Chateau Couhins Lurton Pessac Leognan Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Chateau Couhins-Lurton Pessac Leognan with wine tasting notes, wine, and food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, a history of the property, information on the vineyards, and winemaking. If you want to read about other important,Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Chateau Couhins Lurton History, Overview

What we know of as Chateau Couhins-Lurton today dates back to the 1700s when it was known as La Gravette Bourdieu. However, the modern era for Chateau Couhins-Lurton begins with the previous owner, the Gasqueton family, better known for owning Chateau Calon Segur in St. Estephe leased the property to the established Lurton family in 1967.

1967 marked the first vintage for the Lurton family at Chateau Couhins-Lurton. At the time, the production of Chateau Couhins was devoted to white wine. In fact, Chateau Couhins-Lurton is one of three Bordeaux estates that was only classified only for its white Bordeaux wine. In 1968, the original Couhins vineyard was divided into two parts.

The Gasqueton family sold the majority of the vineyards to the INRA, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique. The chateau and wine cellars were sold to another party.

Chateau Couhins Lurton The Modern Age

The Lurton family retained the right to lease a portion of the vineyard, provided they rename the property, Couhins-Lurton. Andre Lurton purchased the vineyards over a period of time, in 1992 and then again in 2002, when the Lurton family was able to fully own the vineyard.

They purchased the original chateau that same year as well. This branch of the Lurton family owns several other Bordeaux Chateau including Chateau Dauzac in Margaux and Chateau La Louviere in Pessac Leognan. It’s interesting to note that the wines of Couhins-Lurton were actually made at La Louviere until 2001 when the estate added its own winery.

In 1994, Chateau Couhins-Lurton began producing red wine at the estate for the first time in almost 100 years. Interestingly, during much of the 19th century, Chateau Couhins-Lurton made mostly red wine. For 8 years, the red wines came from a combination of the estate’s vineyards and those of another Lurton-owned vineyard, Chateau Coucheroy.

That changed in 2002 when the entire red wine production came exclusively from the vineyards of Chateau Couhins-Lurton. 2003 marked an interesting experiment when the estate became the first classified growth to bottle its wine using the Stelvin screw cap enclosure. In 2008, Couhins-Lurton was completely renovated from top to bottom.

The next important and newsworthy move for the Lurton family took place in 2012 when they entered into a business arrangement with the French bank Credit Agricole, which invested in the property.

In 2013, Chateau La Louviere hired Michel Rolland as their consultant in an effort to improve the wines and bring more attention to the estate. Denis Dubourdieu was named the consultant for the white wines and Michel Rolland was retained to consult on the red wines.

Chateau Couhins Lurton Vineyard, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The 19.5-hectare vineyard of Chateau Couhins-Lurton is planted for red and white wine grapes. 14 hectares are reserved for the red wine grapes which are planted to 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, which represents a change in the vineyard with more Merlot. The terroir is gravel and sandy soils. At its peak the vineyard reaches 50 meters.

5.5 hectares are used for the production of white Bordeaux wine. The only white wine grape planted here is Sauvignon Blanc.

In fact, the estate is one of the few Pessac Leognan vineyards planted with a single grape varietal. The white wine vines are planted to a vine density of 6,500 vines per hectare. On average, the vines are 25 years of age. The terroir for the white wine grapes is gravel, limestone, and clay. For the red wines, it is clay and gravel.

To produce the white wine of Chateau Couhins Lurton, vinification takes place in 80% barrels and 20% amphora. There is no skin contact or malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged on its lees for an average of 12 months in 25% new, French oak barrels with 25% of the harvest aging in amphora before it is moved to tanks for an additional 4 months of aging on its lees. On average, close to 1,500 to 2,000 cases of white wine are produced at the estate each vintage.

The red wine of Chateau Couhins Lurton is vinified in a combination of stainless tanks and oak vats. The wine is aged in a combination of 50% new, French oak barrels, amphora, and used oak barrels for about 12 months before bottling. Though that can vary, depending on the quality and character of the vintage. Though today, a lot more of the wine is placed into Acte 11 with less wine being placed into the Grand Vin.

There is a second wine for both their red and white wines, Acte II, which made its debut with the 2020 vintage. Close to 6,500 cases of red wine and 1,500 cases of white wine are produced each vintage.

The Best Vintages of Chateau Couhins Lurton are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005 and 2000. Although it is important to note that vintages can vary as to their quality between the white wine and the reds as in some years, the reds are markedly better and in other vintages the whites are superior.

Chateau Couhins-Lurton produces a correct, lighter style of Pessac Leognan that drinks well young that will please some tasters much more than others. The white wines are more interesting than the red wines from this estate.

When to Drink Chateau Couhins-Lurton, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Couhins-Lurton can be enjoyed on the young side with decanting. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 1 hour or so. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Chateau Couhins-Lurton is usually better with at least 3-7 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau Couhins-Lurton offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 7-14 years of age after the vintage.

Serving Chateau Couhins Lurton, with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Chateau Couhins Lurton is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. The red wine of Chateau Couhins Lurton is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, and roasted. braised and grilled dishes.

Chateau Couhins Lurton is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta as well as cheese.

The white wine of Chateau Couhins Lurton is a perfect wine to serve with shellfish, sashimi, sushi, all types of seafood, chicken, veal, and a myriad of hard and soft cheese.

www.andrelurton.com