and low acid

2018 vintage

Must like it ! Slow decanted for 24 hours, the wine was kicking my mouth with flowers, fruits and so much power. You feel the sugar, but it is driven to heaven by acidity. Cannot remember a white wine with so much character. It gonna develop, and yes, i will drink some more !

2018 vintage

Open for three days. Intense aroma of white flowers at first, then cold stone, and lemon sherbet. So clean on the attack, Burgundian. Some sweetness, then lemon, lime, more flowers, maybe blanched almond. Then a wonderful sparkly finish, like fireworks on your tongue. It reminded me of a Riesling Spatlese on the finish. I would never call it as a Sancerre. Absolutely sensational.

2018 vintage

Drank over four days. Ever so slightly cloudy, medium straw with flecks of green. Unquestionably the most mineral nose I’ve ever encountered - think cold pebbles. There are layers of fresh citrus, lemon zest, Meyer lemon, lemon balm, gooseberry, beautiful white florals, hawthorn, acacia, lemon verbena, elderflower, and soft green herbs, chives and tarragon. The presence of residual sugar provides a wonderful intense burst of sweetness on the palate that is so incredibly rich and concentrated. There’s a deep mineral …

2018 vintage

Nice scents of mint, some floral accents and yellow fruit but subtle, palate is gorgeous, ripe yet crisp, well balanced, and good length, great. 91-92 Bu au resto. Superbe et surpris étant donné cette jeunesse.

2018 vintage

About a year on from my last bottle & this is still absolutely singing. There is a slight (perception of) residual sugar as if the wine was leaning sec tendre, which I wouldn't expect to like, but it works so well with the full bodied (for a Sancerre) texture / mouth feel, brilliant purity of fruit flavour, limestone and perfectly balanced acidity. ....must try and track down some more bottles of this vintage. Being Cotat it will probably last & …

2018 vintage

Superb wine. Decanted half the bottle to start. Rich and layered, growing more so with air and warmth over course of two hours plus before, during and after dinner. Mineral/chalk/sea shell, citrus, lemon, aged lemon, pear, white floral/herbal notes all loft and and extend on the palate. Perfect acidity throughout long finish. Seems to be just starting on the path to middle age. Concur with observations of sympathy with Burgundy, though I'd specifically add top notch Chablis for the chalk …

2014 vintage

Coravin. 13.5% alcohol. Light green-yellow; aromatic, grassy, citrus oil, lime, lemongrass; palate is medium bodied, really interesting blend of stone fruit, citrus, lime, and pronounced minerality, medium to medium-plus acidity which gives the wine freshness without sharpness, 13.5% alcohol which is high for a white but not at all prominent in this excellently balanced wine; long finish with pronounced saline. Really excellent, and among the best sauvignon blanc wines that I've had (I'm not generally a fan of sauvignon blanc). …

2018 vintage

Third bottle from an eight bottle lot puchased in 2009. It's bright and lively 14 year old, with a nicely honeyed and spicy nose and a zesty and fresh palate, but it lacks the definition and richness which perfect bottles display. The finish is quite dry and raw. I'm suspecting low-level TCA. Not rated.

2007 vintage

Paille doré brillant, vieille or pale. Nez minérale, un petit coté salin, fleurs blanches, fruits exotiques, glycine. En bouche, petits fruits blancs, minérale, cailloux roulés, acidité bien présente, peu ou pas de résiduel, long, en finesse. Très beau. Pourrait avoir une attaque un peu plus soutenue, mais la suite est superbe.

2007 vintage

I cannot really add anything to the review below, apart from my agreement with both the description - which is really on point - & the evaluation. I would normally wait much longer for an F. Cotat wine (e.g. not planning to touch my remaining 2014 Monts Damnes for 10 years - if my resolve holds) but withdrew this out of curiosity and encouragement by MRBUZZ's tasting note & was blown away, transfixed, astonished by it ! A staggeringly gorgeous …

2018 vintage

Fresh, minerals, great cut to it. Very refreshing, dry wine that works really well with food but maybe falls just a touch short on the fruit vs. mineral balance for me (minerals clearly win that battle here). But very nice Sancerre. A-

2007 vintage

Still kicking. Good acid, and quite mature. I have another bottle and will aim to drink it soon

2004 vintage

Complex but fully integrated nose of flint and pear. No particular lift, but it remains in the glass with an impressive solidity; wonderful texture in the mouth, deep with good mouthfeel. Quality wine making, which is bringing the better white Loire wines close to the standard of 1 Cru white Burgundy.

2014 vintage

Ce vin est sur la tension. Fruit plus en retrait que le Boulay. Néanmoins une fort belle expérience. 91 sur 100.

2014 vintage

Better than 2 years ago. Quite a bit of overpowering reduction at first, thankfully dissipating after a couple hours. Unfurls over 4 hours. Bright, electric, deep. Texturally, has more in common with GC Burgundy than Sancerre. So many layers. Oyster shell minerals, lemon pith and white pepper on a layer of earth. A bit of tell-tale SB grass. Some tropical funk like jackfruit lurking underneath. Needs 4-5 years or a good long decant right now.

2014 vintage

I just can't say enough praise about these wines, especially the Beaujeu! The florals and minerality are mind-blowing! The fruit is crystalline, pure, and SO refreshing. This 18 Beau has crazy lime juice, olive oil color...slight cloudy, probably cuz it's SO full of chalky crushed minerals! The fruit is a little more substantial and riper than previous vintages I've had...shows more tropical cream...yet still possesses an absolute CUT of piercing citrus acidity and crushed rocks...definitely fresh limes here, lemon pucker, …

2018 vintage

Second bottle from an eight-bottle lot purchased at Bin Two in Padstow in 2009. Unfined and unfiltered. Pristine - both bottle and wine. There is a lot of bottle variation chez Cotat, but this is as fresh as a daisy, both in the nose and on the palate, clean and pure, with a beautiful balance between ripeness and freshness, silky and flowing, excellent varietal typicity and terroir expression, full of minerally energy, very good length. Ready to drink, good future.

2007 vintage

Relâche 2020; 3/1/2020-3/5/2020 (Dans le nord) : Pas les arômes typiques du cépage (pipi de chat, agrumes) car on est ici chez Cotat. Davantage sur le coing, la poire, des fruits assez mûrs mais la texture n'est pas lourde. Plutôt fluide, avec une discrète tension qui apporte de la fraîcheur au vin. C'est bon mais pas des plus complexes. Servi seul ici, je crois qu'il serait idéal de le servir avec le plat, par exemple un menu poisson ou fruits …

2014 vintage

GVMQS 21 février 2020. Nez plutôt exubérant et qui semble familier, menthe, fruits à chair jaune, un peu de buis ressort pour moi à l’aération. Belle rondeur en bouche, du gras, belle texture riche avec assez d’acidité qui en font un vin bien équilibré et clairement un vin qui a de l’âge. C’est très bon et reconnaissable. Mon favori en blanc.

2007 vintage

Off tonight. Corked?

2014 vintage

Are you sure?

Francois Cotat, Sancerre, Cul Beaujeu

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