In the glass
Aroma: grapefruit, white blossom, chalk, smoke
Palate: citrus, saline mineral, white peach, wet stone
Sauvignon Blanc from the famed Monts Damnés slope in Chavignol on Kimmeridgian marl. Tense citrus and white peach lifted by a smoky, chalky finish.
What it pairs with
-
Crottin de Chavignol
The wine and Chavignol's own goat cheese share the same hillside; salt-and-chalk lactic interplay is textbook. -
Sushi and sashimi
Tense acidity and saline mineral edge handle delicate raw fish without overpowering soy and wasabi. -
Oysters on the half shell
Saline minerality echoes shellfish brine; citrus replaces lemon wedge. -
Sole grenobloise
Caper and lemon meet a Sauvignon with citrus-on-citrus precision and chalky structure for the brown butter.
History
Henri Bourgeois bottled the Côte des Monts Damnés as a single-vineyard cuvée from his historic family parcels in Chavignol, on the steepest Kimmeridgian marl in Sancerre.
- 1985 — First single-vineyard La Côte des Monts Damnés bottling
- 2002 — Tenth-generation Arnaud Bourgeois assumes oversight of viticulture
Facts
- Producer
- Domaine Henri Bourgeois (Famille Bourgeois)
- Grapes
- Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
- Classification
- Sancerre AOC
- Oak
- Vinified in stainless steel; bottle-aged before release, no new oak
- ABV
- 13.0%
- Price
- EUR 35 to 55 at retail
- Drinking window
- 2-12 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1985
Scores
- Decanter 93 (2021 vintage, reviewed 2023)
Frequently asked about Sancerre La Côte des Monts Damnés
What does Bourgeois La Côte des Monts Damnés taste like?
Grapefruit, white blossom, chalk and smoke on the nose; citrus, saline mineral, white peach and wet stone on the palate. Medium-bodied with high acidity and a long smoky, chalky finish.
When should I drink La Côte des Monts Damnés?
Drink between 2 and 12 years from vintage. The Kimmeridgian marl gives the wine layered minerality that builds with 3 to 5 years in bottle.
Where is La Côte des Monts Damnés grown?
The Monts Damnés slope in Chavignol, the steepest and most prestigious lieu-dit in the Sancerre AOC. Soils are Kimmeridgian marl, the same vein that defines Chablis.
What food pairs with La Côte des Monts Damnés?
Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese is the textbook match; sushi, oysters and sole grenobloise are equally strong pairings.