Coufis
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed within 3 to 10 years of the vintage, though well-stored bottles can develop complex honeyed and nutty notes for over a decade.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Fruit tarts, blue cheese, foie gras
✨ wine.spec_sheet
M. Chapoutier's "Coufis" is a rare and luscious sweet white wine that pays homage to the ancient local tradition of passerillage—the natural air-drying of grapes to concentrate their sugars and flavors. The name "Coufis" derives from the local dialect meaning "confit" or "shriveled," describing the state of the grapes at harvest. Crafted in the Ardèche region, this wine is made from late-harvest Viognier grapes that are left on the vine to achieve a rich concentration of honeyed apricot, peach, and exotic spice notes. Chapoutier's commitment to biodynamic principles and minimal intervention allows the pure, sun-drenched character of the Ardèche terroir to shine through, balanced by a vibrant acidity that prevents the intense sweetness from becoming cloying.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Established in 1808 in Tain-l'Hermitage, M. Chapoutier is one of the Rhône Valley's most historic and revered wine producers, currently led by the visionary Michel Chapoutier who transitioned the estate to biodynamic farming in the 1990s. The maison is globally celebrated for its pioneering "sélections parcellaires" (single-vineyard wines) and its commitment to expressing the pure terroir of prestigious appellations like Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Utilizing traditional, low-intervention winemaking techniques, Chapoutier produces highly acclaimed reds and whites, including iconic labels such as the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac, Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée, and the Hermitage-derived La Sizeranne. Beyond the Rhône, the family has expanded its terroir-driven philosophy to exceptional estates in Roussillon, Australia's Victoria region, and Portugal's Douro Valley.