the wine cellar insider schreibt:

 

Chateau Coutet History, Overview

 

The origin of Chateau Coutet, which takes its name from the Gascon word for knife, dates all the way back to the 13th century when the estate was originally built to be used as a fort. You can clearly see that in the estates design today.

 

Chateau Coutet became a full time Sauternes wine producing estate in 1643. At one time the estate was even owned by the Lur-Saluces family, who are better known for also owning Chateau d’Yquem. The vineyard was sold to the Rolland family in 1925.

 

While there is clearly a lot of history at Chateau Coutet, the modern era began when Chateau Coutet was purchased by the Baly family in 1977 from the Rolland family.

 

Aline Baly, the manager of the estate joined her family at Chateau Coutet in 2005. The first vintage for Aline Baly, where she worked full time,from start to finish on a vintage was the 2009.

 

The 110 meter cellars of Chateau Coutet are the longest in the entire appellation. It’s one of the most interesting cellars to visit in the Sauternes appellation. Before it underwent it’s renovation and was turned into a wine cellar, the buildings were used by the owners of Chateau d’Yquem as a horse stable.

 

The popularity of the wines from Chateau Coutet dates back hundreds of years. In fact, our third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson called their wines the best that could be found in entire appellation of Barsac!

 

 

 

Chateau Coutet Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

 

Chateau Coutet is planted to 75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle. At 38.5 hectares of vines, Chateau Coutet is the largest vineyard in Barsac. The vineyard has a terroir of sand, red clay and limestone with gravel soils. With vines averaging 35 years of age.

 

To produce the wine of Chateau Coutet, after the grapes are pressed using a vertical press. The wine is vinified in French oak barrels.

 

Depending on the vintage, the wine is then aged in up to 100% new, French oak barrels for about 18 months before bottling. This shows an increase in the amount of new oak used for both the aging and vinification.

 

Since 1922 the estate has also produced on an infrequent basis, a special, high end wine. But the first vintage for Cuvee Madame de Chateau Coutet was produced in 1943.

 

Coutet Cuvee Madame is produced with 100% Semillon using their two oldest parcels of vines. From there they make a selection of the estates best grapes that are deemed to be the ripest and most heavily attacked with botrytis.

 

The wine is among the latest releases in Sauternes and Barsac as it’s typically held until it is ready for mature drinking.

 

As of 2016, only 14 vintages of the wine have ever been produced. Not much Cuvee Madame is made as the production is limited to only 100 to 125 cases, making the wine quite hard to find, and expensive. In 2003, the chateau updated the label design for Coutet Cuvee Madame.

 

They also make a second wine, La Chartreuse de Coutet and a dry white Bordeaux called Vin Sec de Chateau Coutet as well as Opalie de Chateau Coutet. On average, Chateau Coutet produces close to 3,500 cases of wine per year.