Updated: Nov 3, 2024
Château La Couspaude is a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe that has been part of the Aubert family's heritage since 1750. The 2007 vintage stylistics is unique, though. The 2007 fruit was expressive yet suppressed; it was the traditional approach of using new oak and extended oak fermentation. This process results in a wine with a light and soft texture, ripe red and black fruits, and an herbal finish on the palate. While it may lack some complexity, these unique characteristics make it a wine that still pleases the senses. It is elegant and exhibits a well-integrated grip with a medium mineral finish. This standard's high and consistent scores testify to its unique qualities. For example, WE 93 describes it as a dense wine full of tannins and black currant fruit, solid and concentrated. It has a dark, firm character with fine ageing potential. It is a well-balanced wine with good ageing potential and a recommended drink from 2023.
Andreas Larsson's 93 comment is as follows. Dense dark colour with a purple hue. Ripe nose with wild berries, cassis, fine oak, tobacco, and sage. The palate is ample with lush dark fruit, finely balanced by vibrant acidity and grainy tannin—Digest fruit flavours with finely tuned oak and a long lingering finish.
The Wine Independent also gave 93.
Château La Couspaude consistently garners high scores from wine critics, with most ratings falling in the 90-point range. These scores are a testament to the wine's exceptional quality and unique character, as recognized by experts in the field. The wine's distinctiveness, resulting from the winery's unwavering commitment to quality, will pique your curiosity and invite you to explore its nuances.
RP did not score this wine; he only scored the 2018 vintage, which was RP94. Old and new vintages blend roughly 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes grown on a 7-hectare vineyard with vines averaging 50 years old. Older vintages used aged oak to surface fruit in the 1990s, 2000s, and early 2010s. Newer vintages use new oak to increase species, structure, palate length, and complexity over the long term. Regardless of vintages, the grapes are hand-harvested in small crates and chosen by plot. This meticulous process, from the careful selection of grapes to the manual punching of the cap during pre-fermentation maceration and the 18 to 20-month ageing period, ensures a wine of exceptional quality and character. This commitment to quality is a hallmark of the winery and is reflected in every bottle of Château La Couspaude.
Many thanks to Olivier Sublett of CHateau De Roque. If not for Oliver Sublett's introduction to the Auberts, I would not have been able to taste La Couspaude vintages to that extent.
Dark ruby colour with a tight rim. The nose presents fresh cassis, lead pencil, mineral, mint, and liquorice. The wine is still tight and quite fat on the palate, with blackcurrant and black-cherry flavours, accompanied by dark chocolate and liquorice. It is less concentrated than the 2009 and 2010 vintages but still provides fruit structure, weight, and depth. Batailley 2011 is made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, undergoing laborious work with harvest dates and two green harvests to concentrate fruit. The wine is aged 55% new oak, producing only 38hl/HA.
Consumers compare Batailley and Haut Batailley, which are both 5th Growth. Batailley is fuller-bodied and warmer, echoing a classic Pauillac, while Haut Batailley, also a Pauillac, has a St Julien personality and is more structured to some. The Tasting Team prefers Batailleys in most instances because regardless of vintage, they can age and nurture higher complexity over time.
Consistent comments on the 2011 vintage make these bottles safe for prudent drinkers. Wine Enthusiast awarded it 94 points, describing it as a severe and dense wine with dark, concentrated texture and rich blackberry flavours, balanced with apparent wood ageing. The drinking window is suggested from 2017 to 2027. According to Parker et al., Batailley 2011 is ready years back, with a suggested drinking window from 2017 to 2030, recommending a one-hour decanting session to appreciate its nuances fully. The RP score of 91 further validates its quality and ageing potential, reassuring collectors. James Suckling awarded it 92 points, describing it as having a beautiful length with silky tannins, a juicy finish, and medium to full body. Wine Spectator gives it 91 points, noting solid plum and cherry flavours, integrated toasted vanilla, and a lightly pebbly edge on the finish.
This unique blend of 70% merlot, 24% cabernet franc, and 6% cabernet sauvignon presents a medium red-ruby colour. It entices with red and black cherries, liquorice, camphor, violet, and espresso aromas. The palate is a delightful mix of sweetness and juiciness, with plenty of vinosity and grip. New oak flavours complement the cherries, bitter chocolate, and espresso. The wine's firm and brisk style, with just enough lurking fat to support the tannins, has been significantly tamed. The nose, more open than the palate, promises an even better palate.
This wine's high scores from renowned critics and publications testify to its exceptional quality, balance, and complexity. However, its ageing potential with at least 7 - 8 years of good life truly sets it apart, making it a highly regarded choice for collectors and connoisseurs.
Robert Parker gave it a score of 88, noting that there was a lot of oak and perhaps too much extraction. Nevertheless, he found the wine generous, structured, and with lots of depth. The 2007 vintage gives a mixed message of whether it will pull itself together or become ragged and disjointed. Time will tell.
Gilbert & Gaillard rated it 94, highlighting its velvet character, smooth and round texture, and potential for further development over the next 7 to 8 years due to its tannins and acidity.
Wine Enthusiast scored 93, noting its deep colour, dense nose, ripe fruit, a touch of chocolate, and floral undertones. The clean, full-bodied palate develops solid tannins, making it a unique and racy wine.
