A few weeks ago I had a reply to one of the blog posts asking me if I had noticed that there were some Coutelou wines for sale in an online auction. I have never taken part in one before so it was news to me and I put in bids for the 3 lots which were for seven bottles of Ouest 2001 and three bottles of 7, Rue De La Pompe 2010. To my surprise, despite some competition I won all three lots and was happy to receive my bottles from Taversham’s though UPS managed to break one bottle of Rue De La Pompe en route.

I have had Ouest a few times in the past few years always at Jeff’s as I have never had any of my own before. One of the privileges of spending so much time alongside Jeff is that he shares so many bottles, from other producers as well as his own. I have learned a lot as a result. There are a few cuvées of Coutelou wines which are almost mythical, Roberta, the solera and Ouest is another.

The wine is 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Syrah. The Merlot and Cabernet were from vines planted by Jeff’s father Jean Claude in the 1990s (99 and 98 respectively) because those were the grapes in demand at that time. The Cabernet was part of the biggest vineyard Segrairals but has since been scrubbed up by Jeff to be replaced by more local and unusual grape varieties as is the case in so many of the vineyards now. The Syrah in here also came from Segrairals.

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The Merlot remains for the time being in its own parcel, Le Colombié, quite a way from the other vineyards. It is a parcel Jeff has had under review, we shall see what he decides.

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Back in 2011 Jancis Robinson described Ouest 2001 as having “amazing intensity and subtlety, and only 12.5% alcohol” and recommended it heartily as did some of her readers on her forum. So, almost ten years later would the wine still provide such pleasure? I opened the first bottle with a little trepidation especially as the cork began to crumble. Fortunately the lower half remained intact and the wine was decanted comfortably. It was still red but with a brick or brown edge. Aromas showed a surprising red fruit profile, amazingly youthful and fresh, followed by an earthy, damp leaves smell. The flavour was still intense and subtle, black olive and black fruits along with liquorice and spices.

This was a triumph, not just because it had survived so well but because it was still a very enjoyable, complex wine pleasing both the palate and the intellect. Go Ouest indeed!