Just in its best place right now. Colour mid yellow. Nose . complex spice, hints creme Brulee, ripe stone fruit/botrytis , acidity still pleasing to extend palate. Just delightful drinking right now. will hold for several years, before colour noticeably deepens, and tertiary toffee/marmalade flavours start to prevail.
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Bottom of cork fell into the bottle... use a Durand or Ah-so next time. Golden color; aromatic nose with saffron, citrus, orange blossom, white flowers; palate is full bodied but with medium-plus acidity to provide balance, sweet but not overly so, medium alcohol, tons of white stone fruits with peach, papaya; medium length finish. Improving from my last bottles, this seems to have come out of its awkward teenage phase and is heading into very early maturity. Easily 1-2 decades ahead of it, but finally everything is integrated well and presents cohesively. The finish may always hold this back a little bit, and an enjoyable but not top vintage of Coutet. 90-91, likely 91 at peak. 2 hours later: this is sweet, yes, but it has a freshness and elegance which makes it very drinkable and which is a signature of Coutet. Despite being a richer and riper year, the medium-plus acidity adds a lot of freshness, even if this vintage lacks a little bit of length. Nice, and a marked improvement over drinking this a few years ago.
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I’m drinking this much later than the rest of you. I bought 12 halves three years ago in a “fire” sale after an ownership change. Have only just opened the wooden case. A lovely mouthful and I echo most of the previous comments. A little on the light side to my taste though.
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A New Year's Eve Gathering at our place: Our cork suffered the fate of several others as it broke at about three-quarters and ultimately had to be gently pushed into the bottle, which was then decanted through a cheese clothed filter. The color was a bright medium amber. Apricots and oranges filled the nose. These carried over onto the palate along with some peach and honey. The acidity was relatively balancing so the wine was not exceedingly sweet and paired nicely with our Peach Melba dessert. Will probably hold for many years.
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Sauternes is somethink I don't drink often enough, but when I do I always regret it. This is a mervelous speciment. Clean botrytis nose with a bit of developing creme brulle and all kinds of ripe tree fruits. The fruit gets more focused in the mouth, just a completely clear canned peach, orange marmalade and honey. Very long with just enough acids to keep you going for more. No rush to drink of course.
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From half bottle. RIght after opening and drinking about half of the bottle, I put it back in the fridge. Boring fat botrytis Barsac. After 5 weeks (!) i fouind the bottle and drunk the rest. This was really good. Nail polish remover has vanished, fruit emerged and it seemed lighter and more focused. So give you bottles air :) 90-91
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From a half-bottle - unlike last one, cork in perfect shape. Nice yellow colour with golden reflections. On the nose, aromas of pears, peaches in syrup, citrus, botrytis-rubber aromas, honey and christmas cake spices (cloves among others). On the palate, the attack is frank, fruity and sweet, with the aromas as found on the nose. There is a very faint residual touch of quality oak on the considerably long final. This wine keeps the sweetness in check with a good acidity and botrytis bitterness. The balance on this is very fine, and unlike the previous bottle, this is still quite young. A light and refined Sauternes (Barsac), this is all about balance. Very good. My last half, I have one whole yet which I will hold till about 2025 or so, hoping it will be in as good as shape as this half. Delightful! A good 91.
Unlike the 2005 de Malle which was on the downward slope, this is still very fresh providing lots of pleasure today. I'd say it is at early peak in half-bottles.
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Fabulous. Sherry-like smokiness and very dark yellow and copper hues, with surface texture like syrup. And so deliciously sweet, a vanilla explosion in the mouth. The cork although dry and firm completely fell apart and nothing I tried prevented its utter disintegration :) Finally I just decanted through a sieve and got on with it.
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Gorgeous wine that is ageing beautifully. Fabulous botrytis character, but with a wonderful sense of lift and clarity (unlike 2003). Extremely sweet and caramel in nature, with ostentatious vanilla notes from the (completely) subsumed oak. Really beautiful, and this will continue to age gracefully.
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Cork broke on opening. Light golden; aromatic with floral dominant aromas including orange blossom and acacia, slight honey; palate is medium bodied, excellent elegance throughout but still with body, medium acidity and could use with a touch more vibrance, medium-plus alcohol at 14% and not out of place though can tell this was a warmer year, fairly primary sweetness but well integrated, some white fruits and papaya but lacks a bit of depth on the palate which comes across as a bit simple though with some length/persistence; finish is medium length and finishes clean. My last bottle was 3 years ago, and this shows much better integrated oak, more elegance, and overall more floral notes, though it still lacks a bit of depth. Coming out of its awkward phase now, and a few more years of development should help it improve even more. Not a top Coutet, but still representative of their style in a warmer year and very enjoyable today. 90+
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This is a nice bottle though I am perhaps not as enthused as some of the previous reviewers. Color is a medium yellow/pale brown, so starting some of the advanced aging I think. On the nose it was a bit more austere than some other Sauternes with pleasant of nutmeg, marzipan and amaretto. Not a sweet bomb for sure which was nice, but by contrast it lacked a bit of depth on the palate. Also a touch light on both the botrytis element and viscosity, hence my <90 score and not surprisingly a bit short on the finish. But still - nicely made, definitely worth the price and I will keep returning to this producer, especially in 375 form.
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Somewhat representative experience of 2020 - two of last three bottles of wine opened were corked and on this one, the cork broke and I couldn't recover it and had to push it in with all its assorted small fragments... Hoping for a better 2021 for everyone in so many ways...
From a half bottle. Nice liquid gold colour. On the nose, aromas of peaches, quince, botrytis-rubber-like-aromas, touch of butterscotch but fortunately, no cork. On the palate, the attack is frank, sweet, luscious yellow fruit and botrytis. A good remaining acidity, and a nice length speak for the balance of this wine which I have always been fond of. What sells Coutet for me is the balance and ethereal qualities - this is not a heavy syrupy Sauternes, this is very light-footed yet intense. At this point, from half-bottles, no point in aging it as it won't likely improve. That being said, it won't likely start a decline in the next 5 years and after that, it should decline fairly slowly due to its wonderful balance. 91
Light gold colour, attractive complex nose, barley sugar and some botrytis , gorgeous sweet palate with reassuring acidity to balance.. Coutet rarely disappoints and has amazing ageing potential. Who recalls the iconic 1971 Tasted over 2 months via Corovin.
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Académie des Cinquante 64th Annual Dinner (Sofitel The Grand, Amsterdam, NL): Relatively pale golden colour. Very rich but not too sweet (in spite of 168 gr/l RS), powerful but elegant, nutmeg, good botrytis, lively fruit, 100% new oak is well integrated, but it shows up on the finish, which has a lovely purity - it’s like biting into a fresh botrytis grape.
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Tasted over 1 hr, from 375 mL -med gold-bronze -bright pineapple sweet apricot marmalade -med/med- acidity, med- weight nicely balanced med sweetness fresh sweet apricot marmalade -nice now still with substantial upside
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Tasted over 1 hr and 5 days later, from 375 mL -translucent bright gold brass -subtle marzipan floral sweet grassy orange marmalade; richer on day 5 -barely med acidity, med/med+ weight thick unctuous (for Coutet) with moderate sweetness no cloying floral clover honey, slight bitter note on the average length finish; more complexity and depth on day 5 -pretty big for a Coutet though not overly sweet, floral/grassy elements add an interesting twist, drinking quite well now with quite a lot of upside
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Cookout, didn't get a chance to take formal notes. End of the evening wine, popped to share with cigars. Honey, apricots, lemon meringue, nice acidity and length. Definitely looking forward to popping another bottle. A- (91) evaluation off of memory.
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Oregon Wine Geek Week Grand Tasting; 4/24/2018-4/26/2018 (University Club, St. Paul, MN): Light-medium gold color. Drank 1 lgass over 25 minutes. I was kind of surprised to see that not only had I not had this before, but I didn;t own any of it. That's a shame, becaue I thought it was quite nice. Apple, pineapple confit, creme brulee, spice nites on the nose. The palate offers a nice round texture, creme brulee, apple, subtle orange, botrytis, and medium plus finish.
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A nice evening with good friends (@ PZ): Caramel, apricots, botrytis and honey, Beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness. Still very youthful (and this might be the best drinking moment.)
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A deep amber colour; flavours of honey and burnt sugar; sweet but not concentrated, in fact rather flabby and lacking acidity. Quite attractive, but not a great Coutet and needing drinking sooner rather than later.
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Intensives orange-gold-gelb. Orangen-Konfit, Dörraprikose, Feige, Bienenwabe, Blüten und etwas nasser Stein und Grapefruit. Schöner Schmelz, Säure und ziemlich süss.
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Nice medium gold colour. On the nose, a nice bouquet of peaches, canned pears, orange rind, spices and botrytis aromas of "rubber" (in a good sense). The cloves found in its youth have faded, probably from integration of the oak. On the palate, the attack is sweet and fruity, with lift from a nice acidity. The aromas are the same as on the nose, with a medium to good length finishing on a very slight bitterness from the botrytis. This is very fine and refined - silk on the palate. More finesse inspired than powerful. Delicious at this stage, but can clearly be kept for another 6-8 years at least, from half-bottles. This is very good, though still a step behind the excellent 1997. 91
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Light golden color; nose is aromatic, spice, honey, white fruit; palate is medium bodied, medium sweetness, excellent medium-plus acidity throughout, elegant, slight coconut oak; medium finish. Overall quite nice, but still in a transition phase between primary and secondary as expected (not awkward or disjointed, just neither primary fruit-filled nor aged complexity). A nice food wine given the acidity and elegance. Has decades ahead of it. 90 Day 2: Just a slight bit more creme brulee on the palate, a bit more integrated and mature. Still excellent acid but showing a tad bit more alcohol at room temperature. Day 4: Improving. Well integrated, has good sweetness but also an elegance to it.
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Light golden color; nose is aromatic, peach, plenty of botrytis spice; palate is full bodied, balanced medium sweetness with medium acidity, good freshness, youthful fruit; medium length finish. Enjoyable, good value, and certainly comes more alive when paired with savory food. Has decades of growth ahead. 89-90 Day 2: Pleasant, but hasn't improved. Similar to yesterday, comes across as a tad simple on the palate, but again a good match for food. Day 4: Largely the same. A bit better integrated, still with excellent cut and freshness but also youthful sweetness.
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AA's wedding; 8/17/2017-8/19/2017 (Fremont, CA): Rich gold color in the glass. Lovely botrytis mixed with new oak on the nose - sweet cinnamon, clove, wax, and saffron. Rich, honeyed aroma, with hints of tart apricot and Meyer lemon fruit.
On the palate, sweet (feels 130-150g), elevated alcohol (14%), medium plus acid - bright but not as strong as, say, the '01 de Fargues. Sweeter and riper style, in the context of Sauternes. En-point aromatics.
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Light golden; nose is moderately aromatic, white fruit with slight spice; palate is full bodied, slight heat, white peach fruit; medium finish. Nice overall, but seems between primary and secondary. 89+ Day 3: Nose is a bit more aromatic, fills in some more spice compared to when first opened; palate still full bodied, richly textured, white fruit throughout, still a bit of bitterness throughout (I initially described this as heat, but it's not alcohol necessarily, more a bitterness that isn't fully balanced by fruit at this stage); medium finish. It has the textural qualities I look for, but it's definitely in an awkward middle stage between youthful fruit and maturity. Still enjoyable to drink even now, and I think it will give people an idea of what good sauternes is like at my wedding in a few days. But if there are bottles left over, it needs at least 5+ years. With food, this really is elegant on the palate. It loses its richness and becomes lighter, higher acid. Has a lot of development ahead, but this really comes alive with food and shows its balance and character. Lovely. I'll leave the score at 89-90, but lots of potential for future development.
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Nice wine and well liked by everyone but seemed a little simple to me. Also fairly short finish. Good for the price but I expected a little more out of this.
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I have had this wine so many times in the past several years. It hasn't changed. So textbook, middle of the road, definition of a semillon focused sauternes. Medium body, acidity, sugar, everything. So drinkable and an amazing qpr, just not the most complex at this stage. It may improve in 5 or 10 years but it might just be the same wine for a long time.
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A stellar Sauternes with the most textbook honey-mushroom botrytis nose and opulent apricot paste and marmalade flavors in perfect integration right now and with years to go.
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Glass: Riedel Vinum Riesling Medium golden color. Intense, developing nose with lots of ripe and dried fruit and some starting notes of nail polisher. Sweet, with good acidity, full bodied, medium complexity and medium+ finish. Will continue to develop for decades. Will it improve? Maybe. Lovely to drink now, but absolutely no need to hurry.
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Thanksgiving Dinner (Fremont, CA): Light golden color; highly aromatic with tropical fruit, pineapple, apricot, botrytis spice; palate is medium bodied, rich but still elegant with lightness on the palate, fresh moderate acidity, fades just a tad through the midpalate, citrus, slight tartness; finish is medium length. Excellent balance, certain parts (aromatic nose, balance on the palate especially combination of richness and elegance) show the character of Coutet, but held back a bit by the lack of persistence through the midpalate and could use more complexity and density. Excellent, fabulous food wine as Coutet is, enjoyable now but many decades of improvement ahead, but I think in the end may fall a half-step short of the top 2005s like Rieussec. 3-5 years before my next bottle. 90-91++ 5 hours decanting: midpalate is fleshed out, nose a little less intense. I think this will improve for years. Day 3: Aroma is slightly more moderated than when first opened (it is also a bit more chilled now); palate is very similar to before with good balance, good initial flavor, slight midpalate dropout, decent medium finish. Enjoyable, good value. 90
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Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux, Sauternes (Groot Constantia): Medium+ gold colour with an initial unusual dishcloth note, reminiscent of a dry tea towel. This gives way to almond paste, pineapple, stone fruits and fynbos honey. The palate entry is more perplexing, with odd notes of plaster and medicinal qualities morphing to peat, resembling a whisky from Islay! Medium acidity: this is quite a rich wine that seems to show some volatile elements, making it a little disjointed. The mid-palate is akin to a lemon and honey drink, similar to Lemsip, with hints of sucking on a bandage evoking a hospital-like atmosphere, which didn't appeal. Equally, the VA slightly alters the direction of the wine, skewing its profile.
Although the professional critics describe this Sauternes as a powerhouse, I found it to be pretty mellow. This may be because I rarely drink Sauternes and when I do it tends to be a blockbuster.
The wine is delicious and easy to drink. It is sweet but not syrupy. Ripe tropical fruit is strong but it is not arrestingly intense like in some dessert wines. It reminds me of an auslese in character.
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Bought this as the dessert wine for tonight's wine group dinner at Two Chefs. Nice ending to another spectacular wine outing. Medium gold color, honey nose. Sweet but not overly. The only criticism from a few of the guys was that it would have been even better with greater acidity. Maybe, but I thought it drank very well. One more bottle to go, but there's no rush to open it
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South or Sweet (Q2 wine party) (The Apartment): (Wine #3 - Sweet) This is a bit more interesting than the Guiraud, it's kindof a flan with orange blossom, more acidity which helps keep it together (and is welcome esp after the strong tannins in the South American wines we had drunk earlier).
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(Decanter's Bordeaux '05, '09, '10 tasting) :: A majestic Barsac. Full of apricot, honeysuckle, melon, lychee, and big notes of ground hazlenuts and almonds. What set the '05 apart, though, was a distinct line of minerals and clay. Very well balanced and harmonious, with sumptuous and fresh acidity to keep it all singing. Preferred to the 2009 and 2010.
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Sweet, honey, apricots. Coutet always seems like such a good deal compared to some of the other sweets which themselves are mostly good deals compared to the rest of wines. From a 750 and we didn't finish so will be serving this today again.
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From a half bottle. Nice gold colour. The nose is open with aromas of peach, apricot, pears in syrup but also botrytis influenced aromas like cloves, a roasted side and a little bit of rubber (in a good sense). Nice complexity. On the palate, the attack is sweet and unctuous with nice fruit. The aromas are the same as on the nose. Nice length and a moderate intensity finishing with a slight bitterness from the botrytis. Nice wine, nearly at peak (from half-bottles). I estimate it will be good for another 10 years (from half-bottles), but it is excellent today. The de Malle 2005 showed more evolution and was at its apogee. Taste again in 2016 (from a half-bottle). Nice wine! 91
Demie-bouteille. Belle robe jaune or. Nez ouvert sur la pêche, l'abricot, la poire en sirop, mais aussi passablement de botrytis avec un côté clou de girofle, rôti, caoutchouc (en bien). Belle complexité. En bouche, attaque douce d'un beau fruit et d’une belle onctuosité. Les arômes sont les mêmes qu'au nez. Bonne longueur et une intensité moyenne finissant avec une petite amertune du botrytis. Beau vin; pas loin d'être à point. J'estime qu'il sera encore bon pour 10 ans (en demie-bouteille), mais c'est excellent maintenant. Le de Malle 2005 était un peu plus près de son apogée. À regoûter en 2016 (demie bouteille). Bon vin! 91
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Deep golden, viscous, rich; lacking adequate acid to make it truly special, but very enjoyable (from a demi) over four nights, refrigerated in between.
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Tropical honey on the nose, with some botrytis showing. Palate is medium intense, a bit low in acidity, some heat and good sweetness, lacking slightly in acidity for balance. Young and intense, but not top notch. (89 – 91)
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Developing nicely. Spicy boytritis, fresh ground nutmeg and vanilla peach. Acidity cuts through the sweetness wonderfully. Line and length are exemplary.
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Orange. Honey. Marmalade. no sb flavors bc I think coutet is 100% semillon if I remember correctly. great wine for $20 for 375 but not as complex as I would have hoped. I would buy again though at that price.
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Straight after opening heavy notes of liquid adhesives. Quite disappointing. After 2 weeks (!!!) open in the fridge it opens up. Beautiful Sauternes nose, quite pleaseant and long.
Give it either lots of air or some more years before opening.
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Drank from a 375mL bottle. Definitely tasted young on day 1. Finished up bottle 4 days later and was much better - really opened up and showed potential. Drink now or hold, will only get better with time.
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Drinks for Andrew M's 50th: The nose is vivid pineapple, also honey, apricots and other tropical fruits. The aromas are ripe, but not in any way overripe. The Barsac has a nice, pure entry with good freshness and a good acid balance. Smooth. Pineapple and honey flavours, a little nougat, a lovely expression. It has good viscosity and structure and good length. It is in no way broad or flabby, but, to me anyway, it lacks the laser-like precision of the very best Sauternes/Barsacs (eg Climens 2007) and could do with more complexity. Very enjoyable nonetheless and I would expect it to improve over the next decade or more. 91
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From 375mL; golden (tawnyish) with green hues; intense honey, white raisin, obviously very sweet from the nose, dried pineapple note give it some snap; vanilla custard, viscous, sweet, some orange marmalade, vanilla extract echoes on the finish; needs more time.
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Dinner at Ristorante Firenze (Norcross, GA): A more youthful looking light golden yellow; the nose is classic young Sauternes (Barsac) with spicy pineapple, honey, and white raisin; the palate is thicker and just a bit fatter without the lift of the Climens but very tasty nonetheless.
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Sweet, attractive palate of quite viscous pear juice (predominantly), some honey and a touch of nutmeg. Although flavour has improved considerably over the last 3 years, the wine still lacks complexity and would benefit from more acid lift, too. Much preferred the (more complex) 05 Rieussec that we had last night, and the impressive 09 Coutet.
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An anniversary dinner and a couple of wines (Marea, NYC): In the glass, clear yellow-gold, with some viscosity. On the nose, peaches, apples, and a slight hint of caramel. On the palate, smooth texture with clean impressions of syrupy fruit, and a moderately long finish.
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With powerful scents of pineapple, apricots, peach, nectarine and vanilla custard all drenched in honey, you know you cannot wait to taste the wine. It delivers there as well, with its sweet, spicy, fat juicy, tropical fruit and honey flavors. Drink it now, or age it for a decade or more.
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(Justina's bday Brunner!) Amber honey in glass, with marmalade, beeswax, honeysuckle, dried apricot, buttered brioche and some toasted cashew on the nose. Yet more marmalade, green grassy crispness. Not quite as lean as some other years, but still keeping a lovely, beautiful balance, ending on an infinite finish. Sunshine in a glass on a frosty morning!
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Château Coutet Masterclass with Aline Baly (Domaine, Chicago): Tasted at a “Château Coutet Masterclass” with Aline Baly. Pale gold color. Meaty nose of honeysuckle, greenery and mint. The flavor profile of this is faintly peppery and a bit muted overall, with a long but lean finish and sedate acidity. This vintage is meant to be a classic for Barsac/Sauternes, but I’m not convinced based on this example.
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Monthly Tasting Group LTB 2012-10; Mature Sauternes (By VD): A very elegant wine with a lot of good sweetness which is not extremely sticky. Honey, flowers and some nutmeg. Good acidity. Delicious wine, but a little less complex than e.g. 2001.
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Drank from 1/2 bottle. Heavy botyrized nose, with some residual sugar, pineapple, and melon. Heavier body than expected. Pineapple, quince, stone fruit, some honey sweetness, and long finish, including a long aftertaste. Does have a touch of heat on the end. This needs some more time. I would wait until 2015 to open another bottle.
Thought this would go good with spicy Thai food. No go, it was too heavy and sugary for the food. The 03 Guiraud was much better with Thai.
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Terroir-istes International - Italy-Piedmont-Barolo-Aldo Conterno (Rodwell House): (Served as a half bottle): the bouquet reveals tilled soil, botrytis rot, beeswax, apricot and pineapple in syrup. A creamed honey element drives through the wine, making it full, sweet and very rich. The mid-palate has some button mushroom, glycerol with botrytic spices with a very generous warming alcohol. Very tertiary notes play off against some exotic fruit components that give it plushness.
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Classic Coutet, light of foot, but complex and interesting. Coconut, apricot, touch of pineapple, soupcon of lime in the palate, botrytris. pain grille and ginger spice in the harmonious finish, long refreshing length.
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Tasted blind from a decanter. Clear, medium gold. The nose is clean, pronounced and developing, with an amazing range of aromas, including tropical (pineapple and banana), stone fruit (apricot and ripe peaches), mineral (petrol, and stone) and dried fruit (baked fruits). The palate is sweet, but balanced by medium plus acidity. The alcohol is medium plus, as is the flavor intensity. The alcohol is medium plus, the body is full and the finish is long. Overall, this is a really outstanding wine which can be drunk now but has the potential for improving considerably with some more ageing. Excellent by itself or as an accompaniment to dessert.
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Nose is reticent today, closed down. It perked up just a bit over the next few hours, but I wouldn't open another bottle for at least 5-10 years. 88++ today.
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Impromptu tasting @ my place (Netherlands): Short impression: baked banana, peppery botrytis, good concentration but enough freshness and vigour to keep it lively. Very noble and aristocratic, but way to young. Lots of cellaring potential.
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Wedding Lunch + Casual High-Tea: Alcohol :: 14% Always great to see a wine with such a bright golden color. The usual bortrytis nose with honey, wax, almond and super ripe yellow fruits, sweet and seductive, with a tad rubbery tone that often found from a young Sauternes. The temperature wasn't cold enough, but this intense, rich and bold wine remained well-balance. Very rich, opulent, with good concentration of bortrytis fruits, almost sticky, opulent mouth feel with just enough level of sweet acidity that keep the wine in shape and clean, with underlying sense of elegance. I would prefer a tad more lively acidity to give this better lift and definition. But I'm splitting hair here, as this is a lovely Sauternes that is very delicious even at this young stage. Buy - Maybe - Yes.
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This is very primary with a thick texture and not too much initial complexity. After an hour in the glass, however, it became a much more complete and complex Sauternes with a good balance and a lot of material. This will be great with enough age.
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Mid yellow. A slightly liquer-like nose of mandarins, orange and a touch of barley water. Mid sweetness, pleasant but not a showstopper. Positive finish. ***
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A little disappointing at this visit. Just not very lucious and the finish was slightly bitter, which ruined the overall experience. Not bad, but there is better out there.
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Not as impressive as I was expecting. Short finish and not wonderfully viscous and rich in glycerol as I had hoped (as I find in many good Sauternes/Barsacs). What it DOES have is good however: aroma of petrol, lemon zest, orange, and white flowers. Prominent dried apricot flavors, but not very deep or persistent overall. Not worth the $40 I paid. One of the more lighter and fleeting on the palate wines I have had of its type.
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Very drinkable now, well balanced and a long long finish, candied honeysuckle taste with hints of lemon/lime, very delicious and heavy, without being laboriously so; three of us consumed a bottle in an evening, and while it took some effort (someone has to do it), it was great to the last drop.
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Salon de la revue des vins de France 2010 (Paris, France): Très grand vin, toujours surprenant au nez, comme Yquem, Rieussec, des herbes aromatiques notamment...mais il a une finesse en bouche bien à lui qui le classe en Barsac (?). Le corps est là mais le sucre reste discret, ne pas hésiter (seul hic : cher aujourd'hui).
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Dark color, appropriate yellowish rim. On the nose good intensity of very primary aromas... apricot, honey... vanilla and baking spice from new barrique use... very nice minerality, low VA. On the palate the wine seems a little less than the typical 110 g/L, the wine has very high acidity, moderate amount of flesh and lushness for Sauernes... finishes with good firmness from the oak and moderate + alcohol as one would expect. Great balance between intensity of fruit and high amount of new barrique use, good balance between RS and acidity, average length, good intensity, appropriate complexity at this stage. High on finesse for Sauternes, firmishly textured now, classic expression of place. This is not a big and lush style Sauternes and it is not gooey from botrytis... it is a bit tight and firm and will need several more years to show its true colors...
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Bordeaux Update (Wine Exchange - Orange, CA): Exceedingly charming and complex on the nose here with delicate flowers, preserved lemons, pineapple, mango, and stone fruits. Glossy and super seductive on the palate with gobs of detailed flavors such as agave nectar, honey, botrytis spice, and apple pie. If there is one criticism to be said this is a touch fat but it is superb nonetheless with great complexity and effortlessness on the finish.
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Anita: Great pineapple notes, juicy fresh apricot, med. petrol notes, really well bal w/good concentration and fin. Very nice Sauternes-Barsac. Should improve over time!
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Extraordinary and just lovely! I would never have guessed I could drink several glasses of Sauternes based on experience todate - but wow here I could (and almost did) drink a full bottle! Lovely pineapple flavor with balance, freshness, complexity and with some lovely acidity making for an amazingly elegant and delicious wine. Has to be one of my all time favorite wines. Served with delicious hor d'oeuvres .
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GREAT YES. This is very young yet you could drink the whole case now (shown in the picture I added) and, of course, live to regret it. After drinking 2, I will resist until next year and provide a more reflective report.
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Served to guests after dinner. Didn't take notes. Golden/yellow color. Nose of honey and pear. Palate of pineapple, pear, spice and minerals. good length. Will be better with another five+ years in the cellar.
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NOSE: marmalade; lightly honeyed; medium botrytis spice; somewhat complex.
BODY: golden yellow color of medium depth; medium-full bodied.
TASTE: nice spicy (cloves) flavor of golden raisins dominates; a note of honey chimes-in, as well; not as complex right now on the palate as the bouquet, but this is a very nice Sauternes, nonetheless. Will be better with time.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
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Ce vin est loin d'être complet pour l'instant, mais risque de représenter une belle surprise dans 5 à 10 ans. Il se présente aujourd'hui très aromatique, concentré de fruits confits et d'ananas. La matière est très riche, avec une petite lourdeur en finale et des notes de torréfaction. Beau Barsac à garder impérativement plusieurs années.
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Lighter yellow than the Tour Blanche. Beautiful nose of flowers, apricots, honey. Similar palate with some spiciness and good acidity. More floral and delicate than the Tour Blanche, but these two were my favorites of the night.
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A simple nose of honey and nectarines. In the mouth this was light and beautiful as flavors of lemon meringue, pie crust, and orange rind are supported by a nice core of acidity and glycerine to roll across a great mout-feel for this wine...OUTSTANDING!
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nose - peach, apricot, honeysuckle. mouth - per Kelvin 'sickly sweet' but that's they way aha aha we like it good acidity and phenomenal with blue cheese. honey tinged
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This is a massively heavy wine with a big dose of botrytis. Apricot and citrus dominate throughout. I almost recommend chilling this down to 48° or so just to take a bit of the edge off.
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Orange rind and peach, cloves and cinnamon – and very refined. The palate is fresh and rich, with depth. Though it is not as impressive as its Barsac neighbor Climens, it is a likely QPR to consider.
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BORDEAUX 2005 / Sauternes tasted in 2006 (Bordeaux): Nose is somewhat closed, but the palate is very nice, with clearly spicy botrytis-based flavors plus clove and cinnamon and an intriguing note of ... freshly just-picked fig. The palate is full and the finish smooth and long. A tad hot? 90-92+
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5/9/2024 - wineguru57@yahoo.com.au Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just in its best place right now. Colour mid yellow. Nose . complex spice, hints creme Brulee, ripe stone fruit/botrytis , acidity still pleasing to extend palate. Just delightful drinking right now.
will hold for several years, before colour noticeably deepens, and tertiary toffee/marmalade flavours start to prevail.
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7/10/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
Similar to my bottle for a few days ago, still lovely and enjoyable. 90-91
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7/8/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
Bottom of cork fell into the bottle... use a Durand or Ah-so next time. Golden color; aromatic nose with saffron, citrus, orange blossom, white flowers; palate is full bodied but with medium-plus acidity to provide balance, sweet but not overly so, medium alcohol, tons of white stone fruits with peach, papaya; medium length finish. Improving from my last bottles, this seems to have come out of its awkward teenage phase and is heading into very early maturity. Easily 1-2 decades ahead of it, but finally everything is integrated well and presents cohesively. The finish may always hold this back a little bit, and an enjoyable but not top vintage of Coutet. 90-91, likely 91 at peak.
2 hours later: this is sweet, yes, but it has a freshness and elegance which makes it very drinkable and which is a signature of Coutet. Despite being a richer and riper year, the medium-plus acidity adds a lot of freshness, even if this vintage lacks a little bit of length. Nice, and a marked improvement over drinking this a few years ago.
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6/10/2023 - Whidah Likes this wine: 90 Points
I’m drinking this much later than the rest of you. I bought 12 halves three years ago in a “fire” sale after an ownership change. Have only just opened the wooden case. A lovely mouthful and I echo most of the previous comments. A little on the light side to my taste though.
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12/31/2022 - VlgJeff wrote: 91 Points
A New Year's Eve Gathering at our place: Our cork suffered the fate of several others as it broke at about three-quarters and ultimately had to be gently pushed into the bottle, which was then decanted through a cheese clothed filter. The color was a bright medium amber. Apricots and oranges filled the nose. These carried over onto the palate along with some peach and honey. The acidity was relatively balancing so the wine was not exceedingly sweet and paired nicely with our Peach Melba dessert. Will probably hold for many years.
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12/25/2022 - peternelson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice with the classic apricot, pineapple, nice concentration, finish, still young, drinking well. Bri's X-mas dinner
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12/23/2022 - winenoob101 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sauternes is somethink I don't drink often enough, but when I do I always regret it. This is a mervelous speciment.
Clean botrytis nose with a bit of developing creme brulle and all kinds of ripe tree fruits.
The fruit gets more focused in the mouth, just a completely clear canned peach, orange marmalade and honey. Very long with just enough acids to keep you going for more.
No rush to drink of course.
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8/12/2022 - Duderino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ready and Wonderful! Careful with the cork, though.....mine fell to pieces and had to put the wine through a strainer.
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3/5/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
Académie des Cinquante Claret Tasting (Restaurant Rijsel, Amsterdam, NL): Another very good showing for this wine. Rich and sweet but fresh and juicy, full-bodied and powerful but elegant and playful, very pure botrytis, excellent length.
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1/15/2022 - NoTrollingerPlease wrote: 91 Points
From half bottle. RIght after opening and drinking about half of the bottle, I put it back in the fridge. Boring fat botrytis Barsac. After 5 weeks (!) i fouind the bottle and drunk the rest. This was really good. Nail polish remover has vanished, fruit emerged and it seemed lighter and more focused. So give you bottles air :) 90-91
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1/4/2022 - Get Real Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good but not exceptional . Reasonably dark colour and rich flavour without too much sweetness
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1/1/2022 - TheFoodieTraveler wrote:
Honeyed notes very pretty, some salinity. Needed more acid
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9/14/2021 - ChristopherB Likes this wine: 91 Points
From a half-bottle - unlike last one, cork in perfect shape. Nice yellow colour with golden reflections. On the nose, aromas of pears, peaches in syrup, citrus, botrytis-rubber aromas, honey and christmas cake spices (cloves among others). On the palate, the attack is frank, fruity and sweet, with the aromas as found on the nose. There is a very faint residual touch of quality oak on the considerably long final. This wine keeps the sweetness in check with a good acidity and botrytis bitterness. The balance on this is very fine, and unlike the previous bottle, this is still quite young. A light and refined Sauternes (Barsac), this is all about balance. Very good. My last half, I have one whole yet which I will hold till about 2025 or so, hoping it will be in as good as shape as this half. Delightful! A good 91.
Unlike the 2005 de Malle which was on the downward slope, this is still very fresh providing lots of pleasure today. I'd say it is at early peak in half-bottles.
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9/1/2021 - Carib Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fabulous. Sherry-like smokiness and very dark yellow and copper hues, with surface texture like syrup. And so deliciously sweet, a vanilla explosion in the mouth. The cork although dry and firm completely fell apart and nothing I tried prevented its utter disintegration :) Finally I just decanted through a sieve and got on with it.
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5/11/2021 - Marc wrote: 93 Points
Gorgeous wine that is ageing beautifully. Fabulous botrytis character, but with a wonderful sense of lift and clarity (unlike 2003). Extremely sweet and caramel in nature, with ostentatious vanilla notes from the (completely) subsumed oak. Really beautiful, and this will continue to age gracefully.
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2/9/2021 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Cork broke on opening. Light golden; aromatic with floral dominant aromas including orange blossom and acacia, slight honey; palate is medium bodied, excellent elegance throughout but still with body, medium acidity and could use with a touch more vibrance, medium-plus alcohol at 14% and not out of place though can tell this was a warmer year, fairly primary sweetness but well integrated, some white fruits and papaya but lacks a bit of depth on the palate which comes across as a bit simple though with some length/persistence; finish is medium length and finishes clean. My last bottle was 3 years ago, and this shows much better integrated oak, more elegance, and overall more floral notes, though it still lacks a bit of depth. Coming out of its awkward phase now, and a few more years of development should help it improve even more. Not a top Coutet, but still representative of their style in a warmer year and very enjoyable today. 90+
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1/30/2021 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 90 Points
still tasty and aromatic, trouble with a crumbling cork
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1/11/2021 - hrazdiiv Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is a nice bottle though I am perhaps not as enthused as some of the previous reviewers. Color is a medium yellow/pale brown, so starting some of the advanced aging I think. On the nose it was a bit more austere than some other Sauternes with pleasant of nutmeg, marzipan and amaretto. Not a sweet bomb for sure which was nice, but by contrast it lacked a bit of depth on the palate. Also a touch light on both the botrytis element and viscosity, hence my <90 score and not surprisingly a bit short on the finish. But still - nicely made, definitely worth the price and I will keep returning to this producer, especially in 375 form.
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12/31/2020 - ChristopherB wrote: 91 Points
Somewhat representative experience of 2020 - two of last three bottles of wine opened were corked and on this one, the cork broke and I couldn't recover it and had to push it in with all its assorted small fragments... Hoping for a better 2021 for everyone in so many ways...
From a half bottle. Nice liquid gold colour. On the nose, aromas of peaches, quince, botrytis-rubber-like-aromas, touch of butterscotch but fortunately, no cork. On the palate, the attack is frank, sweet, luscious yellow fruit and botrytis. A good remaining acidity, and a nice length speak for the balance of this wine which I have always been fond of. What sells Coutet for me is the balance and ethereal qualities - this is not a heavy syrupy Sauternes, this is very light-footed yet intense. At this point, from half-bottles, no point in aging it as it won't likely improve. That being said, it won't likely start a decline in the next 5 years and after that, it should decline fairly slowly due to its wonderful balance. 91
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11/15/2020 - gout wrote: 93 Points
Still as fresh as ever.. Botrytis nose, beautifully balanced. Drunk over the course of a weekend using Corovin..
An immensely satisfying wine..
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7/11/2020 - CGWIND Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice. Good acid. Rich raisin deliciousness. Hints of lemon and honey
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4/5/2020 - gout wrote: 93 Points
Light gold colour, attractive complex nose, barley sugar and some botrytis , gorgeous sweet palate with reassuring acidity to balance.. Coutet rarely disappoints and has amazing ageing potential. Who recalls the iconic 1971
Tasted over 2 months via Corovin.
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10/26/2019 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 Points
Académie des Cinquante 64th Annual Dinner (Sofitel The Grand, Amsterdam, NL): Relatively pale golden colour. Very rich but not too sweet (in spite of 168 gr/l RS), powerful but elegant, nutmeg, good botrytis, lively fruit, 100% new oak is well integrated, but it shows up on the finish, which has a lovely purity - it’s like biting into a fresh botrytis grape.
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7/13/2019 - Cote d'Or wrote:
Tasted over 1 hr, from 375 mL
-med gold-bronze
-bright pineapple sweet apricot marmalade
-med/med- acidity, med- weight nicely balanced med sweetness fresh sweet apricot marmalade
-nice now still with substantial upside
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12/2/2018 - Capt Cutlass wrote: 85 Points
A disppointing showing. Lacks generosity on the fruit and seems rather closed. Wait another 10 years??
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8/7/2018 - Cote d'Or wrote:
Tasted over 1 hr and 5 days later, from 375 mL
-translucent bright gold brass
-subtle marzipan floral sweet grassy orange marmalade; richer on day 5
-barely med acidity, med/med+ weight thick unctuous (for Coutet) with moderate sweetness no cloying floral clover honey, slight bitter note on the average length finish; more complexity and depth on day 5
-pretty big for a Coutet though not overly sweet, floral/grassy elements add an interesting twist, drinking quite well now with quite a lot of upside
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7/21/2018 - WineKnurd Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cookout, didn't get a chance to take formal notes. End of the evening wine, popped to share with cigars. Honey, apricots, lemon meringue, nice acidity and length. Definitely looking forward to popping another bottle. A- (91) evaluation off of memory.
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4/26/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Oregon Wine Geek Week Grand Tasting; 4/24/2018-4/26/2018 (University Club, St. Paul, MN): Light-medium gold color. Drank 1 lgass over 25 minutes. I was kind of surprised to see that not only had I not had this before, but I didn;t own any of it. That's a shame, becaue I thought it was quite nice. Apple, pineapple confit, creme brulee, spice nites on the nose. The palate offers a nice round texture, creme brulee, apple, subtle orange, botrytis, and medium plus finish.
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4/20/2018 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
A nice evening with good friends (@ PZ): Caramel, apricots, botrytis and honey, Beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness. Still very youthful (and this might be the best drinking moment.)
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2/26/2018 - La Grappe wrote: 87 Points
A deep amber colour; flavours of honey and burnt sugar; sweet but not concentrated, in fact rather flabby and lacking acidity. Quite attractive, but not a great Coutet and needing drinking sooner rather than later.
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1/23/2018 - Nels+ Likes this wine: 91 Points
Intensives orange-gold-gelb. Orangen-Konfit, Dörraprikose, Feige, Bienenwabe, Blüten und etwas nasser Stein und Grapefruit. Schöner Schmelz, Säure und ziemlich süss.
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1/1/2018 - ChristopherB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice medium gold colour. On the nose, a nice bouquet of peaches, canned pears, orange rind, spices and botrytis aromas of "rubber" (in a good sense). The cloves found in its youth have faded, probably from integration of the oak. On the palate, the attack is sweet and fruity, with lift from a nice acidity. The aromas are the same as on the nose, with a medium to good length finishing on a very slight bitterness from the botrytis. This is very fine and refined - silk on the palate. More finesse inspired than powerful. Delicious at this stage, but can clearly be kept for another 6-8 years at least, from half-bottles. This is very good, though still a step behind the excellent 1997. 91
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12/23/2017 - bsantis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Superbe!
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12/11/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Light golden color; nose is aromatic, spice, honey, white fruit; palate is medium bodied, medium sweetness, excellent medium-plus acidity throughout, elegant, slight coconut oak; medium finish. Overall quite nice, but still in a transition phase between primary and secondary as expected (not awkward or disjointed, just neither primary fruit-filled nor aged complexity). A nice food wine given the acidity and elegance. Has decades ahead of it. 90
Day 2: Just a slight bit more creme brulee on the palate, a bit more integrated and mature. Still excellent acid but showing a tad bit more alcohol at room temperature.
Day 4: Improving. Well integrated, has good sweetness but also an elegance to it.
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11/1/2017 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ripe and tropical, and spicy too. Notes of mango, papaya, and candied ginger. Rich and satisfying with adequate acidity.
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10/9/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Light golden color; nose is aromatic, peach, plenty of botrytis spice; palate is full bodied, balanced medium sweetness with medium acidity, good freshness, youthful fruit; medium length finish. Enjoyable, good value, and certainly comes more alive when paired with savory food. Has decades of growth ahead. 89-90
Day 2: Pleasant, but hasn't improved. Similar to yesterday, comes across as a tad simple on the palate, but again a good match for food.
Day 4: Largely the same. A bit better integrated, still with excellent cut and freshness but also youthful sweetness.
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8/19/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 88 Points
AA's wedding; 8/17/2017-8/19/2017 (Fremont, CA): Rich gold color in the glass.
Lovely botrytis mixed with new oak on the nose - sweet cinnamon, clove, wax, and saffron. Rich, honeyed aroma, with hints of tart apricot and Meyer lemon fruit.
On the palate, sweet (feels 130-150g), elevated alcohol (14%), medium plus acid - bright but not as strong as, say, the '01 de Fargues.
Sweeter and riper style, in the context of Sauternes. En-point aromatics.
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8/11/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 89 Points
Light golden; nose is moderately aromatic, white fruit with slight spice; palate is full bodied, slight heat, white peach fruit; medium finish. Nice overall, but seems between primary and secondary. 89+
Day 3: Nose is a bit more aromatic, fills in some more spice compared to when first opened; palate still full bodied, richly textured, white fruit throughout, still a bit of bitterness throughout (I initially described this as heat, but it's not alcohol necessarily, more a bitterness that isn't fully balanced by fruit at this stage); medium finish. It has the textural qualities I look for, but it's definitely in an awkward middle stage between youthful fruit and maturity. Still enjoyable to drink even now, and I think it will give people an idea of what good sauternes is like at my wedding in a few days. But if there are bottles left over, it needs at least 5+ years.
With food, this really is elegant on the palate. It loses its richness and becomes lighter, higher acid. Has a lot of development ahead, but this really comes alive with food and shows its balance and character. Lovely. I'll leave the score at 89-90, but lots of potential for future development.
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6/22/2017 - judithfv Likes this wine: 90 Points
Concentrated syrup with floral and mineral notes. Drinking nicely.
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6/17/2017 - NoTrollingerPlease wrote: 92 Points
Wine & Barbecue (@Private location): Good Sauternes with great potential. No formal notes taken.
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2/1/2017 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice wine and well liked by everyone but seemed a little simple to me. Also fairly short finish. Good for the price but I expected a little more out of this.
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1/26/2017 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 90 Points
I have had this wine so many times in the past several years. It hasn't changed. So textbook, middle of the road, definition of a semillon focused sauternes. Medium body, acidity, sugar, everything. So drinkable and an amazing qpr, just not the most complex at this stage. It may improve in 5 or 10 years but it might just be the same wine for a long time.
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1/3/2017 - andreawine Likes this wine: 96 Points
A stellar Sauternes with the most textbook honey-mushroom botrytis nose and opulent apricot paste and marmalade flavors in perfect integration right now and with years to go.
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9/1/2016 - NoTrollingerPlease wrote: 91 Points
Glass: Riedel Vinum Riesling
Medium golden color. Intense, developing nose with lots of ripe and dried fruit and some starting notes of nail polisher.
Sweet, with good acidity, full bodied, medium complexity and medium+ finish. Will continue to develop for decades. Will it improve? Maybe. Lovely to drink now, but absolutely no need to hurry.
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5/24/2016 - AV2012 wrote: 90 Points
Paris Judgement 40th Anniversary: Butter cookies! If you like them, you will also like this wine.
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1/6/2016 - gout wrote: 89 Points
Very barley sugar at the moment, needs more time to gain complexity.
Good potential for ageing as always with Coutet.
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11/26/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Thanksgiving Dinner (Fremont, CA): Light golden color; highly aromatic with tropical fruit, pineapple, apricot, botrytis spice; palate is medium bodied, rich but still elegant with lightness on the palate, fresh moderate acidity, fades just a tad through the midpalate, citrus, slight tartness; finish is medium length. Excellent balance, certain parts (aromatic nose, balance on the palate especially combination of richness and elegance) show the character of Coutet, but held back a bit by the lack of persistence through the midpalate and could use more complexity and density. Excellent, fabulous food wine as Coutet is, enjoyable now but many decades of improvement ahead, but I think in the end may fall a half-step short of the top 2005s like Rieussec. 3-5 years before my next bottle. 90-91++
5 hours decanting: midpalate is fleshed out, nose a little less intense. I think this will improve for years.
Day 3: Aroma is slightly more moderated than when first opened (it is also a bit more chilled now); palate is very similar to before with good balance, good initial flavor, slight midpalate dropout, decent medium finish. Enjoyable, good value. 90
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10/8/2015 - Pinotphile123 wrote: 93 Points
Hints of tropical fruits, nice nuttiness, good length. Getting better.
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8/29/2015 - snarfglk wrote:
to Cynthia Gibson
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8/3/2015 - rikipedia wrote: 87 Points
Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux, Sauternes (Groot Constantia): Medium+ gold colour with an initial unusual dishcloth note, reminiscent of a dry tea towel. This gives way to almond paste, pineapple, stone fruits and fynbos honey.
The palate entry is more perplexing, with odd notes of plaster and medicinal qualities morphing to peat, resembling a whisky from Islay!
Medium acidity: this is quite a rich wine that seems to show some volatile elements, making it a little disjointed. The mid-palate is akin to a lemon and honey drink, similar to Lemsip, with hints of sucking on a bandage evoking a hospital-like atmosphere, which didn't appeal. Equally, the VA slightly alters the direction of the wine, skewing its profile.
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8/1/2015 - ostrich Likes this wine: 92 Points
比较甜、总体上比较平衡
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6/19/2015 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Although the professional critics describe this Sauternes as a powerhouse, I found it to be pretty mellow. This may be because I rarely drink Sauternes and when I do it tends to be a blockbuster.
The wine is delicious and easy to drink. It is sweet but not syrupy. Ripe tropical fruit is strong but it is not arrestingly intense like in some dessert wines. It reminds me of an auslese in character.
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6/8/2015 - AWBryce Likes this wine: 92 Points
Botritys, mango, lychee. Rich, acidic, good balance. Long finish
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5/19/2015 - mouton45 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bought this as the dessert wine for tonight's wine group dinner at Two Chefs. Nice ending to another spectacular wine outing. Medium gold color, honey nose. Sweet but not overly. The only criticism from a few of the guys was that it would have been even better with greater acidity. Maybe, but I thought it drank very well. One more bottle to go, but there's no rush to open it
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5/16/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
South or Sweet (Q2 wine party) (The Apartment): (Wine #3 - Sweet) This is a bit more interesting than the Guiraud, it's kindof a flan with orange blossom, more acidity which helps keep it together (and is welcome esp after the strong tannins in the South American wines we had drunk earlier).
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5/16/2015 - Phenol73 Likes this wine: 94 Points
(Decanter's Bordeaux '05, '09, '10 tasting) :: A majestic Barsac. Full of apricot, honeysuckle, melon, lychee, and big notes of ground hazlenuts and almonds. What set the '05 apart, though, was a distinct line of minerals and clay. Very well balanced and harmonious, with sumptuous and fresh acidity to keep it all singing. Preferred to the 2009 and 2010.
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5/15/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Sweet, honey, apricots. Coutet always seems like such a good deal compared to some of the other sweets which themselves are mostly good deals compared to the rest of wines. From a 750 and we didn't finish so will be serving this today again.
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5/14/2015 - ChristopherB Likes this wine: 91 Points
From a half bottle. Nice gold colour. The nose is open with aromas of peach, apricot, pears in syrup but also botrytis influenced aromas like cloves, a roasted side and a little bit of rubber (in a good sense). Nice complexity. On the palate, the attack is sweet and unctuous with nice fruit. The aromas are the same as on the nose. Nice length and a moderate intensity finishing with a slight bitterness from the botrytis. Nice wine, nearly at peak (from half-bottles). I estimate it will be good for another 10 years (from half-bottles), but it is excellent today. The de Malle 2005 showed more evolution and was at its apogee. Taste again in 2016 (from a half-bottle). Nice wine! 91
Demie-bouteille. Belle robe jaune or. Nez ouvert sur la pêche, l'abricot, la poire en sirop, mais aussi passablement de botrytis avec un côté clou de girofle, rôti, caoutchouc (en bien). Belle complexité. En bouche, attaque douce d'un beau fruit et d’une belle onctuosité. Les arômes sont les mêmes qu'au nez. Bonne longueur et une intensité moyenne finissant avec une petite amertune du botrytis. Beau vin; pas loin d'être à point. J'estime qu'il sera encore bon pour 10 ans (en demie-bouteille), mais c'est excellent maintenant. Le de Malle 2005 était un peu plus près de son apogée. À regoûter en 2016 (demie bouteille). Bon vin! 91
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5/11/2015 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 90 Points
Another little bottle. Same as before. Deep gold. Sweet. Full. Not the most complex but killer qpr. I could drink these all day long.
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5/9/2015 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Super rich but not overly heavy. Well balanced, spicy, very long. Could be a little fresher though. 91-93
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5/8/2015 - Deux Chevaux wrote:
Deep golden, viscous, rich; lacking adequate acid to make it truly special, but very enjoyable (from a demi) over four nights, refrigerated in between.
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5/3/2015 - JohnnyShiraz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasting great right now, not too young
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4/16/2015 - Ramberg wrote: 90 Points
Tropical honey on the nose, with some botrytis showing.
Palate is medium intense, a bit low in acidity, some heat and good sweetness, lacking slightly in acidity for balance.
Young and intense, but not top notch.
(89 – 91)
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4/5/2015 - majamke Likes this wine: 94 Points
Developing nicely. Spicy boytritis, fresh ground nutmeg and vanilla peach. Acidity cuts through the sweetness wonderfully. Line and length are exemplary.
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4/4/2015 - WillersC wrote: 92 Points
Very good.
Clean and fruity, nice balance of richness, botrytis and acidity
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2/16/2015 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 90 Points
Orange. Honey. Marmalade. no sb flavors bc I think coutet is 100% semillon if I remember correctly. great wine for $20 for 375 but not as complex as I would have hoped. I would buy again though at that price.
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11/29/2014 - NoTrollingerPlease wrote: 92 Points
Straight after opening heavy notes of liquid adhesives. Quite disappointing. After 2 weeks (!!!) open in the fridge it opens up. Beautiful Sauternes nose, quite pleaseant and long.
Give it either lots of air or some more years before opening.
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11/28/2014 - La Grappe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still youthful but quite approachable, with honey and butterscotch notes and rich sweetness.
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11/16/2014 - camben Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking a bit hot. In a good way. Creamy pineapple, cinnamon, ginger, honey, orange
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9/27/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
Women in Wine - Mike G and Nola visit Cleveland; 9/27/2014-9/29/2014 (A Restaurant on Lee Road): A very nice Sauterne but not in the top echelon. Nice honeyed nose. Slightly sweet. Not cloying, but lacks the verve to be truly special. That said, it is a great wine that has enough going on to cut thru the haze and make me take notice.
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9/26/2014 - David_T wrote: 92 Points
Honey and stone fruit notes. Rich without being too sweet, not overly complex but what's there is pure and delicious.
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9/11/2014 - jdp2109 wrote: 92 Points
Drank from a 375mL bottle. Definitely tasted young on day 1. Finished up bottle 4 days later and was much better - really opened up and showed potential. Drink now or hold, will only get better with time.
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6/13/2014 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking this way too early... But it's quiet nice, just not ready
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5/2/2014 - snarfglk wrote: 90 Points
A solid sauternes.
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3/29/2014 - CabIsKing wrote: 91 Points
Nice nose of pineapple, apricots, honey and hints of vanilla. Thick and sweet on the tongue with a medium finish. Very enjoyable wine.
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3/11/2014 - Marc wrote: 90 Points
Dinner with Friends - Dominus, Trimbach, Coutet (Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand): Outstanding Barsac that is still young and to to reach early maturity. Opulent, sweet and quite botrytised - this wine features generous creamy new oak. I think this wine will be even better in 6 - 10 years. (90+)
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2/21/2014 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 92 Points
Very good right now, but still youthful. I would give it some time, it might become a bit special
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2/6/2014 - HowardNZ Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinks for Andrew M's 50th: The nose is vivid pineapple, also honey, apricots and other tropical fruits. The aromas are ripe, but not in any way overripe. The Barsac has a nice, pure entry with good freshness and a good acid balance. Smooth. Pineapple and honey flavours, a little nougat, a lovely expression. It has good viscosity and structure and good length. It is in no way broad or flabby, but, to me anyway, it lacks the laser-like precision of the very best Sauternes/Barsacs (eg Climens 2007) and could do with more complexity. Very enjoyable nonetheless and I would expect it to improve over the next decade or more. 91
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1/31/2014 - Rezy13 wrote:
From 375mL; golden (tawnyish) with green hues; intense honey, white raisin, obviously very sweet from the nose, dried pineapple note give it some snap; vanilla custard, viscous, sweet, some orange marmalade, vanilla extract echoes on the finish; needs more time.
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1/3/2014 - Rezy13 wrote:
At the end of the evening this still showed like a fat youngster in need of some maturation.
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12/11/2013 - Rezy13 Likes this wine:
Dinner at Ristorante Firenze (Norcross, GA): A more youthful looking light golden yellow; the nose is classic young Sauternes (Barsac) with spicy pineapple, honey, and white raisin; the palate is thicker and just a bit fatter without the lift of the Climens but very tasty nonetheless.
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10/31/2013 - Greg Munyard wrote:
Sweet, attractive palate of quite viscous pear juice (predominantly), some honey and a touch of nutmeg. Although flavour has improved considerably over the last 3 years, the wine still lacks complexity and would benefit from more acid lift, too. Much preferred the (more complex) 05 Rieussec that we had last night, and the impressive 09 Coutet.
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8/31/2013 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points
An anniversary dinner and a couple of wines (Marea, NYC): In the glass, clear yellow-gold, with some viscosity. On the nose, peaches, apples, and a slight hint of caramel. On the palate, smooth texture with clean impressions of syrupy fruit, and a moderately long finish.
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8/12/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
With powerful scents of pineapple, apricots, peach, nectarine and vanilla custard all drenched in honey, you know you cannot wait to taste the wine. It delivers there as well, with its sweet, spicy, fat juicy, tropical fruit and honey flavors. Drink it now, or age it for a decade or more.
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5/25/2013 - JerM wrote: 92 Points
(Justina's bday Brunner!) Amber honey in glass, with marmalade, beeswax, honeysuckle, dried apricot, buttered brioche and some toasted cashew on the nose. Yet more marmalade, green grassy crispness. Not quite as lean as some other years, but still keeping a lovely, beautiful balance, ending on an infinite finish. Sunshine in a glass on a frosty morning!
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5/19/2013 - meistereder wrote: 95 Points
This is the wine to pair with an epoisse.
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4/30/2013 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 87 Points
Château Coutet Masterclass with Aline Baly (Domaine, Chicago): Tasted at a “Château Coutet Masterclass” with Aline Baly. Pale gold color. Meaty nose of honeysuckle, greenery and mint. The flavor profile of this is faintly peppery and a bit muted overall, with a long but lean finish and sedate acidity. This vintage is meant to be a classic for Barsac/Sauternes, but I’m not convinced based on this example.
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4/15/2013 - ziavino wrote: 92 Points
Loads of pineapple, apricot, and tobacco on the nose and the palate. Vibrant acidity to keep it honest. Outstanding value for Sauternes.
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2/23/2013 - grafstrb wrote:
Expressive Nose. Adequate acidity. Young, but nonetheless open.
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12/13/2012 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Monthly Tasting Group LTB 2012-10; Mature Sauternes (By VD): A very elegant wine with a lot of good sweetness which is not extremely sticky. Honey, flowers and some nutmeg. Good acidity. Delicious wine, but a little less complex than e.g. 2001.
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8/14/2012 - ericindc wrote: 88 Points
Drank from 1/2 bottle. Heavy botyrized nose, with some residual sugar, pineapple, and melon. Heavier body than expected. Pineapple, quince, stone fruit, some honey sweetness, and long finish, including a long aftertaste. Does have a touch of heat on the end. This needs some more time. I would wait until 2015 to open another bottle.
Thought this would go good with spicy Thai food. No go, it was too heavy and sugary for the food. The 03 Guiraud was much better with Thai.
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4/18/2012 - LelouchViBritannia wrote: 90 Points
Disappoint for the vintage, luckily the full bottle was only $32. Light bodied, slightly hot, pineapple, little sweetness or depth, short finish.
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3/31/2012 - prof b wrote: 91 Points
pineapples, apricot, figs. excellent wine.
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12/5/2011 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 92 Points
Terroir-istes International - Italy-Piedmont-Barolo-Aldo Conterno (Rodwell House): (Served as a half bottle): the bouquet reveals tilled soil, botrytis rot, beeswax, apricot and pineapple in syrup. A creamed honey element drives through the wine, making it full, sweet and very rich. The mid-palate has some button mushroom, glycerol with botrytic spices with a very generous warming alcohol.
Very tertiary notes play off against some exotic fruit components that give it plushness.
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12/4/2011 - Dids wrote: 90 Points
Classic Coutet, light of foot, but complex and interesting. Coconut, apricot, touch of pineapple, soupcon of lime in the palate, botrytris. pain grille and ginger spice in the harmonious finish, long refreshing length.
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10/6/2011 - TannicBeast wrote: 93 Points
Tasted blind from a decanter. Clear, medium gold. The nose is clean, pronounced and developing, with an amazing range of aromas, including tropical (pineapple and banana), stone fruit (apricot and ripe peaches), mineral (petrol, and stone) and dried fruit (baked fruits). The palate is sweet, but balanced by medium plus acidity. The alcohol is medium plus, as is the flavor intensity. The alcohol is medium plus, the body is full and the finish is long. Overall, this is a really outstanding wine which can be drunk now but has the potential for improving considerably with some more ageing. Excellent by itself or as an accompaniment to dessert.
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10/2/2011 - TannicBeast wrote: 92 Points
An outstanding wine. Needs some more time to fully come into its own. It is selling for $75 locally, which seems a little much.
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9/21/2011 - marcelm wrote: 88 Points
Honey, pineapple, mango, sweet but short finish which disappoints.
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9/18/2011 - Sovinator Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lightly golden color. Honey, pineapple, and slight vanilla notes. A bit syrupy, but thoroughly enjoyable
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7/15/2011 - aagrawal wrote: 88 Points
Nose is reticent today, closed down. It perked up just a bit over the next few hours, but I wouldn't open another bottle for at least 5-10 years. 88++ today.
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7/8/2011 - jkoenen wrote:
Impromptu tasting @ my place (Netherlands): Short impression: baked banana, peppery botrytis, good concentration but enough freshness and vigour to keep it lively. Very noble and aristocratic, but way to young. Lots of cellaring potential.
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6/19/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
Wedding Lunch + Casual High-Tea: Alcohol :: 14%
Always great to see a wine with such a bright golden color. The usual bortrytis nose with honey, wax, almond and super ripe yellow fruits, sweet and seductive, with a tad rubbery tone that often found from a young Sauternes. The temperature wasn't cold enough, but this intense, rich and bold wine remained well-balance. Very rich, opulent, with good concentration of bortrytis fruits, almost sticky, opulent mouth feel with just enough level of sweet acidity that keep the wine in shape and clean, with underlying sense of elegance. I would prefer a tad more lively acidity to give this better lift and definition. But I'm splitting hair here, as this is a lovely Sauternes that is very delicious even at this young stage. Buy - Maybe - Yes.
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5/30/2011 - Arthur4wine wrote: 91 Points
We served this Sauterne with appetizers and several pates. Excellent match. This is still a young wine and will benefit greatly by aging.
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5/23/2011 - VHJV wrote: 92 Points
This is very primary with a thick texture and not too much initial complexity. After an hour in the glass, however, it became a much more complete and complex Sauternes with a good balance and a lot of material. This will be great with enough age.
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1/24/2011 - SimonG wrote:
Mid yellow. A slightly liquer-like nose of mandarins, orange and a touch of barley water. Mid sweetness, pleasant but not a showstopper. Positive finish. ***
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11/26/2010 - markjanes wrote:
Similar notes to last bottle...
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10/25/2010 - MVSP wrote: 87 Points
A little disappointing at this visit. Just not very lucious and the finish was slightly bitter, which ruined the overall experience. Not bad, but there is better out there.
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10/11/2010 - oenoguzzler wrote: 90 Points
Not as impressive as I was expecting. Short finish and not wonderfully viscous and rich in glycerol as I had hoped (as I find in many good Sauternes/Barsacs). What it DOES have is good however: aroma of petrol, lemon zest, orange, and white flowers. Prominent dried apricot flavors, but not very deep or persistent overall. Not worth the $40 I paid. One of the more lighter and fleeting on the palate wines I have had of its type.
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5/29/2010 - pizzler wrote: 93 Points
Very drinkable now, well balanced and a long long finish, candied honeysuckle taste with hints of lemon/lime, very delicious and heavy, without being laboriously so; three of us consumed a bottle in an evening, and while it took some effort (someone has to do it), it was great to the last drop.
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5/8/2010 - stadler wrote: 92 Points
Salon de la revue des vins de France 2010 (Paris, France): Très grand vin, toujours surprenant au nez, comme Yquem, Rieussec, des herbes aromatiques notamment...mais il a une finesse en bouche bien à lui qui le classe en Barsac (?). Le corps est là mais le sucre reste discret, ne pas hésiter (seul hic : cher aujourd'hui).
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4/4/2010 - markjanes wrote: 88 Points
Dark color, appropriate yellowish rim. On the nose good intensity of very primary aromas... apricot, honey... vanilla and baking spice from new barrique use... very nice minerality, low VA. On the palate the wine seems a little less than the typical 110 g/L, the wine has very high acidity, moderate amount of flesh and lushness for Sauernes... finishes with good firmness from the oak and moderate + alcohol as one would expect. Great balance between intensity of fruit and high amount of new barrique use, good balance between RS and acidity, average length, good intensity, appropriate complexity at this stage. High on finesse for Sauternes, firmishly textured now, classic expression of place. This is not a big and lush style Sauternes and it is not gooey from botrytis... it is a bit tight and firm and will need several more years to show its true colors...
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3/6/2010 - Badfish wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux Update (Wine Exchange - Orange, CA): Exceedingly charming and complex on the nose here with delicate flowers, preserved lemons, pineapple, mango, and stone fruits. Glossy and super seductive on the palate with gobs of detailed flavors such as agave nectar, honey, botrytis spice, and apple pie. If there is one criticism to be said this is a touch fat but it is superb nonetheless with great complexity and effortlessness on the finish.
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12/12/2009 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Anita: Great pineapple notes, juicy fresh apricot, med. petrol notes, really well bal w/good concentration and fin. Very nice Sauternes-Barsac. Should improve over time!
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12/11/2009 - alphabiotics wrote: 96 Points
Extraordinary and just lovely! I would never have guessed I could drink several glasses of Sauternes based on experience todate - but wow here I could (and almost did) drink a full bottle! Lovely pineapple flavor with balance, freshness, complexity and with some lovely acidity making for an amazingly elegant and delicious wine. Has to be one of my all time favorite wines. Served with delicious hor d'oeuvres .
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9/26/2009 - mukden wrote: 95 Points
GREAT YES. This is very young yet you could drink the whole case now (shown in the picture I added) and, of course, live to regret it. After drinking 2, I will resist until next year and provide a more reflective report.
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9/12/2009 - pian0_player wrote: 95 Points
Huge Sauternes. Tropical fruits, ripe boytris, powerful and elegant. Long finish, complex and lovely. Stunning.
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8/4/2009 - Wink wrote: 90 Points
Served to guests after dinner. Didn't take notes. Golden/yellow color. Nose of honey and pear. Palate of pineapple, pear, spice and minerals. good length. Will be better with another five+ years in the cellar.
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1/26/2009 - jrobs7777 wrote:
Union des Grand Cru Tasting (Lighthouse (Pier 61, Chelsea Piers)): At UGC Grand Tasting in New York. Met expectations. This was much better than the 05 and was well balance with a touch of acidity.
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1/26/2009 - ews3 wrote: 94 Points
Union des Grand Crus 2005 & 2006 Bordeaux Tasting - NYC (Lighthouse, NYC): very well balanced
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1/24/2009 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
UGC LA: Honey, sweet, apricot; will age well.
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1/19/2009 - grafstrb wrote: 91 Points
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind --
NOSE: marmalade; lightly honeyed; medium botrytis spice; somewhat complex.
BODY: golden yellow color of medium depth; medium-full bodied.
TASTE: nice spicy (cloves) flavor of golden raisins dominates; a note of honey chimes-in, as well; not as complex right now on the palate as the bouquet, but this is a very nice Sauternes, nonetheless. Will be better with time.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
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12/29/2008 - ludwigbpm wrote: 92 Points
Ce vin est loin d'être complet pour l'instant, mais risque de représenter une belle surprise dans 5 à 10 ans. Il se présente aujourd'hui très aromatique, concentré de fruits confits et d'ananas. La matière est très riche, avec une petite lourdeur en finale et des notes de torréfaction. Beau Barsac à garder impérativement plusieurs années.
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10/15/2008 - cgrimes wrote: 94 Points
Lighter yellow than the Tour Blanche. Beautiful nose of flowers, apricots, honey. Similar palate with some spiciness and good acidity. More floral and delicate than the Tour Blanche, but these two were my favorites of the night.
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10/15/2008 - Kirk Grant wrote:
A simple nose of honey and nectarines. In the mouth this was light and beautiful as flavors of lemon meringue, pie crust, and orange rind are supported by a nice core of acidity and glycerine to roll across a great mout-feel for this wine...OUTSTANDING!
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9/24/2008 - soyhead wrote: 90 Points
nose - peach, apricot, honeysuckle.
mouth - per Kelvin 'sickly sweet' but that's they way aha aha we like it
good acidity and phenomenal with blue cheese. honey tinged
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5/26/2008 - Paul S wrote: 90 Points
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2005 vintage tasting and dinner (Conrad Interntational, Singapore): UGC tasting. Pretty citursy marmalade, and white chocolatey flavours. Not bad, but rather too sweet for my liking. Certainly as sweet as the Climens and the Guiraud, but lacking the complexity and the layered flavours. Not anywhere near as elegant as the Doisy Daene.
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5/10/2008 - cab blends wrote: 92 Points
AHA Hearts Delight - Bordeaux 2005 Wine Tasting: Banana finish with a very strong mid palate
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4/26/2008 - EMichels wrote: 86 Points
K&L Hollywood Tasting: Soft nose; Canned peaches; Honey
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4/26/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote:
This is a massively heavy wine with a big dose of botrytis. Apricot and citrus dominate throughout. I almost recommend chilling this down to 48° or so just to take a bit of the edge off.
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1/22/2008 - Vino Me wrote: 90 Points
2005 Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting (Drake Hotel, Chicago, Illinois): Better than the 2003 vintage but not as good as the 2001 because it lacked the complexity of the 2001. Sweet with very little botrytis that I could tell. Notes of guava and pineapple. 90 points.
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1/19/2008 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
2005 Bordeaux @ Union des Grand Crus (San Francisco, CA): Very sweet and thick. Dominated by tropical fruits and the sweetness. It lacks the aromatic complexity of Climens, but very fine indeed.
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1/19/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (San Francisco): Tasted at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux in SF. Quick notes: somewhat heavy on the mouth with strong orange citrus. Good.
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1/13/2008 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
Orange rind and peach, cloves and cinnamon – and very refined. The palate is fresh and rich, with depth. Though it is not as impressive as its Barsac neighbor Climens, it is a likely QPR to consider.
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4/8/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 91 Points
BORDEAUX 2005 / Sauternes tasted in 2006 (Bordeaux): Nose is somewhat closed, but the palate is very nice, with clearly spicy botrytis-based flavors plus clove and cinnamon and an intriguing note of ... freshly just-picked fig. The palate is full and the finish smooth and long. A tad hot? 90-92+
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