Vintages, Verticals, And The Delectable Chateau Coutet

One of the most interesting things about the world of wine is the fact that with each new vintage comes a swath of new bottles from all over the world. One will often hear critics and oenophiles compare newly released vintages with older ones that they perhaps have experienced enough to draw such comparisons. Well, in the scheme of things, we understand some folks’ need to label something in order to move on. However, just as 2011 was different from 2007, it’s exciting to experience different vintages because they are just that: different. Sure, there will always be similarities due to terroir, grape varieties, etc., but each vintage IS different. This is why the vintages are listed on the labels. You won’t see a bottle of 2009 Bordeaux that says parenthetically, (just like the 1982!). You just won’t.   With variety being the spice of life and all, many of us collect things. Much of the time these collections consist of different individual components with a common theme. A favorite novelist’s works for instance, can represent clear snapshots in time revealing where the writer was, mind and spirit, with each book. A catalog of a musical artist’s albums serves a similar purpose. With each read/listen, one gains a better and better understanding of the author/artist, and observes the changes that may occur over time. Taking all this into consideration, we can make a strong point stating that tasting a single producer’s wine over several vintages reveals not only a history of vintages past, but an ever focusing understanding of the true essence of said producer and their terroir. It is common practice among customers (and staff!) to collect multiple vintages of a particular producer’s wines for these very reasons. In most circumstances, it takes patience and a concentrated effort to build a vertical, as it’s sometimes difficult to source several vintages all at once. By virtue of our connections in Bordeaux, we’ve been able to source and offer you a 6 bottle vertical from Château Coutet.

Granted 1st Growth status in the 1855 Sauternes Classification, Château Coutet is 1 of only 2 Premier Cru chateaux in the village of Barsac. The unique terroir is comprised of clay on a limestone subsoil which is ideal for producing wines with fresh, lively acidity levels balancing harmoniously with the yummy botrytis-affected fruit. “Coutet” is not a family name, but a derivative of the Gascon word “couteau” or knife, as the wines’ fresh acidity “cuts” through the fruit in the finished product. We’re huge fans of Château Coutet, having co-hosted not 1, but 2 dinners last year with Aline Baly from the Château. It was a great honor last year, during the time of the En Primeur Bordeaux tastings, that I was able to visit Aline and Philippe at Château Coutet and see about their unique terroir firsthand! It was an experience I won’t be forgetting any time soon … if ever.   For the vertical, we have 3 vintages in stock and 3 vintages in France awaiting transport. To play it safe, we’ll say that the 3 pre-arrival vintages are expected to arrive in mid to late 2012. This is a great way to observe what has been done with a focused effort by the Chateau to make no compromises in the vineyard and cellar, and by making the right investments to continue its tradition of producing fresh, lively First Growth wines reflective of each individual vintage. The proof’s in the pudding! – Peter Zavialoff Château Coutet In-Stock:

2007 Chateau Coutet Sauternes (Barsac) Sweet Wine; Semillon; Bordeaux; $58.98

The overwhelming favorite from last year’s Bastille Day dinner at Range,tasting the 2007 Coutet is an ethereal experience indeed. – PZ   “This has a relatively simple but crisp nose with dried honey, apricot, quince and a touch of almond. The palate is well balanced with good acidity and botrytis, pure, quite linear with white peach, pear, a touch of mandarin and citrus acidity cutting through its viscous texture towards the finish. It improves the more it remains in the mouth, the nose seeming to absorb energy, the palate becoming ever more ‘pixilated’. This is another intellectual Sauternes that should age beautifully. Drink 2012-2030+ – 94 points” The Wine Advocate’s Neal Marin

2006 Chateau Coutet Sauternes (Barsac) Sweet Wine; Semillon; Bordeaux; $49.98

The wine I drank on my birthday in 2010. The 2006 is perfect to be enjoyed now and will gain in complexity over the next 10-15 years. – PZ   “This is a little flatter on the nose than other ’06 Sauternes: marmalade, orange peel and tangerine, with less delineation that I would hope for, with petrol aromas developing with time. The palate is rounded on the entry, more sugary than botrytized fruit, viscous honeyed notes and a touch of barley sugar with a linear, quintessential Barsac finish. – 90 points” The Wine Advocate’s Neal Martin

2005 Chateau Coutet Sauternes (Barsac) Sweet Wine; Semillon; Bordeaux; $59.98

It was back in ’08,at a 2005 Barsac/Sauternes tasting at Fort Mason, that I first tasted the delectable 2005 Coutet. Unforgettable. – PZ   “Passion fruit, white peach and nectarine, then a hint of white flowers. The palate has a good level of botrytis, quite minerally, nice tension with dried apricot and spicy, quince flavours coming through on the linear finish. Time should mellow this out. Excellent. Drink 2012-2025. Tasted January 2009. – 92 points” The Wine Advocate’s Neal Martin

Château Coutet On Pre-Arrival: Please note: Pre-arrival wines are expected to arrive mid to late 2012. You will be contacted when the wines arrive.

2009 Chateau Coutet Sauternes (Barsac) (Pre-Arrival) Sweet Wine; Semillon; Bordeaux; $70.00

Recently tasted at the 2009 UGC tasting in Santa Monica, this is a decadent Coutet, with all the bells and whistles firing as they should be! – PZ   “The Coutet 2009 is a sensational effort from Philippe Baly and his team. It has a fragrant nose of honey, vervain tea, pineapple, frangipane and apple-blossom, well defined if needing a little more vigour at the moment. The palate is vibrant on the entry, informed by touches of apricot and orange peel, very focused and tensile towards the long, sensuous, viscous finish. It has the same minerality exuded by Doisy-Daene and reminds me of a stellar ’62 tasted just a few weeks previously. A magnificent Coutet. – (96-98 points)” The Wine Advocate’s Neal Martin

2008 Chateau Coutet Sauternes (Barsac) (Pre-Arrival) Sweet Wine; Semillon; Bordeaux; $49.00

Tasted January 2011 at 2008 UGC tasting at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, I found it to be an aromatic masterpiece with complex layers upon layers. If it’s showing this well in its youth, it is sure going to be tough to wait and see what it will be like 10-15 years down the road! – PZ   “The 2008 Chateau Coutet has a very extroverted bouquet, with notes of tangerine, pink grapefruit, guava and pear drop, showing fine definition. The palate is well-balanced, with Coutet’s trademark citrus-driven entry segueing into a pure honeyed, mineral-rich finish that is linear, but very composed at this stage. This will need time, but it already displays that trademark race and tension that are the hallmarks of a great Coutet. Drink now-2040. – 92 points” The Wine Advocate’s Neal Martin

1999 Chateau Coutet Sauternes (Barsac) (Pre-Arrival) Sweet Wine; Semillon; Bordeaux; $39.00

Believe it or not, I have not tasted the 1999 Coutet … yet! – PZ   “Quite candied on the nose without the floral aspect that makes the 2002 so much more charming. Chalk dust, almond and white flowers. The palate is cohesive with good weight, quite minerally but does not fan out on the finish as I would wish. Starts well, but does not quite fulfill its promise on the finish. Medium-term Coutet, but quietly impressive. Tasted July 2006. – (90-92 points)” The Wine Advocate’s Neal Martin

Château Coutet Vertical:

Chateau Coutet 6 Bottle Vertical: 10% Off!!! $294.00

Save 10% on this normally non-discountable wine! 1 bottle each of 2009 (pre-arrival), 2008 (pre-arrival), 2007, 2006, 2005, and 1999 (pre-arrival)!

To Pair With The Exotic: 2007 Barsac/Sauternes

Sweet indeed. Happy Labor Day weekend! I hope everyone is enjoying these three days, no matter what you do. Labor Day is a lot of things for a lot of people. An old friend of mine once told me that he was melancholy on Labor Day as it was the weekend that he and his family would close down their lakeside cottage in upstate NY. Funny thing was he really loved doing it. Some other friends are annual fixtures at the Sausalito Art Festival, and they generously open their nearby house for friends and family before, during and after the music. For me, there is usually a good chance my birthday lands during this weekend. Emily once told me that she drinks Viognier every year on her birthday, and I thought that was such a good idea that I immediately held a vote on what my annual bottle should be (it was a close race, but I won 1-0), and established the tradition last year. If you know me at all, it’s pretty easy to guess what I had and will continue to have on my birthday from now on. Gold Wine from Bordeaux, sweeeeet!

I could go on an on, and I have, but no day of celebration for me would be complete without a regal glass of wine from Barsac/Sauternes. If just as an aperitif, or with foie gras (insert obvious eye roll here), with blue cheese (more eye rollin’), or with dinner itself; it’s just got to be there. And it will be.

2007 was a sensational vintage for the Barsac/Sauternes region. The wines are marked with fresh, crisp acidity and that really helps to keep things in balance and accentuate the complexity of the wines. The now sold out 2007 Climens made our top 10 last year, and was the only wine I have ever predicted would get a perfect score from an influential critic after I tasted it (Neal Martin gave it 99+, so I was wrong). But I find the 2007 vintage to be quite compelling for these wines across the board. If you seek freshness and lively acidity in your Sauternes, you’re going to love these. They’re fantastic with food, I’m thinking lobster (yeah, that’s kind of obvious), or wok-tossed prawns, maybe a Vietnamese pork sandwich, or Chile Rellenos (okay, now I’m starving), a glass of 2007 Gold Wine will do you right! I’ve listed below our current stock of in-stock 2007 Barsac/Sauternes. Won’t you join me in a toast to the wonderful complexity of the wines from Barsac/Sauternes with a glass of wine from Barsac/Sauternes? – Peter Zavialoff

Please feel free to email me regarding Bordeaux’s Gold Wines, this year’s Champions’ League draws, or anything else: peter.winehouse@sbcglobal.net

Bastille Day 2011: Château Coutet Dinner At Range Restaurant

On July 14, all the cosmic tumblers aligned themselves as 55+ diners packed themselves into Range Restaurant for a very special evening. The concept was unusual; can you enjoy Bordeaux’s Gold wines (Barsac/Sauternes) throughout an entire dinner? Back in January, we had a very successful dinner doing just that at Bruce Hill’s Restaurant Picco in Marin. Well, now it was Bastille Day, it was warm and sunny in San Francisco, and Range Restaurant’s Chef Phil West concocted a tour de force of flavor and texture to accompany three vintages of Château Coutet. Aline Baly, who joined us all the way from Château Coutet in Barsac, was there to present the wines (I told you; we had ALL the cosmic tumblers in place). Ms. Baly made time to visit with everyone and she surprised us all with a taste of an older vintage. It was truly an unforgettable evening with smiles and praise bursting from both of the dining rooms. Aline mentioned that one minute she remembered sitting down and the next thing she knew, it was time to leave! Time flies when you’re having fun, eh? Even 4 weeks after the dinner, I received an email from one attendee calling the event, “Stupendous”, and continue to receive phone calls from others thanking us again and asking to be kept in the loop regarding any future Gold Wine dinners! A smashing time for all, myself included. Here’s how it went down:

Guests were treated to a fizzy, raspberry infused cocktail upon arrival in addition to roasted padron peppers that made their way around Range’s reception area. As the reception area filled up, we headed for the tables. Coordinating a pairing dinner for over 55 guests is a difficult task. Hats off to our friends Cameron and Phil West and their staff at Range Restaurant for their impeccable eye for detail. Every facet of the dinner was perfect. Diners were first served a pour of 2007 Château Coutet with an amuse bouche, which in this case consisted of plain custard topped with caviar. Smash hit #1. The flavor of the caviar and texture of the custard created a finish line tape that the 2007 Coutet cut right through with stunning harmony. Staying with the 2007, out came an English Pea stuffed pasta with black truffles and trumpet mushrooms. Again, the depth, earthiness and texture of the pea stuffed pasta and fungi provided the hanging curve ball that the 2007 Coutet slammed out of the ballpark with its freshness, depth and complexity. Spirits were high in anticipation of what was to come.

Fresh glasses came out closely followed by bottles of the 2006 Coutet. A very underrated Sauternes vintage in my opinion. It’s a precocious wine of great balance, citrus and spice-like complexity, and fresh bright acidity. Chef’s idea for the 2006? Oysters Diablo. That would be two baked oysters in a creamy sauce with a hint of cayenne pepper to be eaten upon wafer-thin crispy toast. Flavors and textures; the pairing was so perfect that the thought of a bite of Oysters Diablo without a sip of 2006 Coutet was unthinkable. More praise from both dining rooms. Hitting high gear now, we were presented with the main course: Grilled quail on a bed of hominy with broccoli rabe and pancetta in a green peppercorn sauce. What a perfect set up for the profoundly botrytised 2005 Coutet! Its texture, depth and richness clearly demonstrated how versatile Gold wine can be. Most successful food/wine pairings are either complementary or contrasting, and this one was a little of both. The wine shined in complementary fashion with the flavors of the quail and hominy while simultaneously contrasting the nuances of the rabe, pancetta and green peppercorns. Talk about a lot going on! If that wasn’t enough, Aline then surprised everyone with a taste of Coutet 1989! In a word, the wine was stunning. 20 years has been good to this wine as the amalgam of complexity stretches the palate. Buoyed by its quintessential Barsac fresh acidity, the 1989 grabbed dinner guests much like early Technicolor films grabbed audiences used to black and white. What a treat. Thanks Aline!

Yes, the cosmic tumblers were aligned. It was pure harmonic convergence for foodies and wine people. The overwhelmingly obvious answer to the question is YES – YOU CAN DRINK SWEET WINES WITH YOUR DINNER! At least, along with Aline Baly of Château Coutet, we’re 2 for 2 in 2011.

By the way, there were some huge fans of the Château there too. Believe it or not, a couple of diners were responsible for bringing (and sharing a little) 1971, 1949, and get this, 1926 Coutet!  The 1926 being the oldest vintage that Aline herself has tasted. It was indeed a very memorable evening leaving all parties involved satisfied and happy.

Once again, we’d like to thank Aline Baly of Château Coutet for all of her efforts in addition to taking the time to join us and for providing the surprise vintage. Thanks go out to Jon Sillcocks from Range Restaurant for helping get this from fantasy to reality. To Cameron and Chef Phil West of Range Restaurant for their professionalism and for hosting such a fantastic dinner party. To the staff of Range Restaurant for their unparalleled level of service. To Monty Sander and Tom Fuller of Fuller & Sander Communications for their part in coordinating (and Tom for the above photos). And most of all, thanks to all of you who attended the event. Your participation and appreciation made it all worth it! – Peter Zavialoff, The Wine House San Francisco