The 2009 Cuvee Madame, composed of 100% Sémillon, is pale lemon-gold in color with a beguiling fragrance of peach blossoms, mandarin peel, jasmine and allspice with core of pineapple, lemon pie, peach preserves and ginger plus a waft of musk perfume. Very big, powerful and seductive with decadent richness and loads of spice and floral layers accenting the ripe stone fruit flavors, it finishes with epic persistence.

The Chateau Coutet 2003 Cuvée Madame was picked on September 30 at between 22 and 26 degrees potential alcohol and is laden with a whopping 230 grams per liter of residual sugar, one of the highest ever. Aged in 100% new oak for 36 months, it has a powerful nose that perhaps does not quite have the finesse of the 2001 Cuvée Madame. Pineapple, quince and marmalade are to the fore with touches of beeswax developing, through I find more delineation on the 2001. The palate is rounded, soft textured, plump in the mouth, a boatload of botrytis here with notes of marmalade, quince, almond and honeycomb. It is a delicious Cuvée Madame that I suspect will be enjoyed best from release in September 2015 (on Aline's birthday incidentally.)

The 2001 Cuvee Madame, composed of 100% Sémillon and with 206 grams per liter of residual sugar, is pale amber in color and features the most extraordinary notes of honey toast, crème br?lée, preserved oranges, baked peaches and fungi with hints of candied ginger, dried pineapple and chalk dust. Super sweet, super rich and super fresh, it completely fills the palate with hedonistically spicy layers and finishes epically long. Wow!

The Chateau Coutet 1997 Cuvée Madame, which was picked on October 14 according to Aline Baly, has a more resinous bouquet compared to the 1995, touches of adhesive infusing the dried honey, shaved almond and quince scents, touches of tropical fruit coming through allied with more mineralité than the 1995 Cuvée Madame. The palate is medium-bodied with sumptuous, rounded, honeyed fruit interlaced with gingerbread and frangipane, gently rolling to a beautifully defined and intense finish. This lingers tantalizingly in the mouth with real edginess and tension. Just as good as it was several years ago.