Structure

Bodyfull
Tanninlow
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oaknew oak

Drinking window

Latest scored vintage 2020: best 2023 to 2040.
vintage3 yrs20 yrs22 yrs

Critic scores

CriticVintageScore
Vinous reviewed 2023202093/100

Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.

In the glass

Full-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

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.

  1. 1998: Pascal Cotat begins bottling under his own name from inherited Chavignol parcels

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 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.

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

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