Château Coutet 2009

A fruity and fresh Barsac wine

The estate
Château Coutet, established in 1643 on the remains of a 13th‑century English fortress, is a jewel of Barsac, classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé in 1855. Under the direction of the Baly family since 1977, the estate regained its original size in 2023, extending over 42 hectares. This Bordeaux vineyard, with its limestone, clay, and sandy soils, benefits from a cool microclimate conducive to botrytization, producing wines of remarkable freshness and minerality. Château Coutet charms with its lively and incisive style, praised as early as 1787 by Thomas Jefferson, who considered it the best Sauternes of the appellation. Its name, derived from the Gascon word “couteau,” perfectly illustrates this characteristic freshness. Château Coutet takes its name from the Gascon derivative “couteau,” evoking sharpness, liveliness, freshness, and tension, a unique style.

The vineyard
Covering 42 hectares in Barsac, the Château Coutet vineyard rests on clay-limestone soils that give the wines their characteristic minerality. The vines, averaging 50 years of age, benefit from a particular microclimate created by the proximity of the Ciron, promoting the development of Botrytis cinerea, essential to the production of the great sweet wines of Barsac.

Grape varieties

75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc, and 2% Muscadelle.

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château Coutet 2009

Tasting

Appearance
Beautiful robe with a deep golden color.

Nose
The nose reveals a rather impressive aromatic richness combining notes of fine botrytization (citrus fruits, candied exotic fruits, honeyed notes) with more delicate aromas, slightly spicy, subtle, and elegant.

Palate
The complex palate combines lovely volume and pleasing roundness with notes of candied fruits, sloe eau‑de‑vie, mirabelle liqueur, as well as more classic aging notes (melted vanilla, caramel, toffee, along with sweet spices and white pepper). The finish is expressive, powerful, warm, and beautifully long.