2008 Sancerre Monts Damnes

Musky scents of narcissus emerge from the glass of Francois Cotat 2008 Sancerre Les Monts Damnes, along with mint and Persian melon, setting the stage for a surprisingly soft and rounded palate presentation, at once soothing and refreshing, with subtle interplay of herbal, fungal, and fruit notes in the finish. A discreet sense of chalkiness follows in an impressively long, luscious finish, although I would have anticipated a greater and more diverse sense of minerality than this is showing right now. In a sign of the vintage, Francois Cotat’s lightest wine from 2009 was his rose, which weighed in at 14.5% alcohol. The Sauvignons cluster around 15%. Cotat compares this vintage with 1989, whose wines were similarly ripe and full, but aren’t exactly classic Cotat, nor the most interesting of mature Cotat wines to enjoy today. That said, there is always an element of mystery in the glass (and not only there) at this address, and I’ll gladly be made a fool of by an old Cotat wine, which might one day turn out to be a 2009. (For more information about recent developments chez Cotat, see my report in issue 172.) A Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93