Pascal Cotat Chavignol Sancerre Rosé 2022

Location: France, Loire, Sancerre, Chavignol

Winemaker: Pascal Cotat

Grapes: Pinot Noir

From us at M&L: The history of Sancerre, Chavignol especially, would not be complete without a lengthy mention of Pascal Côtat, but that is for another post. Brass tacks: this is one of the more spellbinding rosés I’ve ever tasted. Horiot’s Riceys ‘En Valingrain’ is another wine that comes to mind as being equal parts heartbreaker and mind-melter. If that wine is racy with saline cherries and copper pennies the Côtat is its ice cream-smooth counterpart.

A pedigree of being old vine Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian limestone informs them both, but the Chavignol feels, perhaps, more ‘rosè-ish’.

The 80 year old Pinot, from a microscopic 1 hectare, is pressed into demi muid of equal age and after several months the wine is bottled unfiltered. This is hedonistic at any point, but (I’m told) these can age for years gathering shroomy, anise-like complexity.

In the case of the 2018, the smell of raspberries, rosewater, herbal tinctures and fresh cream are pinched by a subtle, shrubby pine aroma. The taste is a distillation of much of the aromas, but I also get watermelon (rind and all) and river water (that’s my thing!). Drink this with people you really love and with whom you can be quiet for a spell.