The Faces of Bordeaux - Adrien David Beaulieu, Château Coutet, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
At The Bordeaux Concierge, our aim is to introduce our clients to the real Bordeaux. This includes meeting the people that make Bordeaux what it is today. As part of this effort, we will bring these vibrant personalities to our audience at home through our new series, The Faces of Bordeaux. Throughout this series, we will introduce you to château owners, winemakers, cellar masters and members of the hospitality teams from an eclectic assemblage of châteaux across the Bordeaux region. We will also introduce you to some of our favorite restaurant owners, chefs, and market stallholders who all contribute to Bordeaux’s burgeoning culinary scene, as well as others who can provide a different perspective including tour guides, wine journalists, and experience providers.
Please join us as we introduce you to
The Faces of Bordeaux
Adrien David Beaulieu
Owner, Château Coutet , Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
What is your role at Château Coutet?
I am in charge of the global management of our family estate.
What has been your career path to date?
I started working at Château Coutet at a young age, when I was just 16 years old. I was able to work in various positions, gain experience in estate management and contribute to the running of the estate while I was also studying. After my studies, I worked for a wine merchant, representing various producers at wine fairs and exhibitions. Today, I run my own small wine merchant and event company. One of my passions is promoting wine from organic estates.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
I love being able to travel for business one day and work as a farmer the next. Not many people have the opportunity to do that. A typical day can include many different jobs - welcoming visitors, managing the estate team, driving tractors around the vineyards, taking care of the animals followed by a business dinner at a wonderful restaurant.
“I love being able to travel for business one day and work as a farmer the next. Not many people have the opportunity to do that. ”
In your view, what makes Château Coutet special?
First of all, we are one of the oldest family-owned wine estates in the world. We have been making wine at the estate for hundreds of years and very little has changed over that time. We are constantly balancing the knowledge, techniques and traditions of our ancestors with modern-day savoir-faire. Secondly, we have been organic since the very beginning. Pesticides have never ever been used here and the estate benefits from being at the highest point in the area which means that our ground isn’t impacted by any chemicals used around us. As a result of this, our estate is home to an incredibly rich variety of fauna and flora which can’t be found anywhere else in France.
Tell us about la cuvée Emeri
A few years ago, my uncle discovered a 200 year-old bottle of the estate’s wine buried in the clay floor of the chateau’s cellar. It had been perfectly preserved by the clay and was still full and sealed. The bottle was hand blown and sealed with a blue, heart shaped emery stopper. We don’t know who buried it or why, nor the significance of the stopper. Perhaps it was made for a wedding or a symbol of love from the winemaker to this vintage.
I wanted to pay homage to this discovery by creating a special cuvée using the same methods from 200 years ago with grapes from the highest plots in the vineyard, the Peycocut plots. We then had an expert glassblower perfectly and painstakingly recreate the bottle and the stopper which is what makes this cuvée truly special.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
Each morning, my first job of the day before heading to the office is feeding our animals - chickens, geese, ducks, goats, sheep, guinea fowl, turkeys, pigeons, wild pigeons and the dog. Its my favorite time of the day.
What profession other than your own would you love to attempt?
I have always dreamed of becoming a naturalist - a specialist in plants and animals. I am a huge fan of wild life and extreme adventures.
“We have been making wine at the estate for hundreds of years and very little has changed over that time. We are constantly balancing the knowledge, techniques and traditions of our ancestors with modern-day savoir-faire”
What is your favorite thing about Bordeaux?
Concerning the wine - the amazing diversity of wines produced here. With regards to the city - the architecture and the beauty of the city.
Château Coutet, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, is located in the appellation of Saint-Emilion on Bordeaux’s right bank. The vine population is made up of 60% merlot, 30% bouchet (cabernet franc), 5% cabernet sauvignon and, as a touch of originality, 5% pressac (local malbec). The density of plantation is about 6,000 vines/ha. The estate welcomes visitors year round by appointment only.
