Château Coutet Sauternes-Barsac 2020 - 1er Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

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 than Climens. In recent vintages, the wine has shown greater smoothness and richness, a response to the competition from its peers. The 2014 vintage will not match the château’s greatest vintages, but the 2015 is expected to dazzle.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

It has a lovely aroma blending pastry, apricot, and mandarin notes. Despite a slightly lower sugar content—a few grams less than in previous years—it retains a lovely sweetness on the palate. But it quickly asserts itself through the invigorating, mineral-rich character of the Barsac terroir, with a lively intensity and pleasant bitter notes of citrus zest on the finish.

About the estate:

This Premier Grand Cru Classé is one of the two leading estates in Barsac, along with Climens. On most of the plots, the famous red soil—a mixture of iron oxide and limestone—gives the wine a bit more liveliness than its close neighbors with equivalent sugar content. Aromas of citrus and acacia bring it closer to Climens, but Coutet generally opens up more quickly and often has slightly less sweetness, with the exception of the famous “crème de tête” known as the “Madame” cuvée. Philippe Baly, from 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

About the wine:

This beautifully fragrant wine is richly textured and full of spice. Its acidity and lightness come through strongly, resulting in a wine that is both rich and light. Best enjoyed starting in 2028.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

Château Coutet 2020 is absolutely magnificent, with a concentrated and powerful style featuring notes of caramelized orange, honeyed flowers, pineapple upside-down cake, toasted aromas, and spices. Rich, full-bodied, and layered, it remains concentrated and pure, with precision and liveliness on the palate that are as sharp as a laser. This tour de force from the Sauternes region will astound you for the next two decades. 2024–2044

Terre de Vins

About the wine:

What a remarkable wine again this year! A journey of discovery where every aspect speaks for itself. A nuanced and elegant nose, with honeyed notes of old-fashioned rose, verbena, and mirabelle plum. The palate opens with fragrant verbena, noble texture, and a silky mouthfeel. A caressing fullness. Slender yet powerfully refined. Monumental in 2020.

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is elegant, refined, precise, and beautifully defined by its terroir, offering a certain straightness, depth (with finesse), and complexity. It features notes of lime, candied lemon, and, more subtly, minerality, combined with a lovely, refined, chiseled, and crisp character, hints of citrus zest and crisp pineapple, as well as delicate hints of white flowers, linden, and subtle notes of nuts. On the palate, it is fruity and balanced, offering freshness, juiciness, a tangy structure, tension, precision, and good definition, with a chiseled, sharp character (elegantly and subtly expressing its terroir). On the palate, this wine reveals notes of lemon, candied lemon, and zest, along with a lighter hint of yuzu, combined with touches of candied mandarin, crisp pineapple, and lemon blossom, as well as hints of linden, white flowers, candied white berries, and subtle hints of spice. Good length.

Tastingbook - Markus Del Monego

About the wine:

Bright golden color. An expressive nose with aromas reminiscent of candied orange peel, fresh passion fruit, ripe peaches, dried apricots, and hints of honey and almonds. Vanilla and hints of gingerbread in the background. On the palate, the opulent sweetness is balanced by elegant acidity and a delicate minerality. The fruit unfolds in multiple layers, featuring passion fruit, mango, and peach jam, with notes of spicy ginger and peppery spices in the background. An excellent Coutet with depth and length.