Critic Ratings & Tasting Notes
Wine Enthusiast (97/100)
“96–98. Barrel Sample. For the vintage, this is a big wine. Big in all the senses, giving juicy black fruits and powerful tannins. The fruit also exudes great concentration. It will take many years to develop fully.”
Yves Beck (97/100)
“Cos 2021 reveals itself in a whisper, showing with restraint yet in many facets. It hits two birds with one stone by announcing both subtlety and depth. The oak serves as an aromatic carrier. Even though it is dominant, it doesn’t block elements such as graphite, black berries, and iris. On the palate, the wine combines creaminess and power. The tannins are velvety yet dense, while the acidic structure works behind the scenes. A Cos that unfolds slowly, like its tannins that emerge mid-palate and pull the whole flavour profile along, creating a convincing symbiosis with the acidity. It needs time to blossom, but what it shows today is already highly convincing!”
Jeff Leve – The Wine Cellar Insider (96/100)
“Earthy, spicy, black raspberries, blackberries, flowers, and black currants create the nose and the core of its medium/full-bodied palate. Soft, silky, fresh and polished, there is a nice sweetness and refined edge to the fruit on the palate, finishing with layers of vibrant, peppery, tea-stained, black currants with a gentle hint of herbs on the backend. The wine was made from blending 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc,13% ABV, pH of 3.7. The yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest took place September 23 to October 7. The Grand Vin was produced from 50% of the harvest. The wine is going to approachable early in its life. Drink from 2025-2055.”
Decanter (96/100)
“This stands out for its structure, subtle power, balance and finesse. Perfumed and softly sweet on the nose, ripe and concentrated, glorious and inviting. Creamy and chalky at the same time, with lovely texture and density, and bright, concentrated strawberry and red cherry fruit. Crisp, sweet, salty and sour, a lovely combination of flavours and textures with great drive and an undercurrent of minerality and a salty wet stone finish – real St-Estèphe signature.”
James Suckling (95/100)
“Floral aromas with violets, lavender and currants. Lead pencil, too. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins that caress and please. Elegant and sophisticated. Linear line of tannins running through this.”
An Opulent Saint-Estèphe red wine
The estate
Situated in the north of the Médoc, on the Saint-Estèphe hill, Château Cos d’Estournel stands in majesty. Like a Maharadjah’s palace, the château and its pagodas surprise and captivate the eye. In 1791, Louis-Gaspard d’Estournel inherited hectares of vines and had the estate built. An adventurer who travelled all over the world, his taste for the exotic and the Orient gave Château Cos d’Estournel its architecture, unique to the Médoc. Owned by Michel Reybier since 2000, Château Cos d’Estournel continues to shine in the Saint-Estèphe appellation and joins the ranks of the world’s greatest wines, distinguished by its unique style in which a taste for beauty and excellence are a constant pursuit.
The vineyard
A benchmark among the great wines of Saint-Estèphe, Château Cos d’Estournel enjoys an exceptional geographical location. Its vineyards are located on the edge of the plateau, right next to the Gironde estuary. As a result, the vineyards benefit from a maritime climate while being protected from the elements. The vines are planted on two slopes and a central plateau, benefiting from ideal exposure and good ventilation.
Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon (61%)
Merlot (37%)
Cabernet Franc (1%)
Petit Verdot (1%)
