Profile

Structure

Bodyfull
Tanninlow
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oaknew oak

Drinking window

Latest scored vintage 2019: best 2022 to 2044.

vintage3 yrs25 yrs27 yrs

Critic scores

CriticVintageScore
Wine Advocate reviewed 2022201994/100

Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.

In the glass

Full-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

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.More wines for lamb →
  • Bouillabaisse Saffron-laced shellfish stew demands a Sauvignon with body, salinity and persistent acid.More wines for shellfish and oysters →
  • Roast monkfish with bacon Smoke and salt from cured pork shadow the wine's stony register; the fish handles barrel weight.More wines for fish →

With cheese

Crottin de Chavignol Local tradition Young crottin has a firm, chalky paste and aged ones turn nutty and dry. White Sancerre's sharp Sauvignon acidity and citrus cut that density and freshen the hazelnut. The consortium lists it first; a pairing guide calls it the classic white.

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.

  1. 1998François Cotat continues bottling Les Culs de Beaujeu as a single-vineyard cuvée

Facts

Producer
Domaine François Cotat · visiting guide
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

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.

Tags

cellar worthy cult wine dry full body high acid iconic mood contemplative mood elegant mood savoury occasion cellar occasion dinner party occasion special old vines old world pairs with aged cheese pairs with shellfish pairs with soft cheese pairs with white fish price fine sauvignon blanc single vineyard still white

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