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Wine Description
The Story
The Château Coutet vines' deep roots extract elements from its terroir to give the grapes freshness, richness and strength. For this reason the estate carries the name "Coutet,” derived from the Gascon's word for knife, to signify the fresh, lively and crisp palate that is the wine's signature style. In its youth, the wines display generous notes of white flowers, citrus fruits, honey and vanilla. Ginger and pineapple are very typical aromas in a young Château Coutet. Time brings out deeper, warmer notes in which spices combine with exotic nectars and candied fruits, such as gingerbread mingled with marmalade. Age also enhances the harmony of its roasted Botrytis character and its distinct aromas to give Château Coutet a delicate and unique bouquet that is unsurpassed.
Area under vines: 38.5 hectares (95 acres)
Planted grape varieties: 75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle
Soil: Clay with a limestone sub-soil
Average age of the vines: 38 years
Planting density: 7,500 plants per hectare (3,000 plants per acre)
Vineyard management: "Taille à Cot" (traditional Sauternes pruning) and rational cultivation
Harvest: By hands (successive passes, called tries)
Average yield: 9 hl/ha (0.9 ton per acre)
Ageing: 18 months in French oak barrels, 70 to 100% new
Wine Information
Château Coutet 1962
Blooming was delayed with a cold April, but without any frost. A very hot June helped the vegetation catch-up. July was mixed with sun and rain, while August was dry and hot. A few strong rains occurred in September however beautiful weather was experienced during the totality of the harvest (October 1st to November 4th). The wine displays a yellow color with amber hues. Its nose is still young and fruity. The palate experiences an elegant, well-balanced, and harmonious wine.
A historical testament
In 1787, former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, then ambassador to France, celebrated Château Coutet (pronounced Cootay or COU-tett) as the best Sauternes from Barsac. In 1855, the estate was classified as a First Growth and recognized for its continued excellence. Today, as the oldest and largest Barsac estate, Château Coutet stays true to its tradition of distinction and quality. The finest Barsac-Sauternes is produced annually under the direction and management of the Baly family as well as the technical and commercial collaboration of the Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A. company, the vineyard's exclusive distributor.
An English fortress built in the 13th Century, this citadel with its square tower, a design typical of the era’s military constructions, became a wine producing estate in 1643. Previously owned by the Lur-Saluces family, the property was home to Chateau d’Yquem’s horse stables, transformed in the late 19th Century into a 110-meter long cellar (the longest in the appellation). A second round tower in the property’s northern plot, a Château Coutet landmark, was built originally to breed pigeons and peacocks for the region’s Gascon lords. Vertical wine presses from the 1920s, a 14th Century chapel and a Bordeaux cobblestone courtyard are a testament to the estate’s rich architectural and regional history.
The vineyard
AOC Barsac - First Growth in 1855
Surface area: 38.5 ha (95 acres)
Soil: Clay with a limestone sub-soil
Grape varieties: 75% of Sémillon, 23% of Sauvignon Blanc and 2% of Muscadelle
Average age of vines: 38 years
Plantation density: 7,500 vines/ha (3,000 vines/acre)
Vineyard management: "Taille à cot" (traditional Sauternes pruning) and rational cultivation
Harvest: Manual by tries (successive passes)