Château Coutet
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A Premier Grand Cru Classé of Barsac, Château Coutet is a family-owned winegrowing estate (Baly family). It produces sweet and dry white wines on a clay-limestone and silty terroir, crafted predominantly from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle.
Identity
Château Coutet, a Premier Grand Cru Classé in 1855, is located in Barsac. It is owned by the Baly family. Laurier Girardot is the cellar master, and Philippe Baly serves as managing director. Aline Baly oversees marketing and communications.
History and philosophy
Château Coutet boasts a history dating back to the 13th century, when it was a fortress. Its winemaking heritage began in the 17th century, with its first recorded mention as a wine estate in 1643 under the ownership of Charles Le Guérin, Seigneur de Coutet. The name “Coutet” is derived from Gascon, evoking vibrancy and freshness.
Its historical owners include Gabriel-Barthélemy Romain de Filhot prior to the French Revolution, and Marquis Romain-Bertrand de Lur-Saluces until 1924. In 1926, Henry-Louis Guy acquired the estate and introduced hydraulic presses. In 1977, the Baly family—with Marcel, Philippe and Dominique Baly—acquired Château Coutet.
The estate has achieved Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification.
The appellations
Château Coutet produces wines under the Barsac and Sauternes appellations.
Practical information
Château Coutet is open Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Direct sales at the estate and tastings are available. The estate offers a variety of visitor experiences:
- Classic tour and tasting: Tasting of two wines for €20 per person.
- Premium tour and tasting: Tasting of three wines, including the Grand Vin Blanc Sec, for €35 per person.
- Grape Variety Discovery workshop: Tasting of the appellation's grape varieties in the form of grape jelly, followed by a tasting of two wines, for €40 per person.
- Wine Evolution workshop: Vertical tasting of three wines (one young, one aged 8 to 10 years, and one aged over 20 years) for €50 per person.
- Combined workshops: Grape jelly variety tasting followed by a vertical tasting of three wines, for €65 per person.
- Lunches or dinners at the Château (for 6 to 8 guests at €190 per person) or in the Chai (for 9 to 35 guests) are also available.
Address: Château Coutet, 33720 Barsac FRANCE
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 56 27 15 46
Email: info@chateaucoutet.com
Find out more
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Château Coutet located and which family owns it?
- Château Coutet, classified as a Premier Grand Cru in 1855, is located in the commune of Barsac. It is owned by the Baly family. Philippe Baly is the managing director, and Aline Baly oversees marketing and communications. Laurier Girardot is the estate's cellar master. The Baly family acquired the estate in 1977.
- Which grape varieties are used for Château Coutet wines and what are the characteristics of its terroir?
- The Château Coutet vineyard spans 42 hectares. The blend of grape varieties planted is predominantly Sémillon (75%), complemented by Sauvignon Blanc (23%) and Muscadelle (2%). The terroir features clay-limestone and silty soils, including red soils rich in iron oxide and limestone bedrock. The vineyard benefits from a unique microclimate influenced by the ocean, the river and the forest, traversed by the Ciron, with soils renowned for their freshness within the Barsac appellation.
- Does Château Coutet only produce sweet wines?
- No. While Château Coutet produces wines under the Barsac and Sauternes appellations, which are traditionally sweet wines, the estate also produces Opalie de Château Coutet, a dry white grand vin created in 2010. The grand vin, Château Coutet, is a still white wine, and the estate also crafts a second wine, La Chartreuse de Coutet, as well as a special cuvée, Cuvée Madame, in exceptional vintages.
- How are vinification and ageing carried out at Château Coutet?
- At Château Coutet, alcoholic fermentation takes place in barrels. Ageing lasts approximately 18 months in French oak casks, with the proportion of new oak ranging from 90% to 100%. Harvesting is carried out by hand in successive selective pickings (tries), usually taking place from September to November over a period of 30 to 40 days.
The vineyard (terroir)
The vineyard of Château Coutet covers 42 hectares of planted vines, within a total estate surface of 50 hectares. The terroir is characterised by clay-limestone and silty soils, notably red soils combining iron oxide and limestone bedrock. The vineyard benefits from a microclimate shaped by the ocean, the river and the forest, traversed by the Ciron, with soils renowned for being among the coolest in the Barsac appellation.
The grape varieties planted are predominantly Sémillon (75%), complemented by Sauvignon Blanc (23%) and Muscadelle (2%). The average age of the vines is 50 years. Harvesting is carried out by hand in successive selective pickings (tries), spanning from September to November over a period of 30 to 40 days.
Flagship cuvées
The grand vin, Château Coutet, is a still white wine. The estate also produces La Chartreuse de Coutet, its second wine. A special cuvée, Cuvée Madame, is crafted exclusively in exceptional vintages. Created in 1943 in honour of Madame Rolland-Guy, the owner at the time, fifteen vintages of Cuvée Madame have been produced to date. The estate also offers a dry white grand vin, Opalie de Château Coutet, introduced in 2010.
Vinification and ageing
Alcoholic fermentation takes place in barrels. The ageing process lasts approximately 18 months and is carried out in French oak casks, with the proportion of new oak ranging from 90% to 100%.
- Commune
- Barsac
- Wine region
- Graves & Sauternais
- Classification
- 1er Cru Classé 1855
- Owner
- Famille Baly
- Technical direction
- Laurier Girardot
- Surface area
- 50 ha
- Second wine
- La Chartreuse de Coutet
- Certifications
- HVE
- Grape varieties
- Sémillon 75%, Sauvignon 23%, Muscadelle 2%
Estate news
03 February 2010
Classement 1855 Sauternes et Barsac
Cet article présente le classement officiel des vins de Sauternes et Barsac, établi en 1855 à la demande de l'Empereur Napoléon III pour l'Exposition Universelle de Paris. La classification a été confiée au Syndicat des Courtiers de Commerce de la bourse de Bordeaux et visait à reconnaître la qualité et la notoriété de chaque cru. Le classement initial comprenait 25 châteaux, mais en raison de successions et de partages de sols, il en compte aujourd'hui 26. Le classement inclut une catégorie "Premier Cru Supérieur" représentée par le Château d'Yquem. Les "Premiers Crus" sont les Châteaux La Tour Blanche, La Faurie-Peyraguey, Clos Haut-Peyraguey, de Rayne-Vigneau, Suduiraut, Coutet, Climens, Guiraud, Rieussec, Rabaud-Promis et Sigalas-Rabaud. Enfin, la catégorie des "Seconds Crus" regroupe les Châteaux de Myrat, Doisy Daêne, Doisy-Dubroca, Doisy-Vedrines, d'Arche, Filhot, Broustet, Noirac, Caillou, Suau, de Malle, Romer-Du-Hayot, Lamothe et Lamothe-Guignard. L'article a été rédigé par Adelin Pâques et publié le 3 février 2010.
Read the source — chais-et-vignes.comPractical information
- Address
- Château Coutet, 33720 Barsac FRANCE, 33720
- Contact form
- Contact the estate
- Opening hours
- De 9h à 12h et de 13h à 17h