Gerard Boulay 'La Côte' 2023 Chavignol, Sancerre

750ml bottle

13% abv

This vintage is particularly vivid: lime peel, white grapefruit, flinty minerality, and crushed oyster shell, with zippy acidity and a long, stony finish. It’s mouthwatering and linear but not austere—tense and energetic, with depth that unfolds with air.

Vineyard: Produced from "La Grande Cote", one of the three famous designated Crus of Chavignol.
Orientation: Full southern exposure
Soil: Kimmeridgian Clay or "terre blanche" (similar to the soils of Chablis)
Viticulture: Gerard works the soils manually, the vines are farmed using organic methods and all grapes are harvested by hand.
Vinification: Natural yeast fermentation in 300L barrels (no new wood).
Aging: Aged on the lees in a combination of barrel (300L, no new wood) and tank then bottled unfiltered

Gérard Boulay’s “La Côte” is one of the great insider secrets of Sancerre. Sourced from a single parcel on the steep, chalk-drenched slopes of Chavignol, this is Sauvignon Blanc with Chablis-like structure and laser focus—far from the grassy style that defines so much of the category.

Boulay farms organically and works with a light hand in the cellar—native yeasts, no new oak, and long aging on fine lees—which lets the terroir of La Côte speak with clarity. This is Sauvignon Blanc with a soul and a spine, built to pair with seafood now or reward a few years in the cellar with added texture and savory complexity.

Perfect with oysters, goat cheese, or any dish that calls for precision and brightness.