Chateau Coutet Premier Cru Classe, Barsac

Appearance Amber color from core to rim Aroma Clear saffron tone, tangible and intense. Raisins, apricot, marzipan, orange blossom. Nose High viscosity, high acidity. Concentrated fruit. Saffron, orange, marzipan. Hint of star anise Vanilla in the background. Conclusion The wine needs no air and is open from the start.

2006 vintage

Rich golden color; dried apricot, caramelized peach pie crust, pineapple upside down cake, lots of botrytis notes, super rich, very sweet, and still has good lift in the finish. Still young, on the upswing. Excellent with pecan pie at Thanksgiving at B&T.

2006 vintage

Clear mid gold. Lacks a little botrytis on nose. V set with great depth and length, just lacks a twist on the finish

1996 vintage

Cork crumbled but wine not affected. Sweet for Coutet and a touch cloying. Botrytis on the finish but would like a little more lift. Very good but not excellent

1996 vintage

At Thanksgiving, tried opening with a regular wine key. fell apart and not an ah-so in sight. After lots of finagling, we made it work. It is delicious. Nose is pretty oxidized, a bit spicy. I am struggling to find the faintest hint of fruit. Palate is tropical fruit with a noticeable pineapple, pear, caramel apple and a slight bit of ginger. Palate does not show oxidation like the nose does. Drink this soon, its friggin' delicious and I am …

2006 vintage

Brought this to Tunglok Peking Duck (Novena) for a wine dinner. Theme of the evening: Bordeaux wines from 2005. Deep gold in colour. Fragrant honey, beewax, dried, sweet preserved fruits, and fruit tart on the nose and palate. Viscous, with a luxurious sensation on the palate. Long, thick finish. Golden sunshine in a bottle.

1996 vintage

Amazing. apricots, honey, caramel mou, bourbon vanilla, chocolate-covered orange, eldberry blossoms, quit-gelee. In the palate, more of this. Simply incredible.

1876 vintage

Sweet sauternes - brulee'd and acidic. At Le Gentilhomme.

2006 vintage

Marmalade, ginger, honey, dried apricot, toast. Very mellow

2006 vintage

Cork broke on opening, surprisingly. Rescued with a Durand. Light golden color, as expected for its age; aromatic, floral, white flowers, citrus zest, slight apricot; palate is medium bodied, medium-plus alcohol (14%), zippy medium-plus acidity throughout, certainly has sweetness throughout but balanced so it seems lighter and more elegant than typical for sauternes, early honeyed notes; finish is medium-plus length, clean, with slight grapefruit/citrus pith on the finish. Really lovely for an "off" year, now out of its awkward teenager …

2006 vintage

Drank this at Kai Garden for a wine dinner with my wine mates. Theme of the evening: A wine to end the year with. Deep gold in colour, almost amber like. Notes of raw honey, bee wax, dried peaches, fresh apricot and sliced mango. Savouring this wine is like enjoying golden sunshine in a bottle.

1996 vintage

An outstanding Sauternes! Wonderfully complex due to its age, with refreshingly high acidity. A marked difference from the 2018 Coutet I opened in October (I know - way too early). NOTES Medium golden-amber. Powerful bouquet of raisins, dried apricot, honey, marmalade, chamomile, rum, almonds. High acidity, full-bodied. Strong flavour intensity. Flavour characteristics consistent with bouquet. Long finish.

2006 vintage

A third bottle, and different enough from the earlier two (10/10/23 and 10/11/23) to justify an additional tasting note. Vanilla, delicate peach, a touch of nutty salted caramel, followed by a lovely long aftertaste. A gentle wine, and really very nice. [Tasted over an hour from the Jancis Robinson glass.]

2006 vintage

As promised, after last night's bottle, where a horrifically dry and crumbly cork made me suspect that I might not be getting a fair sense of the wine, I opened a new bottle tonight. This time, the cork, while far from perfect, was at least in decent condition for a bottle of this age--much better than last night. And the difference in the cork showed in the wine. The profile was roughly similar: a gentle wine, very quiet, not a …

2006 vintage

This bottle had a cork that was shockingly dry and fragile for a wine less than two decades old. Once past the cork, the wine was gentle, with white peaches, orange peel, and pine trees, as well as hints of flowers and honey. Very long aftertaste. Until I taste another bottle, though, one with (I hope) a better cork, I won't be sure that the cork didn't affect the wine. Will try to open another of these soon.

2006 vintage

50cl chilled down bottle. Absolutely gorgeous wine now. It has matured wonderfully. Delicious mature citrus fruits with refreshing acidity. I think I probably last tried a bottle 7-8 years ago and it wasn’t anywhere near as good.

1996 vintage

Classy, classic! From a 375, served against a carrot cake loaded up with pineapple. I was happy with the match. Nice weight to the wine, still showing some backbone and freshness. Medium golden color, tropical fruit and dried apricot notes. Great QPR. Enjoyable now and felt like would have a long drinking window.

1996 vintage

Bordeaux at Hawksmoor : Rubber, saffron on the nose. Deep and zesty. Balance is a bit off: very sweet, rich and palate-coating without the requisite acidity to provide freshness. Not quite cloying but not far off. Burnt sugar finish is quite satisfying.

2006 vintage

Monday Night Bordeaux (Hawksmoor, Guildhall) : Baked apple strudel to my palate, and still pretty fresh despite the underlying sweetness and rich flavours. Wish I had had food with it, but it also worked in its own right.

2006 vintage

Monday night Bordeaux (Hawksmoor Guildhall) : Intense mango, with barley sugar and vanilla pod, and hints of marmalade weaving in and out. A lush wine, but still in balance. Really hit the spot.

2006 vintage

Intriguing nose of chestnut, sweet peach and truffle. It is just drying out a tad in the mouth, but there are still echoes of sweet fruits. There's a gentle meatiness to the wine and a finish that is fresh and very long.

1895 vintage

I drink very little sweet wine, but bought this out of curiosity and the price seemed good back in 2009. WOW! I wish I had bought more at $26/750ml. I didn't even record the source.

2006 vintage

Lovely, round, supple. Classic barley sugar on the palate.

2002 vintage

Opened to pair with a clementine cake that does well with dessert wines. Classic profile here, bit of dried apricot, bit of honey, rich in the glass. Was an even better match an evening later with some blue cheese as the Coutet brings power and focus that needed a more aggressive sparring partner. I had hesitated to open this, thinking more age would do it well, but really it's a good drink now and will continue to evolve. For those …

2006 vintage

Deep amber in colour. Marzipan and marmalade on the nose. Unctuous on the palate but maybe less so than in the past. There is balancing acidity so the wine is not cloying in the mouth. Flavours of honey and orange marmalade on the palate. Not much in the way of complexity but delicious and easy drinking. Drunk over a couple of nights with steamed treacle pudding, various cheeses and by itself.

2002 vintage

I can't add much more than what has already being said other than it is now in the second half of its drinking window as the acid is beginning to fade. A beautiful and highly enjoyable Barsac. Drink now!

2006 vintage

Possibly requiring just a little more acidity and texture, but nevertheless an excellent Coutet with rewarding flavour. My first bottle was from the 1970 vintage, and I am quite amazed how Coutet, and the other great Sauternes, have managed to retain their in-house style and their quality throughout the ages. And while I am in a pontificating mode, I have to say how superior Sauternes is fully mature (12-15 years after vintage). I am not knocking young Sauternes, their freshness …

2006 vintage

Deep amber in colour. Marzipan, marmalade and honey on the nose. Unctuous on the palate but with balancing acidity so the wine is not cloying in the mouth. Lingering flavours of tangy marmalade on the palate. Not much in the way of complexity but delicious and easy drinking. Drunk over a couple of weeks with apple and blackberry crumble, with blue cheese and by itself.

2002 vintage

Now darker gold. Beautifully balanced. Some botrytis but plenty marmalade, ripe apricot, clove and other warm spices. Great acidity so doesn't cloy. Long finish. Drinking really well now but no rush at all. Barsac in 2006 did really well.

2006 vintage

Deep amber, faint green rim; barley sugar & marmalade, toffee; rich, tending to fat, caramel, power & intensity but with cut. Extended. Later burly. Drink soon

1996 vintage

1996 Bordeaux (Piccolino, Liverpool Street Stn, London) : Half. Coconut, some botrytis. Mid sweetness. A sense of the lip-smacking. Very decent and some. ****

1996 vintage

DAMN WiNOS (Rye Restaurant, Eugene) : A deeper gold color than my last one 2+ years ago, this bottle was immediately open with ripe tropical fruit, honey, orange marmalade, peach and some spice. Great texture and a nice freshness from the acidity. Has YEARS!

2006 vintage

Deep amber, lovely energy and some bitter orange fruit, sweetness dropping but still lovely with a citron tart, also lovely with a bite of stilton.

1996 vintage

Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (I Nonni, St. Paul, MN) : Small glass; this was drinking very well. Bright and lively with a good fruit and spice mix and not overly sweet.

2006 vintage

Very enjoyable mature Barsac that was delicious with lemon tart and cream. This is the second bottle from a 6-bottle case and we are 'two for two' with corks that disintegrated on opening and were a real pain to remove, not something I would expect from a wine of this age. The merchant assures me storage was good so I wonder if the chateau had a bunch of duff corks as I've seen at least one other tasting note where …

2002 vintage

Prêt à boire, très caramélisé, peu d’acidité. Le bouchon se désintègre.

2002 vintage

Vivid dark brown color. The nose is just so expressive with a complexity that makes me think of salted nougat. Just the most delicious nutty note on this very lively aroma. On the palate moderately proportioned with fantastic lift and energy. Impeccable balance, the finish goes on and on. Has dropped quite a lot of its sweetness, seems to be at its peak. A real treat.

1996 vintage

The 1996 Coutet has matured beautifully with a deep copper and brass colour and a lovely nose of marmalade, preserved peach, tangerine and honey. The palate is medium weight with quite intense marmalade, peach, honey and butter characters. There is good persistence and a lovely line of fruit that continues right through the wine into touches of grape tannin and acid that provide grip and balance. Delicious and so much better for age.

1996 vintage

This is really really good. Amazingly young . Zippy fresh fruit streaked with botrytis. Bright fresh medium sweet. Very long fresh finish. Delicious!

1996 vintage

Very floral, and honey, aromas and flavors. Fresh on the palate, the age is only slightly evident in the finish. From a half bottle.

1996 vintage

Think I was a bit ungenerous with my score on the last bottle. This is still rock solid, with ripe apricot and honey in abundance that makes you want more.

2006 vintage

Very well balanced, these 12 y of aging is what makes the difference, harmony of candied fruits, quince marmalade and underlying acidity, less botrytis then expected. It was OK on its own, but heaven with foie gras.

2006 vintage

For $25+shipping, this is a fantastic sauternes. I should have bought a case or two. I'm surprised that Coutet performs this well in a somewhat off vintage. This is a classic Sauternes profile and is already fairly complex.

2006 vintage

Ridge Cabs (La Trompette, London) : Gorgeous colour. Usual Coutet slightly medicinal edge. Nicely sweet, but measured. Doesn’t quite cope with the soufflé. In line with a bottle last year. ***1/2

1996 vintage

Crumbly cork. Golden-yellow in colour. On the nose orange peel, orange marmalade, caramel, tropical fruit, spices. On the palate great acidity, quite lively and bright, spicy, good weight, very fine length. Drink or keep. 91-93

1996 vintage

Un Coutet ample, concentré, assez puissant, suave, sirupeux mais élégant, qui manque juste un peu de tension pour être au firmament. Complexe, il déploie son lot d'arômes séduisants d'abricot sec, patissiers, confits et épicés, et sait trainer en longueur sur sa belle finale sucrée. Je l'ai trouvé encore assez jeune, avis pas forcément partagé d'ailleurs, peut-être s'affinera-t-il dans le temps.

2006 vintage

Drank over 4 nights. This lacks the tension of a great Sauternes, but is so tasty and enjoyable with gobs of ripe and dried apricot that you forgive it, and just enjoy drinking some excellent wine.

2006 vintage

Tasted at Caviste wine merchant, Hampshire, UK. Bordeaux wine dinner. Served to accompany lemon tart. Medium gold colour. Intense orange and mandarins on the palate. Intensely sweet, although less so when accompanying the lemon tart.

2002 vintage

Mid gold plenty of botrytis but very focussed. Rich for Coutet but lovely acidity keeps it fresh and terrific length. Lovely

1996 vintage

9th of 12, pnp, perfect level, crumbly cork, previous notes at least fine, pale, fresh not over botrytised, honey, lime and a touch of mango, long, lighter style, hard to see it getting any better. F (17.5).....not up to a last glass of Raymond-Lafon '89.

1996 vintage

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Chateau Coutet Premier Cru Classe, Barsac

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