CHÂTEAU COUTET
2023 1er Cru Classé Barsac
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. Drinking range: 2025 - 2045 Rating: 96 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)
75cl bottles (wood case of 3)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
A blend of 95% Semillon, 4% Sauvignon Blanc and 1% Muscadelle here. Such an incisive character on the nose here, melding orange pith – classically Coutet – and preserved lemon with crushed minerals and smoke. This carries through nicely to the palate, which is all glossy and sweet but controlled texture, with mango sorbet and crushed peach, set with brighter nuances of herb, white peach, plum and a heady dose of infused minerals. This is absolutely delicious, with sweetness and freshness but also energy and mineral drive, especially into the finish, which has great length. This will be a brilliant Barsac given time. Tasted twice. The residual sugar is 165 g/l, and the alcohol is 13.5%. Rating: 96-98 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (May 2024)
The 2023 Coutet is stellar. Soaring aromatics and bright acids drive through a core of lemon confit, apricot, mint, spice, passion fruit and pineapple. The interplay of deep, layered flavors and energy is so compelling. Drinking range: 2028 - 2048 Rating: 93-95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2024)
The 2023 Coutet has a tightly-wound bouquet that demands more coaxing than its peers. It typically already possesses laser-sharp focus and is less flamboyant than fellow Barsacs, underpinned and sharpened by its limestone soils. The palate is well balanced with intense botrytised fruit, lightly spiced dried honey and orange rind notes, just a hint of apricot in the background, stretching out on the finish that lingers on the tongue. I am not sure it is the best Coutet in recent years, but it is certainly a very fine contribution to the vintage that should age well in bottle. Drinking range: 2028 - 2060 Rating: 94-96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2024)
A Barsac with dried-apple, apricot and spice character. The botrytis comes through with a healthy and clean nature to it. Medium-bodied and medium-sweet with a spicy finish. Rating: 94-95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)
Château Coutet
Barsac Premier Cru 1855 A square tower indicates the origins of Château Coutet as a 13th Century fortification. Indeed the château is a mixture of various styles added at various times in its long history. At the turn of the 19th Century, Château Coutet came into the possession of the Lur-Saluces family, owners of Château d'Yquem, and they owned it until 1923. Since 1977, Coutet has been owned by the Baly family, represented today by brothers Dominique and Philippe. Château Coutet is one of the two Premier Cru properties in Barsac (the other being Château Climens). There are 38.5ha of vineyard, given over 75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle. Wines are fermented in wood (50% new) and aged for up to 18 months.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.