Day Trip to the Sancerre and Pouilly Vineyards
In a fun and educational way, travel this part of the Loire Valley, which could well be the cradle of Sauvignon in France... Why has this grape earned its reputation t...
Profile
Structure
Drinking window
Latest scored vintage 2020: best 2023 to 2040.
vintage3 yrs20 yrs22 yrs
Critic scores
| Critic | Vintage | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vinous reviewed 2023 | 2020 | 93/100 |
Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.
In the glass
Aroma: yellow apple, honey, chalk, white blossom
Palate: yellow plum, lemon curd, stone, saline finish
Pascal Cotat's south-facing Grande Côte sits on almost pure chalk, the same vein that runs through Chablis. Energy, precision and verve.
What it pairs with
- Plateau de fruits de mer Full-body salinity and chalk carry oysters, langoustines and crab; long finish handles successive shellfish.More wines for shellfish and oysters →
- Sole bonne femme The wine's textural weight and lemon curd register handles white wine, mushroom and shallot sauce.More wines for fish →
- Gougères Burgundian cheese puffs and Cotat's chalky Sauvignon share a French classicism; gougères' Gruyère meets the wine's saline finish.More wines for aperitifs and small plates →
- Aged Selles-sur-Cher Ashed goat cheese's nutty intensity finds a partner in honey and yellow-fruit aromatics over chalky structure.More wines for goat cheese →
With cheese
History
La Grande Côte is the family's south-facing chalk parcel in Amigny. Pascal Cotat's bottling exemplifies the Chablis-like minerality the AOC's best growers prize.
- 1998Pascal Cotat continues independent bottling of Grande Côte
Facts
- Producer
- Domaine Pascal Cotat · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
- Classification
- Sancerre AOC
- Oak
- Fermented in old oak barriques; aged on lees, no new oak, unfined and unfiltered
- ABV
- 13.5%
- Price
- EUR 75 to 130 at retail
- Drinking window
- 3-20 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1998
Frequently asked about Sancerre La Grande Côte
What does Pascal Cotat Grande Côte taste like?
Yellow apple, honey, chalk and white blossom on the nose; yellow plum, lemon curd, stone and saline finish on the palate. Full-bodied with high acidity and a long mineral finish.
When should I drink Pascal Cotat Grande Côte?
Drink between 3 and 20 years from vintage. The chalk vein gives the cuvée Chablis-like ageing capacity; mature bottles develop honey and stone-fruit depth.
Where is Pascal Cotat's Grande Côte grown?
A south-facing parcel in Amigny on almost pure chalk, the same vein that runs through Chablis.
What food pairs with Pascal Cotat Grande Côte?
Plateau de fruits de mer, sole bonne femme, gougères and aged Selles-sur-Cher are textbook pairings. The full body and high acid handle rich seafood and aged cheese.
Tags
cellar worthy
cult wine
dry
full body
high acid
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
Taste it where it is made: tastings near Domaine Pascal Cotat
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