Chateau Coutet 2014

WEINWISSER: "Mittleres Gelb, lindengrüne Nuancen darin, leuchtend. Zeigt ein Traumbouquet, viel gelbe Früchte, frische, hoch reife Aprikosen, Orangenblüten, parfümierte Botrytis. Im Gaumen mit Charme, Souplesse und wunderschöner Balance, delikate Mineralik im Finale. Bei diesem phänomenalen Coutet musste ich mich richtig zurückhalten, um nicht das Glas in einem Zug zu auszusaufen. Ein kleiner Schluck musste aber dann doch sein. Und der war sehr bewegend. Barsac-Gänsehaut! Best Coutet ever!"

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Powered by intense botrytis, this wine is opulent and ripe, with spice, yellow fruit and honey flavors. It has just the right balance of acidity to maintain its shape and proportions. It´s likely to age well over many years. Drink from 2024."

WINE SPECTATOR: "This shows the vivid, racy side of Barsac, with streaming flavors of pineapple, yellow apple, green plum and white ginger, displaying lovely energy from start to finish. Ends with enough honeysuckle and orange blossom notes to balance the richness. Best from 2020 through 2035. 4,000 cases made."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The Château Coutet 2014 is a blend of 75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle and delivers...cue the drumroll...a whopping 162 grams per liter of residual sugar, the highest level of any Sauternes that I have data for. As you would expect, the total acidity is slightly, but not dramatically lower than its peers at 3.9 grams per liter (compared to say, 4.3 grams per liter at Doisy-Daëne.) This Coutet ´14 has a complex bouquet with razor-sharp, minerally, citrus fruit mixed with wild honey and a touch of Riesling-like petrol. The palate is totally convincing. There is a great thrust of rich botrytized fruit sliced through with Coutet’s trademark acidity, despite the spoonfuls of sugar, that lends this such vibrancy and tension. It possesses and almost clinical precision with long persistence on the finish. This is a divine Coutet that may warrant a higher score subject to how it evolves in barrel."

DECANTER: "Ripe tropical fruit, vanilla and herbs intermingle with smoky botrytis. Dense, rich flavours of custard and toffee apples, saffron and a hint of noble rot bitterness. Long finish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2050"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Rich, sweet, fat, juicy, luscious, ripe, apricots, pineapple, mango and honey that grab you from the get go. The wine was produced from a blend of 75% Sémillon, 23% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle. This seems quite sweet, but there is enough acidity to keep it fresh and not cloying."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Floral honey, lemon-curd and passion-fruit aromas pour from the glass and draw you into this creamy yet elegant Barsac that’s got good concentration on the middle palate and a very clean, long finish. Real sophistication! Drink now or hold."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Unevolved, mildly spicy nose, then masses of sweetness and masses of acidity. A dramatic but youthful wine with a promising spicy future. Lots of chew."