The Drink Business – Bordeaux 2025 en primeur: Sauternes & Barsac ‘very rich, very powerful’

Château Coutet 2025: 94-96/100
(Sauternes; 97% Sémillon; 2% Sauvignon blanc; 1% Muscadelle; 13.5% alcohol; rasted at the UGCB press tasting at the Cité du Vin). More delicate and subtle, more cystalline too, than many with a more essential sense of acidity and an associated balance too. There’s a finesse to this that is enticing and the botrytis character is not overly dominant. There is only just enough acidity here for me – though it does build towards the finish and that helps a lot. White melon, pink melon (delightfully) and a little rose water alongside the tarte tatin, tarte au citron and lemon meringue pie notes. There’s a touch of frangipane too and a little lime. It takes a while for one to hone in on its wavelength; but this is wonderful when one does.

Colin Hay