François Cotat Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu 2018
François Cotat's Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu is a historic site, cultivated originally by the monks of Beaujeu in the Middle Ages. The family parcel was purchased by winemaker François Cotat’s great-grandfather just after the second world war. A typically cooler site, the ‘Culs’ (or hills) faces northwest. Steeply sloped, the vineyard boasts a mix of Kimmeridgian limestone (the same soils as Chablis) and clay. Racked and bottled according to the lunar calendar and then bottled by hand, unfined and unfiltered. This feels a little behind the other wines in its development, needing more time before it will express itself fully. Rich and powerful with some touches of cream and a thick, oily texture. There is a brooding power here, masses of complexity and a long finish, but one feels there is more to come. Drink 2021-2030.