Domaine Pascal Cotat

Overview

Domaine Pascal Cotat is one of Sancerre’s most famous estates, located in Chavignol. Pascal Cotat is the son of Francis Cotat and nephew of Paul Cotat — the two brothers who built the Cotat name into the most prestigious in Sancerre from the post-WWII era through 1997. When the family domaine was officially split in 1997 (the first wines under the Pascal Cotat label), Pascal established his own cellars in the town of Sancerre (near his autobody shop); his first harvest there was 1999. The domaine encompasses 2.3 hectares: just over 1 ha on Monts Damnés in Chavignol, just under 1 ha in La Grande Côte in Amigny (60-year-old vines), and a small parcel of 80-year-old Pinot Noir for his Rosé.

Pascal learned winemaking from his father Francis in a crash course following the forced split. His father Francis is believed to have made or co-made the wines through at least 2002–2003. From 2004 onwards, Pascal took over primary winemaking responsibility, and the wines show a clear shift — excellent in youth but not built for very long-term aging the way the previous generation’s wines were, or the way his cousin François Cotat’s wines are.

Key Stylistic Finding (VFTC #111, 2024)

John Gilman conducted two deep vertical tastings of Pascal Cotat wines (2000–2012) and concluded:

• 2000–2002: Wines made under Francis Cotat’s supervision; still beautiful, can age to 20+ years. Classic long-lived Cotat style.
• 2004 onwards: Something shifted — residual sugar retained in some vintages to manage alcohol levels in warm years; this has caused some bottles to re-ferment (2004 Monts Damnés and 2004 Grande Côte were both sparkling/undrinkable). Wines in most vintages best drunk within first decade from vintage.
• Exception: 2006 and 2008 Monts Damnés are aging well (scored 94 and 93 respectively at 18 and 16 years of age).
• Best advice: Drink within 10 years; the 2001 and 2002 (Francis-era) are the long-distance runners.

Winemaking

• Barrel fermentation and élevage in very old oak (none less than 40 years of age; 18 barrels total); bottled at the new moon in May
• Same method for Rosé as whites; no skin contact for Rosé (very pale salmon)
• Rosé (Pinot Noir from 80yo vines) has been sold as “Chavignol Rosé” since 2006 after AOC denial — ostensibly because town officials wanted to buy the parcel for a parking lot and Pascal refused; labeled with “Lot XXXX” rather than vintage until recently

Appellations

• Sancerre — Monts Damnés (Chavignol), La Grande Côte (Amigny), Rosé/Rouge
• Monts Damnés vines: ~35 years average age; high on hill, thin topsoils over Kimmeridgian limestone
• La Grande Côte vines: ~60 years average age

Key Wines

• Sancerre “les Monts Damnés” — flagship white; limestone-driven, taut structure
• Sancerre “la Grande Côte” — from Amigny; older vines, slightly richer character
• Sancerre “Grande Côte” Cuvée Spéciale — botrytized/late harvest; rare
• Chavignol Rosé — from 80yo Pinot Noir; pale salmon; lost Sancerre AOC from 2006 vintage

Style Notes

In youth, these are exceptional Sauvignon Blancs: crystalline minerality, gooseberry, lime, fresh-cut grass, chalky Chavignol botanicals. The Monts Damnés tends more mineral and linear; the Grande Côte is slightly richer and rounder. The wines’ failure to age as consistently as François Cotat’s equivalent wines is the defining challenge noted in the 2024 VFTC assessment.

My Tastings

Note: The user has tasted Pascal Cotat and did not like it. This applies both to Pascal Cotat wines and to François Cotat’s La Grande Côte. No formal tasting entry exists.

Sources

• sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC May-June 2024 #111.txt — Full feature, pages 1–16; two deep vertical tastings 2000–2012; complete tasting notes for Monts Damnés (2001–2012), La Grande Côte (2001–2008), Cuvée Spéciale (2000–2003), and Rosé (2001–2012)