2002 Pascal Cotat Sancerre Cuvée Spéciale La Grande Cote - France, Loire Valley, Chavignol, Sancerre (5/10/2005)
I purchased 3 bottles of this wine at auction on winebid for $25 each (they normally sell for $45). 2002 was a spectacular year in the Loire Valley and Pascal Cotat is among the best producers in Sancerre. After having recently tried the 2002 Dageuneau Pur Sang and the 2001 Cloudy Bay Te Koko I thought it was agood time to crack one of these open to see how this compared while the previous 2 wines were still fresh in my memory.
The WA rated the regular 2002 La Grande Cote 95 points. However, I was concerned about this wine since Rovani said he tried it 3 times and it was corked on each occasion. WS tried it twice and also found the wine to be corked twice. Did Cotat get a bad bunch of corks? Was his cellar tainted? 5 corked bottles in 5 attempts is not a good omen.
Fortunately this bottle was not corked (although it had a very slight hint of mustiness) and was very nice. Not as oaky as the Te Koko (or the Pur Sang). A serious Sauvignon Blanc which maintains its comical side. Notes of pear with good minerality. Very nice depth to this wine and well balanced. A solid wine but this needs time. Pascal Cotats wines are said to be very long lived. 92 points.
VM
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