Coutet 2020

The 2020 Coutet has a promising nose with dried honey, nectarine, Clementine and saffron scents, though it doesn't quite have the complexity of the best Sauternes. The palate is well balanced with a tangy opening, fine depth and better acidity than others in this flight. Marmalade and quince tones emerge toward the finish as this lingers nicely in the mouth. Very fine. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. 2027 - 2048

Bright, yellow gold colour, with citrus, apricot, pineapple and a ton of mango fruits on the palate. Silky texture with spikes of lime juice bringing pep and definition. Saffron and white pepper add even more lift through the finish, this is excellent and easy to recommend.

Drinking Window 2022 - 2050

Full bottle all of 1,405 g. 95% Sémillon, 4% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Muscadelle. Cask sample. 18 months in oak envisaged. No information on yield.
Greenish hint to the golden hue. Very classic with a botrytis note and some real freshness. Weight and integrity here with a savoury, even bacon-fat, finish. Not one of the sweetest wines, or what I probably mean is that the acidity is more pronounced than in many of its peers. Sleek and fresh. But probably for relatively early drinking. 13.5%
Drink 2024 – 2038

Bright gold colour. Rich with creme brulee, pineapples in syrup and baked vanilla. The palate has luscious fruit but moderated sugar for Coutet, allowing the vinous qualities to shine through. Ginger, cinnamon and vanilla mingle with luscious, poached stone fruits through to the finish.

Pale lemon-yellow; fresh, fine, honeyed, well-defined, with the characteristic hint of limestone minerality; medium-full, fresh wine; sweet, refined, but with very limited concentration and botrytis complexity, a moderate length of flavor for the cru, attractive, but limited for Coutet, and with good, light length to finish. Class, yes, but a “slender” aperitif style. Likely to age gracefully but always at this mezzo-piano dynamic.