2010 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre La Grande Cote

Francois Cotat said he didn’t have the analysis handy or in his head, but that his 2010 Sancerre La Grande Cote harbored “a bit more residual sugar” than the 8 grams found in the corresponding Culs de Beaujeu, and I would not hesitate to call it “demi-sec.” Herbal and nut essences and mirabelle reminiscent of that Beaujeau are here allied to quince and decadent, sweetly perfumed lily-of-the-valley, honeysuckle, and chamomile, whose liquid florality perfectly fits the enveloping richness and soothingly silken texture on display here. As this expands and coats the palate, it seems to deposit a fine layer of chalk that underscores the cooling aspect of its herbal essences while offering a sounding board and a contrast the sweet, succulent fruit. The sustained finish doesn’t evince a bit of heat from this elixir’s 14% alcohol. I expect it will perform its seductive dance for the better part of two decades. Given Francois Cotat’s (and before that, his father’s and uncle’s) penchant for late picking and the promoting of textural richness in sweetly ripe Sancerre, 2010 seemed destined to prove an ideal match for this estate, which began harvesting at the end of the first week in October, but did not finish until nearly month’s end. In the event, the wines that resulted are so diverse – in part extreme, even by estate standards – that generalization is fatuous. Cotat’s 2011s are good for some surprises too, again for being so different from one another, but also in how little marked one of their number is by the ripe manifestations of citrus and pit fruits one practically takes for granted at this address. After the 2010 vintage, Francois Cotat with regret pulled out the considerable expanse of impossibly unproductive 65-year-old vines that his grandfather had planted and that had in recent years contributed around 30% by volume to the Grande Cote bottling. But that still leaves vines of around 45 years average, and on their first appearance without their 65 year old elders, that team turned in a memorable 2011 performance. A Peter Vezan Selection (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93