The Faces of Bordeaux - Aline Baly, Château Coutet, 1er Grand Cru Classé, AOC Barsac
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
Aline Baly
Co-owner and Director of Marketing & Communication
Château Coutet, 1er Grand Cru Classé, AOC Barsac
© Gunther Vincente
How long have you been in your role at Château Coutet?
I joined my family business in 2018 working day-to-day alongside my uncle. Since my grand-father’s acquisition of Château Coutet in 1977, we’ve actually always worked 2 generations side-by-side.
What has been your career path to date?
After 20 years of living, studying and working abroad in New England, the Mid-West, Asia and Europe, I traded in Boston for Bordeaux and marketing filtration devices in the bioscience industry for wine, specifically “gold” wine.
With an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and BA from Bucknell University, it was a life-changing internship in 2007 at Château Mouton Rothschild that had me sign over my soul to our family business. I joined my uncle at Château Coutet in Barsac that same year to lead the marketing and communication initiatives.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
There isn’t much to not love… It’s definitely a people business! Throw in a couple of good bottles of wine and some delicious dishes… and you’ve got yourself a “meeting”.
“Château Coutet is special to me not only for its terroir and the style of sweet wine that transpires from this unique link between the soil and the micro-climate — but also for the individuals that embody this estate. ”
© Gunther Vincente
In your view, what makes Château Coutet special?
I am totally biased… so please accept the following answer knowing that my emotional attachment to Château Coutet has taken over my life the past 12 years.
Château Coutet is special to me not only for its terroir and the style of sweet wine that transpires from this unique link between the soil and the micro-climate -- but also for the individuals that embody this estate. We have some amazing stories about previous owners, cellar masters, cellar workers, and vignerons – all individuals full of character! And this goes for today’s team. Without them – there would be no Coutet. We might have a gold wine of some sort – but not the First Classified Growth that so many people have come to love, a wine with a distinct personality that is singular since its first vintages in the 17th century.
I often joke about dogs and their owners looking alike … Well, should you meet my uncle or anyone else on the team, you get a real glimpse of Château Coutet and its 13th century military fortress… Come and visit to see for yourself!
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I participated in the USA Fencing’s Junior Olympic Championships in 1996. Don’t ask my final ranking… let’s just say that everything happens for a reason. But it was a really amazing experience.
What profession other than your own would you love to attempt?
Should I have another professional life, I would pick the publishing world. I worked in my independent local bookshop throughout high school and it is still one of my favorite jobs to date. I would love to see the process of getting a book on a bookshelf.
© Gunther Vincente
“It is near impossible to choose one thing to do in Bordeaux… so let me be totally biased again: head south to discover Bordeaux’s Gold Wine region.”
What is your favorite thing about Bordeaux?
Bordeaux is a completely walkable city! Spend your day discovering all the different neighborhoods and their rich history by foot -- and then hop into a car and you are in wine country in 30 minutes minimum! And in just an hour, you can be on a beach. So I guess I would sum it up with one word: diversity. You come to Bordeaux and there is a somewhere and a something for everyone.
What is the number one thing visitors to Bordeaux should do/see while they are here?
It is near impossible to choose one thing to do in Bordeaux… so let me be totally biased again: head south to discover Bordeaux’s Gold Wine region. The Barsac and Sauternes appellations are waiting to welcome you with some amazing visits, tastings and culinary experiences.
Château Coutet was recognized as a Classified First Growth in the 1855 classification. Its vineyard is planted with Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes. The name Coutet comes from the Gascon word for knife (“couteau”), in reference to the wine’s fresh, lively acidity and unique vivacity. Château Coutet offers several types of visits and workshops as well as lunch or dinner with the owners.
Ready to book your trip to Bordeaux and visit Château Coutet?
Schedule your complimentary consultation today.
© Gunther Vincente