François Cotat's estate sits on prize territory in the heart of Chavignol. The slopes are vertiginous, making hand-harvesting both necessary and pretty hard work. He picks the grapes late to maximise the flavour, and works to a non-interventionist approach in the winery, fermenting the juice in demi-muids and using native yeasts. François' wines go in and out of appellation depending on the year, as they sometimes exceed the sugar and alcohol levels permissible for the region. These are supreme, age-worthy wines worth getting around.