Château Coutet, 1er Cru Classé, Barsac, 2023
As soon as your nose nears the glass it’s impossible not to be wowed by the fabulous definition and detail of this Coutet – clear flower honey, crystalline citrus pith, and fresh ginger notes presented in a crisp, sizzling Barsac of dazzling intensity, brilliant tension and energy. One of the best of a very good bunch in 2023. A blend of 95% Semillon, 4% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Muscadelle.
critic reviews
The 2023 Coutet has a fresh and quite saline bouquet with yellow plum, sea spray and quince scents that unfold with time. The palate is well balanced with a very harmonious and mellifluous opening, a killer line of Coutet's signature acidity that imparts superb mineralité on the finish. Wonderful.
A blend of 95% Semillon, 4% Sauvignon Blanc, and 1% Muscadelle, the 2023 Coutet has 165g/l of residual sugar and a pH of 3.66. It is pale lemon-straw in color and scoots out of the glass with eager-to-please notes of lemon meringue pie, fresh nectarines, and key lime pie, leading to touches of powdered ginger, coriander seed, and acacia honey, with a waft of wild fungi. The palate is chock-full of vivacious citrus and stone fruit flavors, with a lively backbone and a long, steely finish.
Beautiful aromatics, fresh acidity that picks things up from the first moment, crisp citrus, mango, pineapple, grated ginger, and a twist of bitter aniseed on the finish. Richly concentrated, reflecting small yields, but once again a wine that shows the huge potential of this style in the 2023 vintage. Harvest between September 20 and October 11.