1937 Coutet

There are few elixirs that equal mature Sauternes or Barsac. The 1937 Château Coutet made a huge impression when it completed a bibulous dinner in Bordeaux. Coutet is renowned for its often razor-sharp acidity that differentiates it from Climens or Doisy-Védrines. According to Clive Coates MW, Henri-Louis Guy, an industrialist from Lyon, bought the property in 1925. Guy made his money in hydraulic presses, and installed them at Coutet. Those vertical presses are apparently still used today. Guy passed away shortly after buying the estate, although I do not know the exact year. I suspect that by 1937 Guy’s daughter had taken over the running of the estate and it was she who inspired the Cuvée Madame that debuted in 1943. A majority of the vines were Sémillon, the remainder Sauvignon Blanc, although the exact blend is lost in the sands of time. The present owners, the Baly family, acquired Coutet in 1977.