Francois Cotat is a Sancerre wine producer of old-style Sauvignon Blanc, based in the commune of Chavignol. The estate's distinctive Sancerre wines are met with high acclaim from critics as well as consumers. The Cotat family has been producing Sauvignon Blanc and small portions of Pinot Noir from the slopes of the esteemed Monts Damnés vineyard since the 1940s. Today, the estate is run by cousins Pascal and Francois Cotat whom produce wine in separate cellars, but uphold the traditional winemaking techniques implemented by their fathers, founders Paul and Francis Cotat. In the winery, grapes are fermented in barrel using wild yeasts and are bottled unfined and unfiltered. The estate's other top vineyards include Monts Damnés, Caillots, La Grande Côte, and Les Culs de Beaujeu. Chavignol is characterized by a unique type of chalky limestone soil called 'terres blanches' which contributes a distinct minerality to Sauvignon Blanc. In the vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc is handpicked relatively late, allowing for flavor compounds to reach full maturity. This contributes the weighty texture of the finished wines, as well as higher levels of residual sugar and alcohol. For this reason, wines by Francois Cotat have sometimes been declassified to Vin de France status, though their prestige remains. Francois Cotat also produce a rosé from its small plot of Pinot Noir.