Coutet 2019 (750ML)

97 DE / 95 VM / 94 JS / 95-97+ WA / 93-95 JD

Intense exotic fruits abound, powerful apricot, nectarine, white flowers and white truffles with excellent bitter almonds on the finish that works so well as a counterpoint to the luxurious texture. I love this, silky and seductive yet strict. Philippe Dhalluin of Mouton does the blend here since 2009 along with the family. - Jane Anson, Decanter

The 2019 Coutet has a very intense bouquet of wild honey, saffron, dried pineapple chunks and a touch of cold, wet stones, all imbued with palpable joie-de-vivre. The taut, fresh palate is underpinned by a silver bead of acidity (always one of this Barsac's leitmotifs), offering clementine, peach and nectarine toward the persistent finish. A joy. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

Wildflower honey, dried pineapple, candied lemon, with an exotic ginger and cumin spice here and marmalade on the nose. Waxy and luscious balanced by fresh acidity. Spicy, unctuous but also delicate. Drink now or hold. - James Suckling

The pale lemon-gold colored 2019 Coutet is a thrill ride from the get-go, exploding from the glass with fantastically intense scents of tangerine peel, lime blossoms and lemon marmalade over a core of pineapple upside-down cake, candied ginger, ripe apricots and clover honey plus suggestions of chanterelles and musk perfume. The palate is equally electric and exhilarating, prancing around the palate with a whole myriad of candied citrus, stone fruit and citrus flavors, charged by a racy backbone of acidity, finishing beautifully textured and with an epically long firework display of minerals. Apart from all that, it is pretty darn delicious. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate

Lots of pure honeycomb, candied orange, quince, and white flower notes all emerge from the 2019 Château Coutet, another balanced, sweetly fruited dessert wine from 2019 with lots to love. I don't think it's going to match the 2016, but it's certainly in the same class as the 2017. It's going to shine right out of the gate yet keep for 15-20 years in cold cellars. -Jeb Dunnuck