Château Coutet 2008 - Sauternes-Barsac Premier Cru Classé
92/100
Robert Parker
17,5/20
Bettane & Desseauve
17/20
Gault & Millau
16,5/20
RVF
90/100
Wine Enthusiast
Château Coutet 2008 is the epitome of the estate: a wine full of character with a perfect balance between smoothness and liveliness. Full-bodied, light, and pure, its flavors evolve as you taste it, shifting from candied fruit to citrus, roasted notes, and exotic fruits. The finish offers a hint of saltiness supported by minerality. Juicy and crisp, this 2008 is ready to be enjoyed by those who can’t wait! In the cellar, it will continue to evolve, much to the delight of wine lovers.
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Eye
A coppery gold color with golden highlights
Nose
Opens with notes of very ripe tropical fruits (mango, pineapple...) and citrus zest, blended with hints of vanilla
Palate
Round and smooth, it combines a pleasant “salty” minerality that brings freshness to the presence of very ripe fruit, a varied palette of exotic fruits, candied mirabelle plums, and quince paste, expressing the "roasted" character of lovely botrytis, while the mid-palate returns to the liveliness of citrus and the aromatic persistence of ripe pineapple...
Serve
At 11-12°C
Open
30 minutes before
Drink before
2038
Food and wine pairings
Enjoy it with foie gras, lamb curry, blue-veined cheeses (Bleu, Roquefort, etc.), or fruit, cream, or caramel desserts
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated (2011 guide) 17,5/20 (Reference wine)
Rated estate (2019 guide): 4 stars (Producers of the very highest quality, the pride of French viticulture)
About the wine:
Plenty of richness and smoothness, with a long finish; fortunately (given these Barsac terroirs), 2008 is a superb vintage.
About the estate:
Coutet (pronounced “Coutette,” in the Gascon style) is destined to be the eternal rival of Climens in Barsac—which is by no means a miserable fate. Its soils are slightly different, and while the citrus notes derived from the limestone bedrock are present, Coutet produces wines that are a bit more lively and mineral-driven than Climens. In recent vintages, the wine has shown greater richness and sweetness, driven by the need to keep pace with its peers. 2014 will not match the château’s greatest vintages, but 2015 should dazzle.
Guide des Vins Gault & Millau
Wine rated (2011 guide) 17/20 (Outstanding)
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Wine rated (2011 guide) 92/100 (Outstanding wine)
About the wine:
Tasted blind alongside its peers. It displays a very floral bouquet, bursting with white peach and grapefruit. It is lively and very pure. The palate is harmonious, with more sweetness than in previous vintages. It lacks viscosity in texture, suggesting high acidity to balance out all that sweetness (a hallmark of Coutet). The finish features notes of ginger and dried orange peel that linger nicely, and the overall impression is that it will take a few years to fully develop.
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2011 guide) 16,5/20 (Very good wine)
Rated estate (2019 guide) 3*Stars (These represent the pinnacle of French winemaking. The finest terroirs cultivated by the greatest winemakers. Tasting their wine is always a magical experience)
About the wine:
A rare wine with a yield of just 5.5 hl/ha! The result is a Barsac with a delicate, airy style, featuring very subtle fruit notes and a more floral character than is typical in vintages with higher sugar content.
About the estate:
This Premier Grand Cru Classé is one of the two leading estates in Barsac, alongside Climens. On most of its plots, the famous red soil—a mixture of iron oxide and limestone—gives the wine an extra edge of liveliness compared to its immediate neighbors with equivalent sugar content. Aromas of citrus and acacia bring it closer to Climens, but Coutet generally expresses itself more quickly and often has slightly less sweetness, with the exception of the famous cream of the crop known as the Madame cuvée. Philippe Baly of Alsace and his brother Dominique, along with his daughter Aline, have managed the estate with great care since their father purchased it in 1977. We have been following this consistently excellent estate for many years.
Wine Enthusiast
Wine rated (2009 guide) 90/100
Customer rating
4.3/5
based on 84 reviews
Review by Mr. ROLAND O. Published on July 20, 2020
Another one with a distinct oak flavor, but very pleasant
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Review by Mr. MAURICE A. Posted on March 24, 2020
Pure pleasure! A delightful appetizer
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Review by Mr. PHILIPPE D. Posted on 02/03/2020
A lovely golden color. A magnificent nose of wax, honey, apricot, spices, mango, pineapple... A fruit salad that comes through on the palate! Good length, though it perhaps lacks a bit of acidity on the finish.
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Review by Mr. JEAN-MARC D. Posted on January 15, 2020
A sumptuous nose; a rich wine that needs to breathe to regain some structure and reveal its minerality. Beautiful length on the palate. Great elegance and plenty of potential.
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Review by Mr. FRANCOIS G. Posted on January 13, 2020
It's good, but a little too sweet and syrupy. It lacks finesse.
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Review by Mr. PATRICK D. Posted on 12/25/2019
Simply magnificent.
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Review by Mr. DOMINIQUE M. Posted on 10/25/2019
A truly great wine!
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Review by Mr. XAVIER D. Posted on May 30, 2019
A beautiful blend of finesse and complexity
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Review by Mr. CHRISTIAN V. Posted on 02/05/2019
A delight both in aroma and taste. A marvel,
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Review by Mr. ALPHONSE N. Published on January 6, 2019
Excellent, with a long finish...
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