I Hate the #Unicorn Wine Term But If Any Wine Ever Was, Cuvee Clement Is. 2008 Cuvee Paul (Super Cuvee) Is a Stunner from the 2008 Vintage, Also Rare and a Relative Value, also a #Unicorn

2008 and 2002 are my two favorite Sancerre vintages of the "aughts" with 2014/2010 my favorite of the current decade. Today I have access to some of the rarest wines I have ever offered. They are from two of the aforementioned vintages, 2008 and 2002. They are from that great slice of Sancerre called Chavignol and they are made by one of the greatest winemakers in all of France, Francois

Cotat.

If the Cuvee Paul is a Maybach, the Cuvee Clement is a 1964 Ferrari 250LM.

First up is a very #unicornwine, the 2008 Francois Cotat VDT "Cuvee Paul" which can be had for as little as $89.99 on a two pack. This is truly one of the world's greatest white wines. 2008 is the current release of this utterly brilliant wine and maybe the best wine made in Sancerre in 2008, which is a high acid, vin de garde, mineral-driven vintage. The contrast between the terrific stony minerality and acid spine there is a wealth of just vivid unreal almost tropical fruit. It is crazy clean. I mean crazy clean. What sets it apart is the spice component. It is just super complex. That acid provides backbone and exquisite balance. And that finish. Just taste it. It can be enjoyed now or aged for 10+ years to add to the complexity. There is nothing else like it.

What is it?

It is a blend of the best grapes that are harvested a bit late from Culs de Beaujeau, Les Monts Damnes and the Grand Côte. Francois leaves some RS in by stopping vinification sometimes. Then he lets it age in now cellar for 5+ years and ages it all in France. It is always a star of the vintage, and while it is not made in a traditional style as it has RS, this makes it all the more better and interesting. It has yet to be determined if it will be labeled as VDT or Sancerre as the allowable maximum sugar level in Sancerre is 5 grams or so and this is around 8 grams, in my estimation. The 2005 was labeled Moelleux and VDT, but the 2007 was labeled Demi-Sec and Sancerre because it was "almost dry."

My allocation is very limited so out in your request and I'll do my best.

Now what do you call a wine that is so rare that is super unicorn status? This is for true collectors and I wanted to just throw it out there as I have access to one case. I've not had this wine. I never even knew it existed until a week ago. It was made only in one vintage and so little was made it's in the handful of cases realm. Francois never reveals his production numbers so I don't know. For the adventurous collector, I have, what is without a doubt, one of the greatest wines ever made in Sancerre and the Loire Valley (the French Wine Boards refer to it as such). I have one case of the 2002 Francois Cotat VDT "Cuvee Clement" for $399.99 a bottle. It's the rarest of the rare. Think of it as a super premium version of Cuvee Paul with even a stricter selection and all the magic of 2002 thrown in. I can only imagine. This is extremely limited, obviously.

2008 Francois Cotat VDT "Cuvee Paul" - $92.99 ($179.98 2-pack) 

(VERY LIMITED)

2002 Francois Cotat VDT "Cuvee Clement" - $399.99 NET 

(VERY LIMITED)