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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

2022 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
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2023 Sancerre “Les Cris”
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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.

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2022 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
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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.
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2021 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
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2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
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2020 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
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2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Vouvray Brut MAGNUM
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Gros-Plant du Pays Nantais
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2024 Sancerre
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2024 Chardonnay
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2024 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2024 Jasnières “Cuvée du Silex”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236