Tasting Notes
Colour: Rich ruby with a touch of purple
Aroma: The nose shows notes of black fruits, spices, roasted coffee, licorice (lighter) and wooded husband that other subtle aromas.
Palate: The palate is fresh, balanced and complex with a good structure. In mouth it expresses notes of crunchy black fruits (especially blackcurrant, blueberry) associated with spices. A beautiful long and fruity finish. The tannins are perfectly integrated. A very aromatic wine that has a purity, elegance fruits and righteousness quite remarkable.
Grape Varieties: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc
Awards: 94pts – James Suckling; 94pts – Wine Enthusiast; 90-92pts – Vinous; 91pts – Wine Advocate-Parker; 91pts – WIne Spectator; 91pts – Falstaff
The wine is full and rich, and although aged in 80% new oak, the wood is a subtle background component. Real energy and vitality and racy stuff. Ages really well, give it another 4 to 5 years in bottle and this will be stunning!
History of Chateau Cos d’Estournel
Chateau Cos d’Estournel lies at the entrance to Saint-Estèphe, ideally situated at the heart of an undulating landscape in the northern Médoc. The estate’s rolling contours served as inspiration for its name; ”cos” is derived from the word for “hill of pebbles” in the old Gascon dialect. Classified as a Second Growth Bordeaux estate, Cos d’Estournel is without doubt, one of the top producers in the St. Estephe appellation, producing complex and intense, full-bodied wines.
The chateau is often referred to as “”super second,”” meaning that it produces wines at a quality nearing that of the First Growth houses. Cos d’Estournel wines contain a large amount of Merlot (40%), one of the highest percentages in the region, in fact; this gives the wines their wonderful fleshy, chewy texture.