Château Coutet 1er Grand Cru Classé en 1855 375ml 2020

Château Coutet is a classic Barsac sweet wine, ranked Premier Cru in 1855 and offered here as a 375ml bottle.

The estate lies in Barsac, the northern part of the Sauternes region, where limestone runs close to the surface and Semillon ripens slowly under the influence of autumn mists from the Ciron river. Those mists, followed by warm afternoons, encourage the noble rot that gives the wine its concentration. Coutet blends Semillon with smaller amounts of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, picking by hand through several passes and ageing the wine in barrel. The Baly family have run the property for decades, and a long-standing partnership with Baron Philippe de Rothschild has helped bring it to a wider audience. The 2020 is a delicate vintage, with lily of the valley and grapefruit blossom and the liveliness typical of Barsac.

Try it chilled as an aperitif with salty blue cheese on crackers, or finish a meal with it alongside poached pears. Its freshness makes it lovely young, though it will also age gracefully.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.

Type: Dessert Wine
Style: Sweet, Fresh, Full-bodied
Grape Varietal: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle
Tastes Like: Comparable to a botrytised Sémillon, but with more freshness and a lighter, more elegant texture than many sweet wines
Alcohol Percentage: 13.5%
Closure: Cork
Size: 375mL
Appellation: Barsac AOC, Premier Grand Cru Classé en 1855
Region: Barsac, Sauternais, Bordeaux, France
Terroir: Sand, red clay and limestone over 48 parcels in a single block around the château
Aging: Barrel fermented, then aged 18 months in French oak
Serving Temperature: 8–10℃ – Serve chilled

Château Coutet is one of the oldest estates in Barsac, with origins as a fortified house in the 13th century. It was devoted to sweet wine from the 17th century and was owned for many years by the Lur-Saluces family, also the owners of Château d’Yquem. In the 1855 Classification it was ranked a Premier Cru of Sauternes and Barsac. The Baly family bought the estate in 1977 and Aline Baly now leads it, and since 1994 the wines have been distributed in partnership with Baron Philippe de Rothschild.

The vineyard covers 38.5 hectares in a single block around the château, with sand, red clay and limestone soils across 48 parcels. Barsac’s limestone is credited with the freshness and saline finish of its wines. In 2020 the harvest ran from 16 September to 26 October in six passes through the vines, picking only botrytised grapes at full ripeness. The wine was fermented in barrel and aged for 18 months in French oak before bottling in June 2022.

Starters: Perfect with foie gras, chicken liver parfait or terrine
Savoury: Excellent with roast chicken in a cream sauce or lightly spiced Asian dishes
Desserts: Pairs beautifully with tarte tatin, crème brûlée or poached stone fruit
Cheese: Ideal with blue cheeses such as Roquefort and Bleu d’Auvergne

Roquefort: The classic partner from southwest France, its salty tang balanced by the wine’s sweetness
Bleu d’Auvergne: Creamy and piquant, softened by the wine’s rich texture
Ossau-Iraty: A Pyrenean sheep’s milk cheese, nutty and firm against the wine’s freshness
Comté (aged 24 months+): Crystalline and savoury, a fine foil for the wine’s acidity

Foie Gras Poêlé aux Pommes (Pan-seared Foie Gras with Caramelised Apples)

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 4 slices fresh duck foie gras, about 70g each and 2cm thick
• 2 firm apples, such as Pink Lady, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 wedges
• 30g unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 60mL Sauternes or Barsac
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 100mL chicken stock
• 4 slices brioche, lightly toasted
• Fleur de sel and freshly cracked black pepper
• A few chervil or chive sprigs to garnish

Instructions:

1. Chill the foie gras slices in the fridge until you are ready to cook. Score one side of each slice lightly in a criss-cross pattern.
2. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add the apple wedges and sprinkle with the sugar.
3. Cook for 6–8 minutes, turning, until golden and caramelised but still holding their shape. Keep warm.
4. Deglaze the apple pan with the sweet wine and vinegar, add the stock and simmer for 4–5 minutes until syrupy. Season lightly.
5. Heat a heavy, dry frying pan over high heat until very hot. Season the foie gras with salt and pepper.
6. Sear the foie gras, scored side down, for 45–60 seconds until deeply browned, then turn and cook for a further 30–45 seconds.
7. Transfer to paper towel for a moment to drain the excess fat.
8. Place a slice of toasted brioche on each warm plate, top with apples and a slice of foie gras.
9. Spoon over the sauce, finish with a pinch of fleur de sel and the herbs, and serve immediately.

Foie gras with a glass of Sauternes or Barsac is one of the great traditions of southwest France, and it is often served this way at the start of a celebratory Bordeaux meal. Coutet’s sweetness matches the caramelised apples, while the bright acidity and freshness typical of Barsac cut through the richness of the foie gras and keep the pairing lively rather than cloying.