Château Coutet - Barsac

The history of Château Coutet

Château Coutet was originally a fortress in the 13th century. Its medieval roots can still be seen today, with its crenellated square tower typical of military constructions of the period. A fortified house was added in the 14th century, followed by two towers and a chapel in the 18th century.

The Château Coutet wine estate was created in 1643 by Charles Le Guérin, known as Seigneur de Coutet, who made it one of the first vineyards in the Sauternes appellation. The estate remained in the family until 1788. The wine of Château Coutet was then mentioned as "the best Sauternes in Barsac" by the American ambassador and future third president of the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson.

On the eve of the French Revolution, Château Coutet was bought by Gabriel-Barthélemy Romain de Filhot. His grandson, the Marquis Romain-Bertrand de Lur-Saluces, then inherited the estate and went on to become the world's leading producer of sweet white wine, thanks to his other estates: Châteaux d'Yquem, de Fargues, Filhot and de Malle.

In 1926, Château Coutet was bought by the Guy family, then in 1977 by the Baly family, who still own it today.

The Château Coutet vineyard

The Château Coutet vineyard extends over 38 hectares, in the famous Triangle d'Or formed by the Garonne river to the west, the Ciron river to the east and the Landes forest to the south. It benefits from a microclimate with an oceanic influence, where summer mists stagnate and allow the alchemy of Botrytis Cinerea to develop and infiltrate the heart of the berries. In the afternoon, as the warmth sets in, the sugars concentrate and the aromas are transformed.

The terroir is clay-limestone, which provides excellent water retention, as well as soil cooling that slows down grape ripening.

The grape varieties at Château Coutet are 75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle. The average age of the vines is 40 years, and annual production is estimated at 42,000 bottles.

The wines of Château Coutet

Château Coutet offers four white wines.
- Château Coutet - Premier Grand Cru Classé in 1855 in Barsac
- La Chartreuse de Coutet, its second wine
- Cuvée Madame
- Cuvée Opalie, dry white wine

Château Coutet - Premier Grand Cru Classé - white

Château Coutet's first wine has a dense golden color. Its nose immediately announces its great finesse, harmoniously blending notes of vanilla, subtle candied orange zest, a hint of apricot liqueur, with background notes of honey and gingerbread.

The attack on the palate is fleshy and unctuous. Surfing on a perfect balance, it expresses the wine's freshness, with the quality of an early and homogeneous botrytization. The finish is long, with candied citrus aromas. Tasting always reveals exquisite minerality, long and fine, never overpowering.