In the glass
Aroma: smoke, white peach, lemon zest, wet stone
Palate: preserved lemon, stone fruit, salinity, chalk
Pascal Cotat's Monts Damnés sits across the family line from his cousin François. From 45-year-old vines on pure limestone, the wine is hand-harvested and barrel-fermented for ageability.
What it pairs with
-
Crottin de Chavignol
Same hillside, same lactic-salt resonance; the canonical Sancerre and Chavignol cheese pairing. -
Oysters with shallot vinegar
Smoke and chalk meet shellfish brine; the wine's lemon-zest finish replaces a citrus wedge. -
Roast halibut with capers
Briny capers find the wine's salinity; full-body barrel weight handles the firm-fleshed fish. -
Vieux Comté
Aged Comté's hazelnut depth aligns with the wine's preserved-lemon and chalky stone-fruit register.
History
Pascal Cotat took over his father Francis's parcels and bottles independently from his cousin François. Both estates farm overlapping plots on the steep Monts Damnés slope in Chavignol.
- 1998 — Pascal Cotat begins bottling under his own name from inherited Chavignol parcels
Facts
- Producer
- Domaine Pascal Cotat
- 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
Scores
- Vinous 93 (2020 vintage, reviewed 2023)
Frequently asked about Sancerre Les Monts Damnés
What does Pascal Cotat Monts Damnés taste like?
Smoke, white peach, lemon zest and wet stone on the nose; preserved lemon, stone fruit, salinity and chalk on the palate. Full-bodied with high acidity and a long, mineral finish.
When should I drink Pascal Cotat Monts Damnés?
Drink between 3 and 20 years from vintage. The cuvée is fermented in old oak for ageability and develops honey and dried fruit with cellar time.
What is the difference between Pascal Cotat and François Cotat?
They are cousins farming overlapping family parcels in Chavignol. Both bottle Monts Damnés, La Grande Côte and Culs de Beaujeu under similar methods; differences come down to plot allocation and individual harvest timing.
Where is Pascal Cotat's Monts Damnés grown?
On 45-year-old vines planted on pure limestone soils on the steep south-facing Monts Damnés slope in Chavignol.