2008 Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu

Scents of iris and fresh lime waft alluringly from the glass of Francois Cotat 2008 Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu This offers the sensation of a crisp, diverse green salad; ripe honeydew melon; and refreshing lime, with subtly nutty and bitter finishing notes. I suspect it will be worth following for at least a decade, given the track record for these vines and this family, but in truth its complex brand of refreshment is irresistible 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