The property has been handed down from generation to generation for at least 400 years, which is exceptional for a great land estate Thomas d’Augereau, mayor of Libourne in 1601, was owner of COUTET and married to Marie David, daughter to Aimery David previously mayor of Libourne In middle of the 18th century, the Lavau de Cravignac family, great innovator in the Saint Emilion wine estates owned, among others, Le Mayne and COUTET.
Jean David, major of Libourne, married Marie Caroline Lavau on the 8th November 1808. The year before, her sister Marie Anne married Louis de Malet Roquefort. The château itself is the work of Alexandre Poitevin, who was a pupil to Victor Louis (architect of the Grand Théatre de Bordeaux).Edouard FERET in his 1874 “Classification of Wines” qualifies COUTET as being a first-rate vintage and makes the following remarks:
“… . The COUTET estate is situated on one of the hillsides at Saint Emilion, in a fortunate position, overlooking the Dordogne valley with picturesque sites and a land which is highly favourable to the vine … This beautiful situation can but bring about mellow wines remarkable with their lasting bouquet. Its production is of 20 to 25 barrels….”
Following this, at the beginning of the 20th century, COUTET wine was served on the grand tables all over the world, from Tsar Nicholas II to the Grand Khedive of Egypt. COUTET was then acknowledged Grand Cru Classé at the first classification in 1954, only to be demoted in 1985.
Today Alain & Xavier DAVID BEAULIEU manage the vineyard and intend to bring COUTET back into the circle of the Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé wines when the reappraisal of the classification is made in 2016 so as to pass on the torch to the next generation.
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