Château Coutet 2017

Discreet nose; full-bodied attack, well-built, powerful, with dominating sweetness on the finish.

The 2017 Coutet has a super intense nose of ripe apricots, honey-coated nuts, warm pineapple and mango with touches of nutmeg and orange blossoms. Rich, sweet and unctuous, it has wonderful intensity and depth, finishing with fantastic length.

This is youthfully packed, with a green tea accent wrapping up a dense core of creamed pineapple, yellow apple chutney, candied pink grapefruit and quince flavors. The long finish is viscous but bright, gilded liberally with ravishing singed almond and hazelnut notes. Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Best from 2022 through 2045. 2,000 cases made.

Rich sunflower yellow in colour, this has a good concentration of subtle spiced ginger on the nose, followed by rich citrus and apricot tart flavours, going almost as far as white truffles. It's gourmet without being cloying, thanks to those Barsac soils which give a wonderful freshness through the palate. The acidity is not quite as focussed as in classic years for the appellation, but it has zip and personality and is a clear success in this vintage.

Wow. Fabulous focus and intensity to this wine with energetic sweetness and a long, linear quality through the center palate. Orange-peel, lemon and peach undertones. Fresh finish. Drink or hold.

Barsac. 75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle. Unusual aroma – almond paste and something more herbal as well as rich, spicy citrus. Powerful bitter-orange flavors, deep and long. More power than elegance at this stage. Long, tangy finish. (JH)

The 2017 Coutet has a much more attractive bouquet than the 2016 with dried honey, white tea, chamomile and orange blossom aromas, showing more intensity and vigor. The palate is beautifully balanced with crisp acidity, viscous honeyed fruit, orange peel and apricot, complex and engaging on the finish. Superb. Tasted from an ex-château bottle served at the estate.

An all-you-can-eat buffet of tropical fruit with a slather of orange honey, this concentrated, opulent wine has a pastried sweetness, but the brisk acidity is just as noticeable, bringing everything into perfect equipoise.

Luminous golden yellow. Dense bouquet of fresh pear pulp, with mirabelle plums, fresh vanilla and orange oil in the background, followed by candied apricots on the second pass. On the oily palate, ripe extract and plenty of volume. Very long finish with acacia honey, mandarin and greengage compote. A great, powerful Barsac! 18.5/20

Kunz Fassprobe 18: dense, powerful, finely opulent bouquet, cooked pears, delicate dried apricots, linden blossoms, grapefruit. Dense, creamy, opulent palate with a dense, creamy structure, powerful, multifaceted aromas, full sweetness, fine acidity, long, full finish.

Dense, powerful, finely opulent bouquet of cooked pear, delicate dried apricot, linden blossom, grapefruit. Dense, creamy, opulent palate with a dense, creamy structure, powerful, multifaceted aromatics, full sweetness, fine acidity, long, full finish. 18/20 2025 - 2045

Pale straw color, a powerful nose but not yet truly nuanced; overall still developing.

It develops an intense flinty nose. Its abundant sweetness is refreshed by the mineral feel of the Barsac soil. A full yet refined wine that shows the path to excellence. Majestic.

Broad, taut, fruity, juicy, with a lovely finish.

Complex, youthful bouquet marked by limestone and floral notes. Fruit notes are also present. They are subtle, inviting, with aromas of citrus, figs, and finally a touch of mint. On the palate, the wine is imposing. It reveals itself slowly, surely, and shows breadth and freshness in a perfectly balanced way. The tension provides backbone and carries the aromatic expression through to the finish, while sweetness coexists ideally with acidity. I believe this wine will go a long way with time. A great success.

Pale yellow color. Very aromatic nose, with ripe, spicy fruit. Supple from the attack, precise to the touch, airy yet vibrant, the wine stretches out on the finish, savory and long.

95–97. Barrel Sample. This wine shows great balance and poised elegance. Its botrytis fruit gives it rich intensity, with a ripe orange-marmalade flavor and layers of tight acidity. This will be a wine for serious aging and not ready to drink before 2024.