Chateau Coutet 2016
SKU
COSE201610 UCAU
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Fresh, dense, suave and remarkably balanced
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Extra vibrancy and excitement - fantastic dessert wine
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"With its balanced acidity and opulence, it is going to be a great wine." Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
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1 or more bottles$97.99
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Andrew Caillard97 points
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Wine Enthusiast97* points
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James Suckling95* points
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Wine Spectator95* points
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Neal Martin93* points
Editors notes
A blend of 75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle.
The nose is characterised by dominant citrus aromas, such as orange and grapefruit. It also shows notes of pineapple, peach, vanilla and broom flower with a hint of toasted brioche. The attack is powerful, generous and offers good unctuousness. A beautiful freshness appears on the mid-palate, accompanied by a suave and dense character, making a remarkably balanced wine. Finally, the typical vivacity of the Barsac appellation imposes itself on the finish.
Details
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Wine Type
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Vintage
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Variety
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Brand
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Location
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Cellaring
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Closure
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Alcohol Percentage
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Bottle Size
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Oak Type
Tasting Profile
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Lemon
- Mineral
- White Flowers
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Palate
- Lemon Zest
- Slate
- Stonefruit
Food Pairings
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Asian -
Fish -
Shellfish
Critic Scores & reviews
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Andrew Caillard MW
97"Pale colour. Fragrant honey, lemon glacé aromas with hints of marzipan and herbs. Generously proportioned palate with attractive grapefruit, mandarin, crystalline lemon flavours, fine supple sweet textures and underlying toasty oak. Finishes chalky and sweet with persistent fresh acidity. Pretty classic. Tasted at the Union des Grand Crus."
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Wine Enthusiast
97*"Barrel Sample. This wine is dense, mingling spicy nutmeg along with superb ripe honey and marmalade flavors. With its balanced acidity and opulence, it is going to be a great wine. 95-97 points. Roger Voss"
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James Suckling
95*"Oily and dense with lots of sliced-cooked-pineapple, honey and light spice character. Full body and a long and spicy finish. Lasts a long time on the palate. Barrel Sample: 94-95 Points."
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Wine Spectator
95*"Plump, with a mouthful of tangerine, peach and clementine notes laced with a ginger thread. A twinge of bitter orange adds cut on the finish. 92-95 points."
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Neal Martin
93*"The 2016 Coutet has an intriguing bouquet, more exotic than I have noticed in the past, scents of tangerine and dried pineapple, not quite the mineral drive that I expect from Coutet. The palate is serviced back to normal: a very fine line of acidity, great delineation, taut and focused with a brisk and precise finish. I just hope that the aromatics get their house in order during the barrel maturation so that it matches the palate. At the moment, I will be prudent with my score. 91-93 points. Drink Date: 2021 - 2045"
Other vintages
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Locations
France
Wine is being produced throughout France and has been done for over 2,500 years with certain Châteaux dating their history back to Roman times, around 6th Century BC. Ranking second in the world in per-capita consumption and first in total production quantity. More so than the overall quantity of wine is the quantity of truly great wines coming out of France makes the nation the envy of wine-making nations worldwide.
Two concepts pivotal to the higher end French wines, in particular, are the idea of 'terroir' and the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system. Terroir refers to the way the geography, geology and climate find their way into the glass, telling a story of the origin of the wine. The AOC was set up in 1935 and has the primary goal of protecting the authenticity of the wines and the livelihoods of the producers. Appellation rules strictly define which varieties of grapes and winemaking practices are approved for classification in each of France's several hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover entire regions, individual villages or in some cases, like in Burgundy even specific vineyards.
Classic wine regions in France include Champagne (home of Champagne), Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot), Alsace (Aromatic varietals), Loire Valley (Chenin Blanc, Crémant) and the Rhône Valley (Syrah, Grenache Mourvedre)
The Bordeaux classification of 1855 is still in use, as is the Sauternes and Barsac Classification of the same year. Wines from certain regions can be bought En Primeur, which is when the wine is sold prior to it being bottled.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux has a rich history of winemaking, dating back to the Roman times. Today, it is known as one of the most significant wine regions in the world, with a reputation for producing complex, full-bodied red wines. The region is home to a diverse range of terroirs, each with its own unique microclimate, soil composition, and grape varieties.
The left bank of Bordeaux is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, which thrives in the region's gravelly soils. These wines tend to be bold, tannic, and complex, with notes of blackcurrant, cedar, and tobacco. On the right bank, Merlot is king, producing wines that are softer and fruitier, with notes of plum, cherry, and chocolate.
Aside from the red blends, Bordeaux is also renowned for its sweet wines, particularly from the Sauternes and Barsac appellations. These wines are made using a unique process that involves botrytis, or "noble rot," which concentrates the sugars in the grapes, resulting in a lusciously sweet and complex wine.
Bordeaux's classification system has evolved over time, with some estates moving up or down the ranks depending on the quality of their wines. Today, the system includes five growths, with Premier Cru being the highest and Deuxièmes Crus being the second-highest. There is also a separate classification for the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac, with Chateau d’Yquem holding the highest rank.
Overall, Bordeaux is a region that continues to captivate wine enthusiasts around the world with its rich history, diverse terroirs, and exceptional wines.
Barsac
Barsac is one of the top appellations in Bordeaux, France, for producing rich, opulent sweet wines. The appellation sits on the left bank of the Garonne River, near where that river meets the Ciron River. The cold waters of the Ciron merging with the warmer flows of the Garonne creates the perfect early-morning misty conditions for cultivating Botrytis cinerea (‘noble rot’) – a beneficial fungus that attacks grapes and concentrates their sugars. Typically warm, sunshiny afternoons then enable the grapes to dry, ensuring that noble rot does not turn into grey rot – an undesirable outcome. Grapes with noble rot can produce wines of greater concentration, acidity, and complexity. Barsac wines are generally made from botrytised Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes. These decadent wines feature aromas and flavours of tropical fruits, stone fruit, honey, and almonds.
About the brand Chateau Coutet
The best Sauternes from Barsac, as rated by US President Thomas Jefferson in 1787, Chateau Coutet has a long-standing record of excellence. The winery's exceptional terroir benefits from old vines with exceptionally deep roots that concentrate the flavours of the fruit. The signature misty microclimate and noble rot of the Sauternes region thrives at Chateau Coutet.
Chateau Coutet has a rich architectural and regional history. The winery itself is an English fortress built in the 13th Century, and has been a winemaking estate in 1643. Rated as 1er Cru since 1855, this is the oldest and largest estate in the Barsac region.
Typically, a Chateau Coutet wine offers generous notes of honey, flowers, citrus and vanilla, with warm notes of spice, nuts and candied fruits developing over time.
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