Type：Sweet Wine
Grape Varieties：75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle
Region：Barsac，France
ABV：13.5%
Winery
Chateau Coutet is located in the Barsac appellation in the Graves region of Bordeaux, France. It was named a First Growth in the 1855 Sauternes and Barsac official classification.
Chateau Coutet, formerly a fortress built in the 13th century, is one of the oldest wineries in the Sauternes region. Its history as a winemaking estate began in 1643, when Charles Le Guerin became owner. Under his stewardship, the vineyard became one of the first vineyards in the Sauternes appellation. After Guerin, the estate passed to his descendants until 1788. During this period, the winery's wines were hailed as the finest Sauternes wines in the Barsac appellation by Thomas Jefferson, later the third president of the United States. On the eve of the French Revolution, Chateau Coutet was acquired by Gabriel-Barthelemy Romain de Filhot. Later, Romain-Bertrand de Lur-Saluces of Filhot inherited the estate. At the time, it was the world's largest producer of sweet white wine, owning renowned properties such as Chateau d'Yquem and Chateau Filhot. In the 1920s, Chateau Coutet was purchased by Henry-Louis Guy of Lyon.
In 1977, the Baly family became the new owners and has managed the estate ever since. The Baly family has carried out extensive improvements and upgrades to the Chateau Coutet estate and vineyards. In 1994, the Baly family also signed a partnership agreement with Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA. Since then, the Chateau Coutet winemaking team has frequently exchanged and learned from the winemaking team of Chateau Mouton Rothschild.
Chateau Coutet is best known for its grand vin (Chateau Coutet, Barsac, France). The 2014 vintage of Chateau Coutet's Grand Vin was ranked third on Wine Spectator's 2017 list of the Top 100 Wines. The winery also produces a second wine, La Chartreuse de Coutet, Sauternes. Furthermore, the 2009 Chateau Coutet Cuvee Madame received a 100-point rating from the Robert Parker Team.
Chateau Coutet's vineyards cover 38.5 hectares and are planted with Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle. The average vine age is 35 years. The vineyards are located within the renowned "Golden Triangle," bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Garonne to the east, and the Ciron and Landes Forests to the south. In late summer, the ocean and rivers bring constant fog to the vineyards, creating an environment conducive to the growth of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). Noble rot eats away at the grape skins during morning mist, allowing the water in the grapes to evaporate in the afternoon. This concentrates the grapes' sugars, acids, and flavors, adding a unique flavor. The vineyard's primary soils are clay and limestone, which retain water well and maintain relatively low temperatures. Therefore, grapes grown on these soils ripen longer, resulting in rich, full-bodied wines.
Winemaking
Château Coutet typically hand-harvests grapes over a 30-40-day period between September and November, meticulously selecting only grapes of the highest quality. After selection, the grapes are pressed and then fermented in oak barrels. The winery uses 70% to 100% new oak barrels for approximately 18 months of maturation. During the blending process, the winemaker undergoes numerous trials and adjustments to determine the optimal blend ratio.
