Château Coutet (Saint-Émilion)

Identity

Château Coutet is a winegrowing estate located in Saint-Émilion, Gironde. The David Beaulieu family are the owners. Management and winemaking are overseen by Alain David Beaulieu, assisted by his nephew Adrien David Beaulieu, who also serves as commercial director, and his son Matthieu.

History and Philosophy

The history of Château Coutet dates back to the 15th century. In 1601, Thomas d’Augereau, married to Marie David, acquired the estate. The current name "Coutet" has been in use since the 15th century, succeeding the former name Domaine de Francs. The David Beaulieu family has retained ownership of the property ever since, spanning fourteen generations and more than 400 years. In 1874, Édouard Féret already described the estate as "situated on one of the slopes of Saint-Émilion, in an enviable position overlooking the Dordogne valley, offering picturesque scenery and land exceptionally suited to the vine", producing "smooth wines remarkable for the longevity of their bouquet".

Château Coutet was included in the Grand Cru Classé classification from 1955 to 1969, before stepping away from the ranking in 1986. The estate has been certified organic (Agriculture Biologique) since 2012. Its environmental commitment is demonstrated by a historical absence of chemical treatments (herbicides, pesticides, synthetic fertilisers) and the cultivation of polyculture including market gardening, orchards, woodland, and livestock. Collaborations have been established with the Bordeaux agronomy school for the installation of temperature sensors and microbiological analysis, as well as with Vitirover for the trial of a solar-powered vineyard robot. The estate has also expanded its wine tourism offerings since 2013.

Appellations

Château Coutet produces wines under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation.

Practical Information

Château Coutet is open to the public Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. The estate offers various tour and tasting experiences, on foot or by buggy, lasting from 1 to 2 hours, with options to include charcuterie and cheese boards or aperitif platters. Visits are by appointment and can be conducted in French, English, or Spanish. The estate provides on-site parking and amenities such as Wi-Fi, air conditioning, international shipping, and direct cellar door sales or mail order. Pets are welcome. A reception room is also available for private and corporate events.

• Address: Château Coutet, Saint Emilion, 33330
• Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 74 43 21 (Tour bookings: 07 82 22 01 05)
• Email: chateau.coutet@gmail.com

Find Out More

Official estate website

The Vineyard (Terroir)

The Château Coutet vineyard spans 12.7 hectares, part of an overall 16-hectare estate of which 4 hectares are deliberately left uncultivated. It is situated on the Saint-Martin de Mazerat plateau in Saint-Émilion, with a south-westerly exposure. The vineyard comprises several soil types:

• The Plateau de Saint-Martin (4.5 ha): Its subsoil consists of starfish limestone (calcaire à astéries), covered by a shallow calcareous brown soil, with limestone bedrock outcropping in places. Parcels include Peycocut, Le Journal, Les Pommiers, Martin, Les Vendangeurs, Le Plateau, and Les Blaireaux.
• The Côte de Franc (3.5 ha): Composed of heavy clay-limestone soils and lower slopes. Parcels are La Côte (south and north), L’Escalier, Le Squelette, Cucurot, and part of Canon.
• The Pied de Côte (5 ha): Primarily surface-recarbonated clayey sand, with iron pan (crasse de fer) at shallow depths. Parcels include the other half of Canon, La Porte Rouge, La Toumièle, Les Tilleuls, Chez Jeannot, Les Sables, and Les Peupliers (north and south).

The average age of the vines is 41 years, with some plots featuring vines over 80 years old. Planting density is approximately 6,000 vines per hectare. Pruning is carried out using the Guyot simple method. Harvesting is done by hand, using small crates. The vineyard is distinguished by its remarkable biodiversity, boasting diverse flora (pedunculate oaks, wild tulips, orchids) and fauna (bats, wild rabbits, migratory birds).

The estate's grape varieties are 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc (Bouchet), 7% Malbec (Pressac), and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Replanting is carried out using indigenous massal selection.

Flagship Cuvées

Château Coutet crafts several cuvées from hand-harvested grapes. Ageing takes place in oak barrels (including 20% new oak) and stainless steel tanks over a period of 18 months.

• Château Coutet (main cuvée): Made using indigenous yeasts, this wine offers an ageing potential of 5 to 10 years, and even longer for exceptional vintages. Average annual production is approximately 55,000 bottles.
• Cuvée Emeri: Inspired by the discovery of a bottle dating from 1750 sealed with an emery glass stopper, this cuvée comes from the Peycocut parcels. It is crafted from red-stemmed Merlot ("Merlots à queue rouge") and Cabernet Franc. It is aged for 18 months, with 50% new oak.
• Les Demoiselles: Sourced from the upper parcels of Peycocut, planted with red-stemmed Merlot and Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) on the limestone plateau, featuring vines approximately 85 years old.

Vinification and Ageing

Vinification at Château Coutet relies on indigenous yeasts. The estate still works with presses dating back to 1920. Wine ageing takes place in oak barrels (20% new, 60% one-wine-old or older) and vats (20%) over an 18-month period. The cellar is housed in former 18th-century stables, which were once historically linked to Château d’Yquem.