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2020 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard
Grandiose, lavish Sauvignon Blanc from a small monopole holding that faces the rising sun, with a clay soil so dense and sticky the old-timers called it terre amoureuse (loving earth), for the way it clings to one’s boots. If the classic Sancerre above is a great blast from the past, the Coutones here is a glimpse of a great future.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Sauvignon Blanc |
Appellation: | Sancerre |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Daniel Chotard |
Winemaker: | Simon Chotard |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1994 (1 ha), 2006 (.61 ha) |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone, Kimmeridgian Marl |
Aging: | After 1 year, wine is racked and aged 6 months in stainless steel before bottling |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2023 Sancerre “Les Cris”
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2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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This dry Chenin Blanc is etched from the white limestone beneath—crystalline, pure, and chiseled.

2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
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2021 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
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Even though all of the wines hail from Chinon, the soil, elevation, and exposition all combine to make Le Clos Guillot their cuvée with the most finesse.

2023 Sancerre Blanc “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
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Welcome to depth, complexity, understatement, finesse.

2023 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
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A fleshy, full-bodied Sancerre with great freshness and the ability to age in bottle for a few years after release.

2023 Sancerre “Racines”
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It combines the racy acidity and taut mineral structure imparted by the Kimmeridgian limestone terroir with a subtle kiss of oak and a fine wood grain on the finale.

2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
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Outre Terre is a tiny production of Cabernet Franc fermented in amphora and aged in barrel.

2022 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
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Previously blended into the domaine’s Sancerre rouge, the Champs d’Alligny is now its own bottling, a successful experiment if there ever was one.

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With floral aromas and fine-grained tannins, it already showcases its charms.
About The Producer
Daniel Chotard
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmeridgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
2024 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2023 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2023 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Sancerre Blanc “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Gros-Plant du Pays Nantais
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2024 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
2024 Bourgueil Rosé
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2024 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2023 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2023 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Sancerre Blanc “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Gros-Plant du Pays Nantais
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2024 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
2024 Bourgueil Rosé
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312