Tasting Notes
La Grande Cote is from his coolest site. The next step up in every way. Here density and intensity leads you to the classic core of mineral tension Sancerre is celebrated for. Worth the wait to be released, from a vintage of Sancerre fondly remembered. Very limited. - Chris L
First made as a single parcel in 2010, La Côte comes from the majestic Grande Côte vineyard, a south- to southeast-facing hillside on the Côte d’Amigny on the outskirts of Chavignol. La Côte has quickly become one of the heavyweights of Boulay’s range. It’s the Domaine’s coolest terroir and the last to be picked. The site’s pure Kimmeridgian limestone and late picking date deliver both density and absurd precision on the palate; a more expressive style, yet still bristling with tension and mineral notes. The 2019 was vinified and aged in three- and four-year-old barrels.
Tinged with gun-flint, this is taut, mineral-laden stuff. It reveals aromas of lemongrass, jasmine, pear and orchard fruits as it sits in the glass. The palate possesses bell-clear purity, and the silken, tongue-coating texture and mineral drive reminiscent of Grand Cru Chablis from a great grower. Interestingly for this site, the wine is already so balanced that it can be enjoyed now for its striking precision and transparency. However, like all the single-vineyard wines in this offer, you will thank yourself if you keep a bottle or two to drink in 10 or so years. - Importer Note
The Boulay family has been rooted in Chavignol since the 14th century, and today Gérard Boulay is recognised as one of the Loire Valley’s benchmark producers. His organically tended vineyards lie on the steep, Kimmeridgian limestone slopes surrounding Chavignol – the same fossil-rich soils that run through Chablis – and it is this terroir that gives his wines their crystalline purity and long-lived character.
Boulay works across some of Chavignol’s most celebrated lieux-dits: La Côte (a south-facing slope producing rich, structured Sancerre of great depth), Clos de Beaujeu (an historic site with thin soils and steep terraces giving nervy, mineral wines), and Monts Damnés (the “damned mountain”, one of Sancerre’s greatest vineyards, delivering power, intensity and remarkable ageing capacity). From these sites he produces distinct bottlings, alongside the Tradition cuvée – a blend of several parcels around the village that showcases the elegance and finesse of Chavignol as a whole.
In the cellar, Boulay works with minimal intervention: natural fermentations, élevage in stainless steel and neutral oak, and no unnecessary additions. The result is wines that are pure, terroir-driven and highly expressive – vibrant and saline in their youth, yet capable of evolving for decades. His Sancerres stand as true reference points for the appellation, bridging immediate pleasure with profound age-worthiness.
| Product Type | Wine White Sauvignon Blanc |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire Valley |
| Sub Region | Sancerre |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |