In a region already jammed with established stars, it's not often you see a young winemaker quickly position himself not only as the most promising newcomer but as a legitimate threat to the entrenched hierarchy.

But that's exactly what Pierre Cotton has done since taking over his family's domaine in 2013. And if you want the full measure of his potential, you need to taste his epic Côte de Brouilly old-vine cuvées, “100% Cotton” and “Les Grillés.” But with fewer than 250 cases of each made, you'll need luck in finding them.

Fortunately, through a friend of a friend (of Cotton's), we managed to get a small allocation of 100% Cotton in both the 2016 and 2017 vintages. Added to that was a small (and coveted) allocation of 2017 Grillés.

To understand just what a coup this is, consider that not a bottle of 100% Cotton from either 2016 or 2017 is available anywhere, and only one merchant can offer the 2017 Grillés. Yet we can offer them as a 3-bottle assortment for just $125. It's an astonishing deal.

Ancient Vines, Classic Methods

Pierre Cotton is the fifth generation of his family to make wine in the village of Odenas, on the south slope of Mont de Brouilly, whose 500-meter, south-facing slope is one of Beaujolais’ most distinctly great terroirs.
 
But Mont de Brouilly’s soils are complex. And when combined with its multiple exposures, they can be incredibly diverse in their expressions. For decades, however, they have almost always been anonymously blended into the Côte de Brouilly cuvées of Beaujolais’ large houses.
 
Cotton is changing this, revealing the individual characters of old-vine Gamay from specific sites. Following the teachings of Jules Chauvet, he treats his ancient, low-yielding vines organically, reaping the reward of intensely concentrated fruit. In the cellar, semi-carbonic maceration of whole clusters, aging in neutral barrel and the use of little or no sulfur allows the essence of his terroirs to emerge with startling clarity.

In 2016 and 2017, the central Beaujolais crus of Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie and Chiroubles were pounded by hail. Yet, Côte de Brouilly was not only spared, it enjoyed its best weather in at least a decade. As John Gilman has written, the best 2016s from these villages “have an energy, sappiness and bounce to them that is really exciting” while the 2017s have “excellent transparency down to their terroirs and lovely structures for long-term aging …  truly beautiful!”

This Offer

In both vintages, Cotton’s old-vine Côte de Brouilly cuvée, “100% Cotton”, promises to be among the year's towering achievements, giving voice to some of the appellation's most unique soils. These include pink and yellow granites, clay and la corne verte—the latter a flinty rock found only in Cotton’s home village of Odenas. From vines 65 years of age, this cuvée's lush fruit is framed by striking minerality and powerful structure. 

The 2017 “Les Grillés” inspired William Kelley of The Wine Advocate to write “anyone looking for proof that Cotton ranks among the region’s élite need look no further.”

Even a year or two ago, Cotton's wines flew largely under the radar, especially in the U.S. But Kelley's lavish Wine Advocate praise has completely blown Pierre's cover. This made him—by at least 20 years—the youngest member on his list of top traditional producers which also includes titans Jean Foillard, Yvon Métras, Jean-Paul Thévenet, Jean-Claude Lapalu and Jean-Louis Dutraive.
  
If you love great Old School Beaujolais, you'll want to experience these wines.