Winter was extremely mild, even milder than last year, despite a colder February. Late pruning partially delayed the resumption of the vine's development cycle, with budburst taking place between March 31 and April 3. During the plant's growth period, rainfall was 10% lower than the average for the last 30 years, with the deficit rising to 25% if the month of June is not taken into account. In fact, June had 60% more rainfall than normal, which had a considerable impact on the average.
At the same time, temperatures in 2023 were 1.5°C higher than the three-year average, with a particularly hot June (+3°C above normal). The summer period saw a total of 21 days with temperatures above 32°C, compared with 34 days in the summer of 2022. This reduction in hot spells helped pRéserver the acidity of the grapes. Botrytization began only during the week of September 15, thanks to heavy rainfall bringing a total of 60 mm of water; the rains at the beginning of the month were not sufficient, given the absence of fog, to initiate the process. Noble rot then developed rapidly over the following 15 days, thanks to temperatures in excess of 30*c.
During the first (September 20) and second (September 25 to 27) selections, passerillé grapes exposed to the setting sun and a few grapes with summer noble rot were picked. The batches resulting from these selections represent a volume of 85 hl, with a potential alcoholic strength by volume of around 21%. They will be used mainly in the Chartreuse blend of Coutet, bringing their vivacity and eXOtic character. The third sorting began on October 2, accompanied by record temperatures for the season (33° C). Botrytis was very present and qualitative. It developed very quickly, accelerating the pace of harvesting and requiring the mobilization of teams throughout the week and over the weekend. The grapes harvested showed potential alcoholic degrees of between 22.7 and 24.7%. These lots will form the core of the Château Coutet 2023 blend. The harvest ended on October 10 and 11 with the picking of the last remaining grapes. Potential alcoholic degrees are still very high, around 23-24%. The batches obtained are complex and interesting for final blending.
The wine reveals aromas of vine flowers, gunflint and roasted Botrytis notes, underlined by a touch of dried fig. Full-bodied and complex, it is generous, with elegant bitterness and freshness perfectly balancing its sweetness. It lingers delicately on notes of white flowers.
