2022 Coucy Confidences
Overview:
A Montagne Saint-Émilion estate with a storied past dating back to 1882, when the Galineau family took ownership and won their first medal at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris just thirteen years later. In 2017, a young winemaker took on the challenge of breathing new life into Château Coucy, combining the prestige of its historic terroir with a modern, deeply committed vision. The Confidences cuvée is the estate’s micro-prestige bottling — a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, hand-harvested and double-sorted from the very best parcels of clay and limestone soils. The wine is fully fermented and aged twenty-four months in new French oak barrels, then individually selected barrel-by-barrel for inclusion in this exceptional cuvée. The estate’s environmental commitment has been recognized with the High Environmental Value (HVE) certification, France’s highest level — a beautiful expression of where modern winemaking and centuries of tradition meet.
Bob's Review:
Wow! This is really good, and refreshingly different. Darker fruit, a softer limestone presence, and a finish I particularly love. The nose is unconventional and may surprise you — but stay with it, because the wine itself is excellent and very well made. Drink now or hold for five to ten years.
Additional Details:
Grape Varieties: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Wine Region: Montagne Saint-Émilion AOC, Bordeaux, France
Soil: Clay-limestone inclines, including the rare and prized “blue clay” that provides excellent water regulation during dry periods
Time in Barrels: 24 months
Type of Barrels: 100% new French oak barrels (also fully fermented in new French oak — integral vinification)
Additional Details:
- Confidences is the estate’s micro-prestige cuvée — a barrel-by-barrel selection of the highest-quality barrels
- Hand-harvested with a strict yield of just 30 hectoliters per hectare
- Grapes undergo two sortings (vibrating table and densimetric bath) before vinification
- Estate certified High Environmental Value (HVE) — France’s highest environmental certification
- Sustainable practices include winter sheep grazing for natural grass control, biocontrol pest management, and selective recycling
