Wine Words & Video Tape

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Fine Wine Review site

Château Coufran

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Address: 33180 Saint-Seurin de Cadourne

Telephone: +33 (0)5 56 59 31 02

E-mail: contact@chateau-coufran.com

Website: www.chateau-coufran.com

Enjoyable wines here which age well in my experience, solid, full of flavour and fruit and surprisingly well structured given the dominance of Merlot in the blend. Château Coufran has been owned by the Miailhe family since 1924. The property has really interesting terroir on the very northern edge of the Haut-Médoc. The wine looks in 2009 and 2010 and also produced a very bouncy and fresh 2012. The 2004 drunk recently was in good shape. Coufran releases the wines when they are ready and doesn’t offer en primeur.

Vineyard/Terroir: 76 hectares planted on Garonne gravel with 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Winemaking/Elevage: Temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel. Aged in barrel for twelve months, 25% of which are new each year. Consultant winemakers Jacques and Eric Boissenot. Grand vin comprises two thirds of the wine, the rest into the second label. No.2 de Coufran.

Tasting notes:

  • 2015 Mid depth; dark at core; creamy blackcurrants; nicely layered and attractive; full and ripe on the palate; some oak; balanced and attractively made red. Coufran releases a bit like Latour – when the wines are ready. [85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Drink 2022-2030. Tasted UGCB 5/4/16. 88-90+
  • 2014 Bold colour; earthy purple at edge; fresh and pretty fruit; summer fruit pudding, black cherry; very vibrant; nice fruit; good texture; lots of fruit here; soft tannins. Vibrant and full. Excellent Coufran. 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. 25% new oak. Drink 2019-2030. Tasted UGC 31 March, 2015. 88-90+
  • 2013 Mid depth; soft and attractive on the nose; blackfruits and some cream; quite clean palate; light and elegant and not overdone; acidity but not overly present and neither tannic on the finish. Light style. [85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Drink 2017-2023. Tasted UGCB April 2014. 84-86
  • 2012 Mid depth; vibrant edge; spicy fruit [like Beaumont]; blackcurrant and plums; lots of bounce, purity and freshness; fruit on the palate. Gutsy but bright fruit.  UGC Tuesday April 9, 2013. 86-87+
  • 2011 Mid depth; nice blackcurrant purity on the nose; depth here; chewy and dense on the palate with a lot of matter, acid and grip. Little austere but fresh. Drink 2016-2026. 86+ UGC Oct ’13 [Earlier note] Deep, saturated and vibrant looking; some dark cherry notes but a streak of leafy green too; palate oaky and dry tannins. Feels disjointed currently. Grippy, sappy fruit. Will settle into a leafy number. Tasted UGC. 83-85
  • 2010 Deepish; glossy looking; fresh blackcurrant aromas with black cherry and plum; some depth; pure blackcurrants on the palate; attractive; nice purity with extract, depth and grip. 88+/100 [Earlier] Deep and dense; needs to settle, some reductive qualities; feels tannic at present; chewy palate with density and extract – lots of substance. Good density and will be ok, lots of fruit. 86-88/100 Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC. [Second tasting] Very dense and dark; ripeness but thick and resinous; extracted feel; lots of material; chewy and masculine but very tannic on the finish on this second sample. May settle 85-87?/100 Tasted 7 April 2011 at UGC
  • 2009 Purple hues; mid depth and legs; lifted leaf and tobacco with blackcurrants and strawberry tones; spot on Haut-Medoc in 2009; blackcurrants, undergrowth and leaf; some chew here suggests a little time required to settle; Will develeop. Needs 2-3 years. Excellent Coufran! 88+/100 [Earlier] Deep, dark up to edge; sturdy nose; lots of ripeness too; attractive and ripe. Good chewy palate. Lots of guts and material. Good effort 88+/100 Tasted 30th March 2010.
  • 2008 Good colour, mid depth, some purple; some freshness here with strawberry notes; palate quite grippy and tannic. Should soften. OKish 84/100
  • 2007 Mid red; some layers to the nose [85% Merlot]; good palate; some intensity and guts; sturdy and attractive. Quite tannic but oksish.  82-84/100 Oct ‘09
  • 1996 Dark; good colour; sweaty, slightly earthy nose – a little rustic; tobacco and some leaf; old fashioned; chewy palate with guts; good length. 86/100 Sep ‘00 
  • 1986 Dark core, brown at edge; rich thick nose of tobacco, olives; substantial; warm and fully mature; palate sturdy with chocolately notes and smoky characters [blend merlot dominant]; warm and solid; little dry on the finish. Low in acid, very good; just starting to peak. 88/100 Dec ‘99 from magnum – probably now too old…

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