Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

From the Chicago Wine Company. $33/750. I bought a case to split with my neighbor. It seemed like a really good price, and in addition to some stellar professional reviews I was greatly influenced by reviews here by Patrick and Stefan.

I shared a 1/2 bottle of 2002 Doisy Vedrines with my neighbors on Saturday. They wanted to pick my brains about French wine (imagine that) for starters at a wine party they're hosting later this year. I suggested Sauternes or Champagne and got the DV to illustrate. They liked the idea (uh, they've drunk Yquem so not sure why they needed my help) and I offered to turn up a few sources for them. When I saw this wine for this price I had to pick up a few bottles too.

Website said there were 12 or more bottles available before I purchased. So if anybody's interested take a look to see if there's any left.

Good score. Hope you like it. If not, I'll happily take it off your hands.

These days, Coutet costs about half the price of Climens.
And no one can say it's half as good!
Quality has always been good, and is even better recently I find.

There's an American connection here. Two Alsatian brothers own the château. One lives in America and his daughter, Aline Baly, who was raised there, is currently being groomed to take over management.

Best regards,
Alex R.

Alex. I will slightly disagree with you. While I feel their heart were in the right place, Coutet had a rough patch for over a decade in the last century. But they are upping their game recently.

That's an unbelievable price there. Cheaper than what I must have paid EP. Maybe I should get back on the CWC mailling list; I think I only bought one or two orders from them ever in the 90s.

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03 Coutet [Barsac] The SO and I shared a split of this over the last two nights -- with no risk of any leftovers needing to be frozen. It's a dark golden color, thick and viscous in its body. It feels bigger than most Coutet, which are in my mind among the more flexible of Sauternes, being capable of serving both as dessert wines, and dinner sweet wines with some foods. It has a nose of glaceed apricots, honey, and maybe cardamon. Long 45-60 second finish. There isn't the same acidity and lift that vintages like 01 have, but its a wonderful wine. I put a good bunch down and they are drinking very well today. It's a solid A in my book, in the syrupy 1990 vintage style.

Yummy! Still have two brown-ish 1989's waiting for me. Been at Coutet in 2006. Wonderful property with friendly people.

The 2001 Coutet is drinking well these days. If one is a Sauternes lover, auction and WineBid especially are a fantastic source of mature bottles. I recently bought 2 bottles on WineBid of the 86 Climens (750 ml) for $55 each + 15% premium. Admittedly, that was a screaming deal, but there is just so much well-priced stickies there, I had to stop checking.

Another split of the 2003 last night, and I would rate it as an A-. It's a dark golden, viscous and showing great cardamon and Asian spices. Not the same verve as other Coutets, but still a great example.

Houndsong got a great deal; I think I paid $20/375ml EP so considering time value of money and storage costs/effort it's even more when a fully loaded cost is estimated.

There isn't much bid for Sauternes nowadays.

Sokolin acquired a small Sauternes consignment back in 2012 and were blowing it out and I picked up an OWC of 750’s of the 2003 Coutet for $24.99/btl. I’ve always liked this estate and this wine in particular and I generally find that the 2nd glass is markedly better than the first as it improves with a little air.

Nice purchase!