Paul Thomas, Sancerre, "Monts Damnés"

Last month you might have caught me on Barstool’s The Yak where we opened a bottle of Pascal Cotat’s legendary Les Monts Damnés. It sold out almost immediately afterward — not surprising when you understand what that hillside is. Monts Damnés isn’t just a vineyard. It’s a brutal, lung-burning slope above the village of Chavignol where farming still feels closer to mountain climbing than agriculture. The rows pitch downward so steeply that at harvest the grapes are literally carried down the hill by hand in small baskets. You stand there looking at it and think: Who in their right mind planted vines here? But once you taste the wines, it makes perfect sense.

That hill produces some of the most thrilling Sauvignon Blanc on earth. And because the vineyard is tiny, every producer working it makes only a small amount. That’s why Cotat bottles disappear instantly and now sell for close to $100 a bottle. Today I’m thrilled to offer something from the very same slope: Paul Thomas’ Monts Damnés. Wines from this site don’t behave like typical Sancerre. Yes, they have the electric citrus and mineral drive the region is famous for, but Monts Damnés adds another dimension — texture, depth, and a subtle oily richness that comes from the concentration of fruit grown on this steep, perfectly drained limestone hillside. The wine is absolutely firing right now, and at $42 — less than half the price of Cotat — the price-to-quality here is outrageous. Deals like this don’t show up often. Grab it while you can.

The Loire Valley stretches across the heart of France like a ribbon of vineyards following the Loire River toward the Atlantic. It’s one of the most diverse wine regions on earth, producing everything from Muscadet near the coast to Chenin Blanc in Vouvray and Cabernet Franc in Chinon. But perched high above the river in the eastern Loire sits one of the world’s great white wine regions: Sancerre. The medieval town of Sancerre rises dramatically above the countryside, its stone streets winding around a hill crowned by an ancient tower. From the top you can see vineyards stretching across the horizon in every direction. Around this hill sit a series of villages — Bué, Verdigny, Crézancy, Amigny, and Chavignol — each with its own subtle soils and exposures. Among them, Chavignol has long been considered the grand cru village of the appellation. And within Chavignol lies its most famous slope: Les Monts Damnés. The name translates loosely to “the damned mountain,” a nod to the punishing incline that makes farming it exhausting work. But the payoff is extraordinary. The vineyard’s deep Kimmeridgian limestone — the same fossil-rich soil found in Chablis — produces Sauvignon Blanc with astonishing mineral tension, depth, and longevity. Legendary producers like Pascal Cotat, François Cotat, and Gérard Boulay have made the site famous, crafting wines collectors chase around the world.

Domaine Paul Thomas sits just below these slopes in the village of Chavignol. The estate today is run by Raphaël Thomas, who took over the winery in 2000 after the sudden passing of his father Paul at the end of harvest. Raphaël had originally planned to pursue a career in physics, but instead returned home to carry forward his family’s domaine. The estate farms roughly nine hectares of organically tended vineyards around Chavignol, with Sauvignon Blanc making up the majority of the plantings alongside a small amount of Pinot Noir for Sancerre Rouge and Rosé. Farming here is intense — especially on Monts Damnés where the slope forces harvest entirely by hand. In the cellar, Raphaël works traditionally: gentle bladder pressing, fermentation in used oak barrels, and aging on the lees before bottling in late spring. The result is Sauvignon Blanc that captures the purity and power of Chavignol’s limestone soils while retaining the freshness and precision that makes Sancerre so beloved.

In the glass, the 2023 Monts Damnés is absolutely electric. Aromas of Meyer lemon, lime zest, white peach, green apple skin, crushed oyster shell, and wild herbs leap from the glass, layered with subtle notes of chamomile and wet stone. On the palate the wine shows the hallmark concentration of the site — vibrant citrus and orchard fruit wrapped around a deep mineral core, with a texture that is both silky and slightly oily from the intensity of the fruit. The finish is long, saline, and mouthwatering, leaving a chalky impression that pulls you back for another sip.

This is a wine that shines at the table. Pair it with the local specialty Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese, oysters, grilled sea bass, trout with lemon and herbs, or a simple roast chicken with fresh herbs. It also loves classic Loire fare — chèvre salads, river fish, and shellfish pulled straight from the Atlantic.

Monts Damnés is one of the world’s truly great white wine vineyards.
And bottles from this legendary hillside rarely appear at this kind of price.

At $42, this is one of the smartest buys in the Loire right now.