WTN: Spellbound by Vatan

2002 Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos la Néore
Incredible. Starts out a little reticent initially, but with time builds an incredible scent combining grapefruit and other citrus fruits tinged with minerals, floral notes and spearmint. There's tremendous complexity and depth in the mouth and it's really dynamic, appearing to change every few minutes while consistently conveying finesse and a lightness of touch throughout, with a finish that just resonates and holds your attention long after each sip is gone. Truly amazing wine that for me transcends anything I could imagine from this region or grape.

I had the '08 of this last month. Certainly on of the best expressions of Sauvignon Blanc I've encountered. It's more broad and full than one would imagine, though still graceful. Baryshnikov like?

If not for the price I'd have more around.

I agree. I don't drink a ton of Sancerre but I've always preferred Vatan to Cotat. Both are great, but Vatan seems more magical. At the end of the day, the price (assuming it's still $50-60) is not that crazy considering the quality of the wine. And I remember this 02 from four or five years ago being a great wine. I can only imagine how it has maintained its vibrancy but added aged nuances.

I had the '08 of this last month. Certainly on of the best expressions of Sauvignon Blanc I've encountered. It's more broad and full than one would imagine, though still graceful. Baryshnikov like?

If not for the price I'd have more around.

Apparently the first vintage by his daughter and excellent to hear it is still good. Hard to imagine he had nothing to do with even if it was only 'remote' advice.

I've only ever had the 2001 Vatan Sancerre Clos La Néore - and that was almost 2 years ago. With a dish of Twice-Baked Prawn & Goat Cheese Soufflé with Dill, it was fantastic:

2001 Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos La Néore - As mentioned, this was the Stockbroker's bottle. I've tried only a handful of single-vineyard Sancerres, so this was a real treat.

It is difficult not to gush too much over this excellent wine. The bouquet and flavors were sharply defined, displaying toasty/leesy notes, small, white blossoms, cool steel, flint, limestone, cold/wet stone, dewy morning grass and demure white grapefruit, light green apple, slight ripe gooseberry and just the barest hint of white peach.

Laser-focused attack, precise expansion mid-mouth, funneling to the finish. Exquisitely dry, yet with healthy fruit, incredibly fine, bright, crisply acidic all the way to the finish. Superb balance, brightness and purity.

As a pairing with our prawn and goat cheese soufflés, it was no-brainer correct and excellent - both a regional and traditional pairing for shellfish and chèvre - can't really get better than that. I absolutely loved this wine, the soufflé, and the both together.

A few days later, with the same dish at the same restaurant, I had the 2005 François Cotat Sancerre Les Monts Damnés:

2005 François Cotat Sancerre Les Monts Damnés - The Stockbroker's bottle - yet another Sancerre after the the superb 2001 Vatan Sancerre Clos La Néore he shared over lunch a few days before at the same restaurant.

Right after the 2001 Vatan, it was impossible for me not to compare the two. This Cotat was an obviously riper, lusher, more open and indulgent style of Sancerre than the Vatan: softer and more white flowers, forward fruit (quite vibrant), broader mid-palate, displaying more forward grassy gooseberry lead and topnotes over white grapefruit, minor ripe white peach, with a touch of lemon cream added in. The minerality (cold limestone, little flint, not steely), purity and acid balance were good, but nowhere near that of the Vatan. As far as definition and focus go, the Vatan was far ahead.

Its seemingly over-done softness/ripeness (for a Sancerre) could, perhaps be attributed to the vintage. Well, either that or Cotat makes it a point to pick their fruit comparatively very late. Maybe both. In any event, though, in my opinion, it couldn't hold a candle to the Vatan, this Cotat was very easy to drink and enjoy. I noted that the label stated "Vigneron à Chavignol" - and imagine that its forward ripe fruitiness and lusher personality would make it a pronounced foil for the area's specialty Crottin de Chavignol.

. Well, either that or Cotat makes it a point to pick their fruit comparatively very late.

Actually Vatan is probably about latest picker in Sancerre (though Cotats both pick relatively late). I had the '02 Vatan and '02 Pascal LMD side by side blind, thought the Cotat was zippier. Personally, I think all three are geniuses!

. Well, either that or Cotat makes it a point to pick their fruit comparatively very late.

Actually Vatan is probably about latest picker in Sancerre (though Cotats both pick relatively late). I had the '02 Vatan and '02 Pascal LMD side by side blind, thought the Cotat was zippier. Personally, I think all three are geniuses!

Well, I did say, re: the '05 Cotat, that it could be attributable to the vintage (right before the line you quoted). In any event, I've not had any '02 by either Vatan or Cotat (or any '05 by Vatan for that matter).