Château Coutet Winery Guide

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Château Coutet is one of the oldest estates in the Sauternes wine country, with a history that dates back to the 13th century. Indeed, visitors to the Château will be shown the thirteenth-century tower and fourteenth-century chapel, a reminder of its long and varied life. Few other properties in the Barsac appellation of Bordeaux can offer such an interesting history or make such fabulous wines! The estate even acted as a military center in the 100 Years’ War. How many wineries today could make that claim?

The documented history of the Château began in 1643 when the estate was brought by an infamous politician, Charles de Guerin. Then in 1788, Coutet was purchased by Gabriel Barthelemy Romain de Filhot, who also owned Filhot. The poor man only had another five years to enjoy his properties, as he was guillotined during the French Revolution. The Château would change hands several times again before being brought in 1977 by the present owners, the Baly family of Strasbourg. Today, Philippe Baly is the ever-effusive face of Coutet, welcoming wine lovers to the property with a broad smile alongside his charming niece Aline, who recently returned from the States and is famed for her warm hospitality.

Not only is the Château a beautiful and captivating place to visit, but it is also renowned as a top producer in the region. Their vineyards in Barsac, which are unaltered in location and extent since 1855, surround the Château. The terroir is complex, with a mixture of silt, fine gravel, and sand in the soil. The lucky ones who have tasted the wines speak of vanilla, honey, and cinnamon aromas – a fine wine indeed. If the region needs an ambassador to the world for the quality of its dessert wines, then it knows where to look!