Château Coutet
Encyclopedia
Château Coutet is a Premier Cru Classé (French: First Growth) sweet wine
from the Sauternes-Barsac appellation located in Barsac
, in the southern part of France’s
Bordeaux
vineyards. Château Coutet is one of the oldest Sauternes
producing vineyards, and is described by David Peppercorn
as a "twin" of Barsac's other Premier cru estate, Château Climens
.
Coutet also produces a second wine
, Chartreuse de Coutet, a dry white wine named Vin Sec de Chateau Coutet and a cuvée in vintages of exceptional quality, Cuvée Madame.
noted Coutet as the best Sauternes originating from Barsac.
Coutet was later acquired by Gabriel-Barthelemy-Romain de Filhot, president of the Bordeaux parliament and a cousin of the former owner. As a consequence of the French Revolution
, Château Coutet was seized by the state in 1794 and de Filhot was beheaded. Château Coutet was inherited later on by Marquis Romain Bertrand de Lur Saluces, son of Marie-Geneviève de Filhot and Antoine-Marie de Lur Saluces. De Lur Saluces was also at the time owner of Château d'Yquem
, Château Filhot
and Château de Malle
and thus the largest producer of sweet white wines in the world.
Château Coutet remained under the care of the de Lur Saluces family until 1923. At this point Henry-Louis Guy, a hydraulic wine press manufacturer from Lyon, purchased Château Coutet. This transaction separated the estate from Château d'Yquem. Guy equipped the winery with his vertical presses, still used today at each harvest. In 1977, the Baly family purchased the property remaining present day owners. In 1994, Coutet signed an agreement with Philippine de Rothschild
giving exclusive distribution rights to Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A.
The architecture of the oldest part of the château is identical to that of Château d'Yquem, and the well in the courtyard an exact duplicate.
Coutet is also home to the longest Sauternes winery with a 110 meters long cellar that houses more than 860 barrels.
and Ciron
rivers, Château Coutet benefits from a microclimate whose autumn mists necessary for the spread of the Botrytis cinerea
. The vineyard area extends 38 hectares with grape varieties of 75% Sémillon
, 23% Sauvignon blanc
and 2% Muscadelle
.
On average 4,500 cases are produced each year of the Grand vin Château Coutet. Additionally there is produced the second wine Chartreuse de Coutet from the estate's younger vines, and a dry white wine named Vin Sec de Château Coutet. In infrequent vintages of exceptional quality, a precise berry-by-berry selection wine is produced named Cuvée Madame. First created by Edmond Rolland in honour of his wife in 1922, it typically has a production of 700 cases.
Dessert wine
Dessert wines are sweet wines typically served with dessert.There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal, as opposed to the white fortified wines drunk before the meal, and the red fortified wines drunk after it...
from the Sauternes-Barsac appellation located in Barsac
Barsac, Gironde
Barsac is a commune on the left bank of the Garonne river in the Gironde department in southwestern France.-Population:-Wine:The town gives its name to a wine making appellation, Barsac AOC, that produces sweet white wines....
, in the southern part of France’s
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
vineyards. Château Coutet is one of the oldest Sauternes
Sauternes (wine)
Sauternes is a French sweet wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot. This causes the grapes to become partially raisined,...
producing vineyards, and is described by David Peppercorn
David Peppercorn
David Peppercorn is a British Master of Wine, French wine importer and author, known for his books about the wines of Bordeaux and long experience in his field, having collected tasting notes since the late 1950s. He is married to fellow MW and wine writer Serena Sutcliffe. They were the first...
as a "twin" of Barsac's other Premier cru estate, Château Climens
Château Climens
Château Climens is a Premier Cru Classé Sauternes wine producer from the Barsac appellation. The estate is located in the southern part of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the district of :Graves, an eighth of a mile away from Barsac's other most historically rated vineyard, Château Coutet.It is a...
.
Coutet also produces a second wine
Second wine
Second wine is a term commonly associated with Bordeaux wine to refer to a second label wine made from cuvee not selected for use in the Grand vin or first label...
, Chartreuse de Coutet, a dry white wine named Vin Sec de Chateau Coutet and a cuvée in vintages of exceptional quality, Cuvée Madame.
History
The estate was acquired in 1643 by Charles le Guerin, Lord of Coutet, a counselor at the Bordeaux parliament. In 1695 he passed the estate on to his nephew, Jean le Pichard, whose descendants owned Coutet until 1788. It was at this time that the former US president Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
noted Coutet as the best Sauternes originating from Barsac.
Coutet was later acquired by Gabriel-Barthelemy-Romain de Filhot, president of the Bordeaux parliament and a cousin of the former owner. As a consequence of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, Château Coutet was seized by the state in 1794 and de Filhot was beheaded. Château Coutet was inherited later on by Marquis Romain Bertrand de Lur Saluces, son of Marie-Geneviève de Filhot and Antoine-Marie de Lur Saluces. De Lur Saluces was also at the time owner of Château d'Yquem
Château d'Yquem
Château d'Yquem is a Premier Cru Supérieur wine from the Sauternes, Gironde region in the southern part of the Bordeaux vineyards known as Graves. In the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, Château d'Yquem was the only Sauternes given this rating, indicating its perceived superiority...
, Château Filhot
Château Filhot
Château Filhot, archaically named Maison Noble de Verdoulet, is a winery rated Deuxième cru classé in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, from the Sauternes appellation in Gironde...
and Château de Malle
Château de Malle
Château de Malle is a sweet white wine ranked as Second Cru Classé in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. Belonging to the Sauternes appellation in Gironde, in the region of Graves, the winery is located in the commune of Sauternes...
and thus the largest producer of sweet white wines in the world.
Château Coutet remained under the care of the de Lur Saluces family until 1923. At this point Henry-Louis Guy, a hydraulic wine press manufacturer from Lyon, purchased Château Coutet. This transaction separated the estate from Château d'Yquem. Guy equipped the winery with his vertical presses, still used today at each harvest. In 1977, the Baly family purchased the property remaining present day owners. In 1994, Coutet signed an agreement with Philippine de Rothschild
Philippine de Rothschild
Baroness Philippine Mathilde Camille de Rothschild is the owner of the French winery Château Mouton Rothschild. She also has acted under the stage name Philippine Pascale....
giving exclusive distribution rights to Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A.
Architecture
Standing over the main courtyard, the château’s square tower is believed to originate from the late 13th century with a design typical to the military constructions from the time of Aquitaine’s English occupation. A second tower, located in the property’s northern plot, is another example of the era’s architecture. This landmark was built originally to breed pigeons and peacocks for region’s Gascon lords. Further elements from other centuries define the property’s architecture, including a 14th century chapel and two 16th century towers.The architecture of the oldest part of the château is identical to that of Château d'Yquem, and the well in the courtyard an exact duplicate.
Coutet is also home to the longest Sauternes winery with a 110 meters long cellar that houses more than 860 barrels.
Production
Located between the GaronneGaronne
The Garonne is a river in southwest France and northern Spain, with a length of .-Source:The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the Uelh deth Garona at Plan de Beret , the Ratera-Saboredo...
and Ciron
Ciron
The Ciron is a left tributary of the Garonne, in Gironde, Southwest France.- Geography:The Ciron rises in the eastern end of the Moors of Gascony, in Landes...
rivers, Château Coutet benefits from a microclimate whose autumn mists necessary for the spread of the Botrytis cinerea
Botrytis cinerea
Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungus that affects many plant species, although its most notable hosts may be wine grapes. In viticulture, it is commonly known as botrytis bunch rot; in horticulture, it is usually called grey mould or gray mold.The fungus gives rise to two different kinds of...
. The vineyard area extends 38 hectares with grape varieties of 75% Sémillon
Sémillon
Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, most notably in France and Australia.-History:The origin of the Sémillon grape is hard to determine. It is known that it first arrived in Australia in the early 19th century and by the 1820s the grape covered over 90 percent...
, 23% Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
and 2% Muscadelle
Muscadelle
Muscadelle is a white wine grape variety. It has a simple aroma of grape juice and raisins like grapes of the Muscat family of grapes, but it is unrelated....
.
On average 4,500 cases are produced each year of the Grand vin Château Coutet. Additionally there is produced the second wine Chartreuse de Coutet from the estate's younger vines, and a dry white wine named Vin Sec de Château Coutet. In infrequent vintages of exceptional quality, a precise berry-by-berry selection wine is produced named Cuvée Madame. First created by Edmond Rolland in honour of his wife in 1922, it typically has a production of 700 cases.