Why it matters
The producer
Château Couhins carries an unusual Bordeaux classification. It is the only Bordeaux estate classified Grand Cru Classé exclusively for dry white wine, while the property also produces red wine.
INRA acquired Château Couhins in 1968. A smaller portion of the original estate was sold to André Lurton and became the neighboring Château Couhins Lurton, a separate property. Château Couhins now covers 32 hectares, with 22 hectares planted to red varieties and 10 hectares to white varieties.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
South of Bordeaux, Villenave d'Ornon is the commune for Château Couhins within the Pessac Léognan appellation, the Bordeaux designation that appears on the label. The estate's soils contain gravel, clay and limestone.
Gravel drains water and warms the ground around the vines, while clay retains moisture. Limestone adds another mineral component to the soil. The combination supports both red and white plantings within the same property.
Wines to know
The range in view
Château Couhins is the grand vin. Couhins La Gravette is the second wine, produced in red and dry white versions, while La Dame de Couhins is the third wine and is red only. Château Couhins Les Demoiselles de Couhins is a 2019 white wine.
The red wines age in approximately 30% new French oak barrels and foudres. White wines ferment in 60% temperature controlled vats and 40% Burgundy oak barrels. Temperature controlled vats keep fermentation stable, while oak barrels add wood contact and controlled oxygen exposure during fermentation.