Vintus

Château Cos d’Estournel, 2nd Growth of Saint-Estèphe

Only the wines made from vines over twenty years of age will bear the name of Château Cos d'Estournel. The percentage of Cabernet and Merlot varies from one vintage to another according to which grape is favored by weather conditions.

• 2009 Vintage

  • "The 2009 Cos d’Estournel is one of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted ... in the world! An extraordinary effort I tasted on two separate occasions, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot with a dollop of Cabernet Franc has a whopping 14.5% alcohol, but a remarkably normal pH of 3.69. Kudos to Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier for this amazing wine made from yields of 33 hectoliters per hectare. It will be a legendary claret that should last for 50-60 years. A black/purple color is accompanied by aromas of graphite, ink, creme de cassis, blackberries, cedar, and incense. Full-bodied and unctuously textured, with an ethereal personality, tons of nuances, and a burgeoning complexity, it is an enormously well-endowed, fresh, perfectly balanced tour de force in winemaking. As mentioned above, it should drink well for 50-60 years. This wine possesses this vintage’s classic characteristics of enormous power, massive fruit, and extraordinary freshness and precision - largely unprecedented, particularly for Cabernet-based wines in the Medoc." 98-100 Points Wine Advocate

  • “This is a stunner, with gloriously ripe, succulent cassis, blackberry and fig fruit flavors backed by extra notes of plum cake, blueberry confiture and roasted wood spice. On the back half, the iron spine takes over on the hard-driving and extremely long, anise- and incense-tinged finish. An awesome expression of the modern style.”  97 Points Wine Spectator

• 2008 Vintage

  • "Sweet tobacco, tar, blueberry and coffee aromas. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a fresh finish. Bright and fruity, with a lovely finish. A crisp, precise and focused wine, with a lively finish." 91-94 Points Wine Spectator

  • "Reveals exceptionally precise, fresh aromas of black fruits, crushed rocks, licorice, flowers, and subtle smoke. Dense and high in tannin, the extraordinary richness of polyphenols has given the wine power, substance, and depth, but the sweetness of the tannin and the seemingly low acidity, even though the wine tastes remarkably fresh, has given the wine a precision and elegance that is remarkable." 94-96+ Points Wine Advocate

• 2007 Vintage

  • "Fresh mushroom on the nose, with dark fruits and berries. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a rich, fruity finish. Balanced and pretty, with lovely length." 90 Points Wine Spectator

• 2006 Vintage

  An intense color leads to a nose full of spice and licorice.  The palate is elegant and suave, and the wine is distinguished by its tannins full of finesse.  The final blend was 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. 

  • "Cos d’Estournel has softened those austere Saint-Estèphe tannins and produced a wine that is all opulence and roundness. The tannins are certainly there, but they come through as big, bold richness. The power suggests it will age well, but for drinking earlier, the freshness of the sweet homemade plum jam promises well." 95 Points Wine Enthusiast

  • "The exceptional 2006 Cos d’Estournel is composed of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, 55% of the production was utilized. Revealing superb intensity for a 2006 as well as an inky/blue/purple color, and a sweet bouquet of blue and black fruits, licorice, graphite, and charcoal, this full-bodied 2006 possesses high levels of sweet tannin. This wine is characterized by a freshness and precision that give it a 1996-like affinity. Enjoy this beautifully concentrated, exceptionally pure, statuesque Cos d’Estournel over the next 20-25 years. By the way, it was bottled without any fining or filtration." 94 Points Wine Advocate

  • "Blackberry, black licorice and violet aromas follow through to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and a pretty, balanced finish. Refined and flavorful." 93 Points Wine Spectator

  • "Good deep ruby-red. Expressive aromas of dark raspberry, smoked meat, black olive, iron, smoke and tobacco. Lush, broad and sweet, with a deep smoky, meaty sweetness and outstanding palate coverage. For all its breadth and silkiness, there's no shortage of energy and definition. Finishes impressively long, with chewy, sweet tannins that dust the front teeth." 93 Points International Wine Cellar

• 2005 Vintage

  A dense purple color, with wonderful notes of spices and chocolate, and a great fruit expression. The final blend was 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.

  • "While I am not convinced the 2005 Cos d’Estournel will eclipse the compelling 2003 Cos, it is unquestionably another superb classic from proprietor Michel Reybier and his brilliant winemaker, Jean-Guillaume Prats. Made from an unusually high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%) and the balance mostly Merlot with a tiny dollop of Cabernet Franc, this superb effort requires plenty of time in the bottle. It boasts an inky/purple color as well as a glorious perfume of licorice, Asian spices, creme de cassis, blackberries, and toasty oak. This full-bodied St.-Estephe is exceptionally powerful, pure, and dense with a layered mid-palate that builds like a skyscraper. While there are massive tannins, they are remarkably velvety and well-integrated in this big, backstrapping effort that should enjoy an unusually long life. Forget it for 8-10 years, and drink it between 2017-2040." 98 Points Wine Advocate

  • "Black in color, with aromas of orange peel, new leather, currant, berry and Christmas pudding. Full-bodied, with layers of velvety tannins and a long, long finish of fruit and spices. The cashmere texture is all there. 2003 plus 2000 equals 2005." 98 Points Wine Spectator

  • "Good ruby-red. Knockout nose combines currant, plum, minerals, licorice and graphite. Wonderfully sweet, rich and deep, but with near-perfect balancing acidity to frame the wine's lush fruit. This superb 2005 has it all. Finishes with noble, sweet tannins and palate-saturating persistence. On my most recent visit, Prats told me he considered 2005 to be superior to the 2003, and that the '05 may be 'our best wine ever." 96 Points International Wine Cellar

     

• 2004 Vintage

  The wine has a deep ruby color, with intense aromas of mochas and licorice. It has great density and length. A great, classic Cos d'Estournel. The final blend of the wine was as follows: 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.

  • “Loads of currant and blackberry with hints of Indian spices. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Round and generous for the vintage” 94 Points Wine Spectator

  • "A grand vintage of Cos, shepherded by Jean-Guillaume Prats in the direction of Lafite's elegance, just across the border in Pauillac. The wine has an aristocratic beauty, its succulent ripe fruit ripened to powerful tension on the uplift of limestone that rises under the vines. The oak combines with the fruitiness of the wine to give the impression of a long pull on a fine cigar. With several days of air, the surface polish yields and the wine reveals its ironbound tannins, a structure that will set the course for two decades of development before it approaches peak drinking." 94 Points Wine & Spirits Magazine

• 2003 Vintage

  The wine has a very deep ruby color, and very rich nose with spices and black currant. It is a lovely, well-balanced mouthful, even voluptuous. The finish is fruit-filled.The final blend of the wine was as follows: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.

  • “The prodigious, fantastic 2003 Cos d’Estournel is a candidate for “wine of the vintage.” A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon (unusually high for this chateau), 30% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, 17,500 cases were produced from low yields. An inky/blue/purple color is accompanied by a compelling perfume of black fruits, subtle smoke, pain grille, incense, and flowers. With extraordinary richness, full body, and remarkable freshness, elegance, and persistence, this is one of the finest wines ever made by this estate.” 98 Points Wine Advocate, April 2006

  • "Gorgeous aromas of blackberry, spice and mineral. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. This is first-growth quality." 97 Points Wine Spectator