Wine Words & Video Tape

Wine, Words and Videotape

Fine Wine Review site

Château La Couspaude

017

Address: BP 40 33330 St Emilion

Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 40 15 76

E-mail: vignobles.aubert@wanadoo.fr

Website: www.la-couspaude.com

Vineyard/Terroir: Château La Couspaude has a 7 hectare walled vineyard on clay-limestone soils planted with 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Estate classified a Grand Cru.

Winemaking/Elevage: Aged in barrel, 100% new each year.

Tasting note:

  • 2015 Mid depth; purple edge; some black chocolate; black fruits; soft entry on the palate; nice Merlot; some grip and chew to the fruit; structure evident; needs to settle. Goodish effort. [75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon 14% alc] Drink 2020-2028. 87-89+
  • 2014 Mid depth; soft, satiny red fruits; toasty oak; ripe strawberries; plums; toast again; fruit and oak at present; little disjointed; lots of wood to integrate with the fruit; little submerged presently; extracted and bit dry on finish. Needs to settle and possibly a bit over-cooked. [75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2019-2028. 5. Tasted UGC 1st April ’15. 85-87?
  • 2013 Mid depth; lacks a bit of vibrancy in the glass; little leafy note, some sweetness, vanilla; again leafy note on entry with some spicy/menthol characters; little vegetal streak? Will probably clear up. Not pushed though. [80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted April 2, 2014 UGC. 85-87
  • 2012 Deepish colour; spicy red fruits on the nose; some menthol and fresh tones; little more grip and sap on the palate than some [not a bad thing]; good fruit; acttractive, sappy St Emilion if with slightly chunky tannins. Drink now-2022. 88+ UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and saturated look; lifted nose; pretty fruits; some spice and layers; feels plush again and nice vibrancy here; attractive palate with depth and purity and chew; very toasty finish. La Couspaude delivers flavoursome St Emilion. 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc. 89-91 UGC Wednesday April 10, 2013
  • 2011 Deep and dark; lifted blackfruits, some leaf and liquorice; palate chewy and tannic at present – palate little saturated with oak tannin. Feels a bit over-oaked to me now its completed elevage. Drink 2016-2021 87? UGC Oct ’13 [Earlier note]Deep and saturated in glass; some lift and leaf, little jam, faintest vegetal whiff; lifted red fruits; red fruit on palate ripe and lots of flavour; new oak influence but not dry – has all the elements. Toasty, oak finish but lots of fruit here. Like Couspaude. Tasted UGC 4/4/12. 89-91
  • 2010 Deep and dense; pretty attractive nose; some floral notes with sweet oak at the back; seductive; palate nicely done, concentrated with extract but not too tannic. Wood showing. Chewy finish. Pretty good. 88-90/100 6 April 2011 UGC
  • 2009 Deep and saturated looking; very deep at the centre; attractive plumy fruit which is fresh [yippee!]; pretty layered, thick and ripe; lots of saturation and flavour; spicy tones, spicy plums with tannin at the end but nicely done. Drink now – 2025. 91+ MW Institute Nov ’13 [Earlier note] Big colour; deep; cherry, some stalk and undergrowth; easy style; some spice and warmth; attractive and not overdone; chew here but life and warmth too. Spicy St Emilion and with good balance. 91/100 Oct ’11 [Earlier] Deep black, arterial; attractive open fruit style; lots of sweet strawberry and red fruits; enticing; palate quite clean and fruit clean and delineated; lots of ripe fruit here and well judged; Little coffee and mocha at the back. Length. I prefer this style at present in 2009. Potentially very good. [Later] Lots of fruit here; ripe and full, good St Emilion. 90-92+/100
  • 2008 Mid depth, close to the edge; some freshness, some cherry and strawberry on the nose with some oomph but good; some espresso and coffee too along with stalks, blackcurrants and oak; good intense palate not overdone, plummy and dense. La Couspaude always produces attractive and enjoyable St Emilion. This is good 90+/100 UGC Oct‘10
  • 2007 Thick and deep looking; some satin and rasin; meaty edge; rocks; thickish; quite saturated in flavour; almost Chateauneuf. Chewy and tannic but there is enough fruit. 86+/100 [Earlier] Mid depth; some coffee and mocha; bit light; some oak notes; soft, slightly herbal palate; easy going with nice fruit. Not complex but very agreeable and soft. 86/100 UGC tasting Oct ‘09
  • 2006 Dense and extracted; really saturated look; some figs and molasses on the nose; very ripe, saturated in aroma and in colour; palate in line too – extracted with strong tannins. Bit of a disappointment as La Couspaude usually works for me. 86-88/100 ‘10

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Follow Us