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#16 Wine Spectator Top 100 (2016 edition - 2013 vintage)

97-Points by Wine Spectator.

White peach, pineapple, white ginger, orange zest and green fig notes are clear and racy, while green almond, brioche, pear and yellow apple details wait in reserve. Offers stunning range and polish, showing terrific energy and cut on the finish. This just makes you feel special when you drink it. An estate that has been rising steadily for a while now. Best from 2016 through 2035. *Highly Recommended* (JM) 

 

  • Château Coutet is a Premier Cru Sauternes producer located in the Barsac region of Bordeaux. It is one of the oldest producers in Sauternes, and has the longest cellar in the region, at 110 meters. Coutet is the Gascon word for "knife", signifying the dessert wine's crisp and ripping acidity.
  • The château is an English fortress that was built in the 13th Century. In 1643, it was acquired by Charles le Guerin, a counselor in the Bordeaux parliament, who then passed it on to his nephew Jean le Pichard in 1695.
  • In 1787, Thomas Jefferson claimed Château Coutet as the best Sauternes from Barsac. Coutet was then acquired by Gabriel-Barthelemy-Romain de Filhot.
  • During the French Revolution the château was seized by the state, and Filhot was beheaded. Coutet went through numerous owners over the years before it was finally purchased by the Baly family in 1977.
  • Château Coutet is primarily made up of Semillon, with smaller amounts of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. The grapes are grown on clay and limestone soils, giving a distinct minerality to the sweet, botrytized wine.
  • The wine is then aged 18 months in French oak barrels that are 70-100 percent new. 
  • Characterized by dried tropical fruit, candied apricot, citrus and honey, the sweet wines of Barsac are always balanced by a bright beam of acidity. While technically also part of the Sauternes region, Barsac’s sandy and limestone soils produce a lighter version in comparison. Its main grapes are the same: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle.

 

 

Château Coutet, Sauternes - Barsac, Bordeaux, France 2011, 2oz Glass

SKU: BTG
$30.00Price
  • Style

    Dessert
  • Vintage

    2011