In the glass
Aroma: white peach, grapefruit, stone, white flower
Palate: pear, grapefruit zest, creamy lees, saline texture
The most overtly mineral of Cotat's three single-vineyard bottlings, from a steep 0.7 hectare Chavignol parcel of fossilised pebbles. Rewards 15 years for creamy, saline depth.
What it pairs with
-
Coquilles Saint-Jacques
The wine's white peach and creamy lees meet scallop sweetness; saline texture echoes the shellfish. -
Aged hard goat cheese
Tomme de chèvre's nutty intensity finds a partner in the wine's full body and lifted finish. -
Bouillabaisse
Saffron-laced shellfish stew demands a Sauvignon with body, salinity and persistent acid. -
Roast monkfish with bacon
Smoke and salt from cured pork shadow the wine's stony register; the fish handles barrel weight.
History
Les Culs de Beaujeu sits on an extreme 45 percent slope of fossilised pebbles in Chavignol with south-east exposure. The parcel's structure produces Cotat's longest-lived bottling.
- 1998 — François Cotat continues bottling Les Culs de Beaujeu as a single-vineyard cuvée
Facts
- Producer
- Domaine François Cotat
- Grapes
- Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
- Classification
- Sancerre AOC
- Oak
- Fermented in old oak barriques; aged on fine lees, no new oak, unfined and unfiltered
- ABV
- 13.5%
- Price
- EUR 75 to 130 at retail
- Drinking window
- 3-25 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1998
Scores
- Wine Advocate 94 (2019 vintage, reviewed 2022)
Frequently asked about Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu
What does Cotat Les Culs de Beaujeu taste like?
White peach, grapefruit, stone and white flower on the nose; pear, grapefruit zest, creamy lees and saline texture on the palate. Full-bodied with high acidity and a long, mineral finish.
When should I drink Les Culs de Beaujeu?
Drink between 3 and 25 years from vintage. The cuvée rewards 15 years in bottle with a creamy, saline texture and white-fruit and grapefruit complexity.
Where is Les Culs de Beaujeu grown?
A 0.7 hectare south-east-facing parcel in Chavignol on a 45 percent slope of fossilised pebbles, one of the steepest in Sancerre.
What food pairs with Les Culs de Beaujeu?
Coquilles Saint-Jacques, aged hard goat cheese, bouillabaisse and roast monkfish are textbook matches; the wine's body and saline texture handle rich shellfish dishes.