Chronicle 171: Château Coutet, a Barsac premier cru classé moves up and introducing Opalie its dry white

Château Coutet, a Barsac premier cru classé moves up and introducing Opalie its dry white Château Coutet, Barsac premier cru classé, 2013 to 2002 vintages Chronicle 171 (August 25, 2014) It was the quality of the 2013 that put me on to it. Some days later, I was talking white wine with Philippe Dhalluin at Mouton Rothschild. After a while, he proudly presented me Coutet’s new dry white to taste, called Opalie that he is experimenting with. I say “proudly”, because I have criticised Aile d’Argent, Mouton Rothschild’s white wine for a long time, because I find it lacks sparkle. The sparkle or brilliance I refer to comes from meticulous attention during winemaking and ageing as well as more naturally, when the ground contains limestone. Unlike Sauternes, where the soils are gravelly, clayey and sandy, Barsac has very limestone-rich soils. So at the beginning of July, we met at Coutet for a serious tasting. Since 1994, the Baly family, which owns Château Coutet, has distributed its wine in exclusive partnership with merchants Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Mouton’s technical teams are also involved in developing vine husbandry and winemaking on the Coutet estate. Since 2009, Philippe Dhalluin himself suggests blending options with the sparkle in his eye of a sweet white and now dry white wine devotee. I hadn’t been to Coutet for many years. The estate has undergone developments that highlight its past glory, when it belonged to the Lur-Saluces family, who also owns d’Yquem. The place is very serene and really makes you want to take your time when you are there. What’s new is that from 2010 onwards, Coutet has made leaps and bounds in terms of the rich subtlety that its wines express. Opalie Bordeaux dry white At Coutet there is limestone in the ground with a thick, 30-centimetre layer of red laterite. What better than limestone to produce a great dry white? The trials began in 2008-2009. The vines are deliberately cultivated to make a dry wine, so these are not just grapes not good enough for sweet white wines. 3,500 bottles per year are produced. The final blend contains 50% Semillon and 50% Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris. 45% of the wine ferments in new barrels. It is then aged for about ten months. As for Aile d’Argent, 3 to 5% of the wine undergoes its malolactic fermentation in wood to increase the finished product’s volume and rich suppleness on the palate. 2012 16.5 92 Pale colour with green tints. Elegant, fruity, floral, delicate nose. Smooth and very floral on the palate, fragrant with a subtle feel, which melts in the mouth and finishes absolutely impossible to spit out. Hushed silence. 2014 – 2025 2011 16 90 Pale yellow colour. Fruity, floral nose. Touch of butter. Hint of wood. Elegant. Soft, smooth, ethereal and refined on the palate. Full of grace and flavour on the finish. It’s very good. 2014 – 2024 Château Coutet, Barsac premier cru classé, 2013 to 2002 vintages In the tasting below, the wine calls for the best possible selection of terms for sweet white wines that are blessed by the miracle of noble rot. Melting and ethereal, despite a pH not far from 3.8 and a residual sugar content varying between 120 and 160 grams per litre, Coutet is a fine example of the delight that results, when botrytis makes sweetness simply heavenly. This wine has a very exclusive touch of class and a term very specific to it: its mouthfeel is described as “cotton-textured”. I thought this sensation came from a high pH around 3.9. In fact this isn’t the case, which makes this ethereal cotton texture even more mysterious. The estate totals 42 hectares (104 acres), 38.5 (95 acres) of which are planted with vines. The soils are gravelly clay with a limestone sub-layer. The grape varieties are 75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon and 2% Muscadelle. The vines are planted at a density of 7,500 plants per hectare. The average age of the vines is 38 years. 80 to 100% of the wine ferments and is aged in new wood for 18 months. The second wine is La Chartreuse de Coutet. Exceptional cuvée: La Cuvée Madame. 2013 16,5 92 Pale colour with green tints. Very fruity on the nose. Melting and ethereal on the palate with an exquisitely delicate feel and a subtle liquorice flavour. Long, sappy finish, so fresh and impossible to spit out. Definitely an elegant wine. pH: 3.7. Residual sugar: 135 g/l. 2016 – 2040 2012 16,75 93 Pale yellow colour. Fruity, subtle compote, fresh and floral on the nose. Melting on the attack, developing to become delicate, especially fruity and ethereal. It grows on the finish and lasts so long with hints of mandarin and mango. A great achievement. pH: 3.7. Residual sugar: 135 g/l. 2015 - 2040 2011 17,5 95 Pale yellow colour. Intense, elegant, pure, subtle and complex on the nose. Richly supple attack, very melting as it develops, full and yet gifted with this cotton-textured feel. This noble wine lasts long and is sappy and full of grace. It’s delicious and very floral considering its 138 g of residual sugar. pH: 3.8 2015 – 2050 2010 18 96 Yellow colour. Intense, elegant and fruity nose with a lovely lemon smell so typical of Barsac. Ethereal, melting, luscious and full on the palate with an exquisitely airy feel. It is juicy and lingers with hints of vanilla. Impossible to spit out. pH: 3.7. Residual sugar: 160 g/l. 2015 - 2050 2009 18 96 The first bottle didn’t enchant as expected. Scored 17.25. (94) The second was heaps better. Pale colour with green tints. Fruity nose with a lovely lime smell and hints of oakmoss, typical of botrytis. Very melting, very ethereal, noble, full and luscious on the palate. Wonderfully flavoursome and fragrant finish. Outstanding. pH: 3.7. Residual sugar: 145 g/l. 2015 - 2050 2008 16,75 93 Pale yellow colour. Fruity nose, fresh and ripe at the same time. Hint of vanilla. Ethereal and melting on the palate with a burst of fruit, floral notes and flavours of liquorice and linden. Long and very enjoyable overall. pH: 3.7. Residual sugar: 135 g/l. Drink now and before 2035. 2007 16 90 Yellow colour. White fruit compote on the nose. Tender, very fruity and flavoursome on the palate, but for the first time, slightly limp despite the good pH. I was expecting more. pH: 3.7. Residual sugar: 140 g/l. Drink now and before 2030. 2006 16 90 Yellow colour. Fruity on the nose with a hint of ethyl acetate (Scotch glue). It caresses the palate and is smooth, fruity and slender, especially on the finish. Slightly lively hint as it lingers. Standard length. pH: 3.5. Residual sugar: 149 g/l. Drink now and before 2035. 2005 17,5 95 Yellow colour. Intense, elegant and subtle nose. Outstanding, dense, ethereal attack, then it develops to become silky, melting and full with hints of flowers and candied fruits; it also has delicacy. pH: 3.2. Residual sugar: 135 g/l. 2015 - 2060 2004 16 90 Golden yellow colour. Fruity nose with slight hint of compote. Soft, very fruity, smooth and flavoursome on the palate with taste and standard length. Pleasant overall. pH: 3.6. Residual sugar: 132 g/l. Drink now and before 2025. 2003 18 96 Sun yellow colour. Intense, fruity, fresh nose with a touch of orange. Richly supple on the attack, very melting in the middle, ethereal and smooth with multilayered tastes of mandarin and vanilla. It finishes long, flavoursome and delicious. pH: 3.5. Residual sugar: 150 g/l. Drink now and before 2045. 2002 15,75 89 Sun yellow colour. Fruity nose with compote. Soft, silky, very fruity and fragrant on the palate. Pretty finish with a touch of caramel. Drink now and before 2025. 1976 16 90 Having just tasted a mediocre Yquem 1976, I expected to be disappointed. Not in the least! Golden colour. Fruity nose, still fresh. It isn’t ethereal on the palate like the best, but it isn’t dry or compact. Fruity, dense, still young, it finishes with flavour and standard length. Successful match with duck confit cannelloni. Drink for at least another 20 years! La Chartreuse de Coutet 2011, second wine 15,5 88 Pale yellow colour. Smoky, fresh and vanilla on the nose, resembling a dry wine. Melting, smooth, fragrant, delicate and very enjoyable on the palate. Priced between €15 and €20. La Cuvée Madame This cuvée is named after Madame Rolland-Guy who owned Coutet from 1922 to 1977, when the estate was acquired by the Baly family. The cuvée is made from the richest and most roasted grapes on the property from the oldest vines. Production 1,200 bottles. Made from only Semillon grapes, the wine is made and aged in new wood for 36 months. According to information from the estate the recent years it was made are: 1943, 1947, 1959, 1971,1975,1981,1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1997 and 2001. Coutet Cuvée Madame 1997 18,5 97 Pale yellow colour. Intense nose, the height of essential aromatic Coutet. Touch of fruit, linden and saffron. Subtle and noble on the palate, multilayered, ethereal and complete, with lots of taste. Deep finish never surrendering the wine’s magic mouthfeel. Superb. Drink before … 2097! Mouton Rothschild, Clerc Milon, d’Armailhac in mourning. I have just learned with great sadness of the passing of Baronne Philippine de Rothschild at the head of these three Pauillac classed growths. She left us during the night of Friday to Saturday 23rd August at the age of 80. I extend my condolences to her family and friends of Mouton Rothschild, Clerc Milon and d'Armailhac, to which she brought unequalled lustre towards the end of her life. The next chronicle will be published on Monday 8 September. Happy reading. Jean-Marc Quarin _______________________________________________________________________ © Copyright 2014. This publication is the original work of Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, Le Taillan-Médoc. France. - E-mail : jmquarin@quarin.com The news media and subscribing wine distributors, importers and retailers may use portions of this material (such as tasting notes, ratings or quotes) provided that it is not distorted, the proper wine and vintage are stated, www.quarin.com is given credit for the material utilized, and Jean-Marc Quarin (JMQ) is shown as the Copyright holder.

2014 Chronicles

Chronicle 171: Château Coutet, a Barsac premier cru classé moves up and introducing Opalie its dry white

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