The 2018 Château Coutet Half Bottle (375ml) is a beautifully concentrated Premier Cru Classé Barsac from Bordeaux, produced by one of the benchmark estates of the Sauternes and Barsac region. Château Coutet was classified as a First Growth in the historic 1855 Classification, with its limestone and clay soils helping give the wines their characteristic combination of botrytis richness and vibrant freshness. The 2018 is a blend of 75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle. Botrytis developed unusually late in the season, resulting in an exceptionally small crop: the château harvested through just four successive manual passes between 5 October and 5 November. Fermentation took place in barrel followed by 18 months ageing in French oak, before estate bottling in April 2020.
The 2018 is a particularly concentrated expression of Coutet, opening with bitter orange, grapefruit, white peach and apricot alongside jasmine, acacia, ginger, honey and sweet spice. The palate is rich and velvety, but Coutet's natural acidity gives the wine excellent energy and prevents the sweetness from becoming heavy. Wine Enthusiast awarded 95 Points, highlighting its texture, candied fruit, botrytis character and trademark minerality. Neal Martin at Vinous awarded 94 Points, praising its precision, vibrant acidity and exceptional energy, while Decanter awarded 94 Points and noted the remarkable concentration created by the extraordinarily low-yielding vintage. The Wine Advocate rated the wine 93–95 Points, particularly highlighting its tropical fruit, satiny texture, freshness and length.
