2016 Château Coutet (Barsac) is a standout sweet wine, praised for its rich botrytis character and vibrant freshness. With a blend of 75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc, and 2% Muscadelle, it opens with notes of citrus, pineapple, vanilla, ginger, and toasted brioche, wrapped in smoky and spicy layers. A silky texture and crisp acidity give it energy and elegance, with a long, mineral-driven finish. Harvested over 8 passes from late September to early November, it shows remarkable balance and aging potential through 2055.

Decanter | D 96
Published: Apr 3, 2017
Drink: 2022-2055

Oh that's lovely. Ginger and sumac spice, and a gorgeous richness with the perfect balance of minerality. Rich but pure botrytis character and gently curling smoky notes leap out of the glass. Amazing persistency, easily one of the best wines in the tasting. This is excellent; succulent and mouthwatering.

The Wine Advocate | RP 95
Published: Mar 29, 2019
Drink: 2021-2044

With coaxing, the pale lemon colored 2016 Coutet slowly unfurls to give a myriad of preserved lemons, pineapple pastry, almond croissant, fresh ginger and lime blossoms scents with nuances of chalk dust, white pepper, star anise and cedar. Rich, seductive and yet exquisitely balanced, the satiny-textured palate has layer upon layer of citrus and savory notions, finishing very long and spicy. 

Jamessuckling.com | JS 95
Published: Jan 20, 2019

The vibrant, tropical fruit-coulis character draws you into this concentrated and elegant Barsac. Then the crisp acidity and a wave of lemon and mineral character comes through, driving the finish out in the direction of the horizon. Drink or hold.

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 16.5
Published: Feb 4, 2020
Drink: 2024-2038

Tasted blind. Lively and diffuse. Just a bit sweet and a bit sickly. Pruney.

Chateaucoutet.com

We experienced an exceptional climate, a prerequisite to elaborating a great wine. Spring was very humid, yet gave the flower a sufficient lull to develop in good conditions. Summer was surprisingly dry with a little rain over several days mid-August, which favored a good ripening of the grapes.
The Botrytis cinerea settled on golden, ripe grapes at the arrival of fogs during the last week of September. A
gradual and homogeneous maturation was observed, marked by the development of a very pure Botrytis.

HARVEST
With a large team of pickers (90 people), small daily quantities were picked that gave notable juices. We completed eight passages from September 30th to November 8th.
The phenomenal climatic conditions at the beginning of November rewarded the technical team’s patience.
HARVEST DATES September 30th to November 8
th, 2016
PASSES 8 manual successive passes
NUMBER OF DAYS OF HARVEST 26
BLEND Sémillon 75%, Sauvignon Blanc 23%, Muscadelle 2%
FERMENTATION in barrel
AGEING 18 months in 100% French oak barrels
ESTATE BOTTLED June 2018

TASTING NOTES
The wine shows a beautiful color with golden and green glints.
The nose is characterized by dominant citrus aromas, such as orange and grapefruit. It also shows notes of
pineapple, peach, vanilla and broom flower with a hint of toasted brioche. 
The attack is powerful, generous and offers good unctuousness. A beautiful freshness appears on the mid-palate, accompanied by a suave and dense character, making a remarkably balanced wine.
Finally, the typical vivacity of the Barsac appellation imposes itself on the finish.