Product description
Château Cos d’Estournel is an estate you recognize even before you see it: as you round a bend in the road, oriental pagodas and elephants come into view—the hallmark of the “Maharani of Saint-Estèphe”.The name “Cos” in the Gascon dialect means “gravel hill,” and indeed: it is a small hill right on the border with Pauillac, next to Lafite, where thick layers of gravel and stones provide excellent drainage and retain heat.The founder, Louis-Gaspard d’Estournel, was already trading wine in India in the 19th century, which explains the exotic architecture and the elephant symbolism that still characterize the brand today.Michel Reybier has been managing the estate since 2000; before the 2009 harvest, he completed a gravity-fed winery—one of the first in Bordeaux—which allows for gentle extraction without pumping.It is here that a wine with the character of a Saint-Estèphe is produced, yet with a touch of opulence and sensuality that have made Cos famous around the world.
The 2016 vintage at Cos d’Estournel has gone down in history.The blend consists of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc; the wine aged for 15 months in French oak barriques (approx..(65% new and 35% from one or two graduating classes).The combination of ripe fruit and phenomenal freshness, along with meticulous selection, has led critics to recognize this vintage as one of the best in the estate’s history: 100 points from Wine Advocate (Lisa Perrotti-Brown), 100 points from James Suckling and 100 points from Neal Martin (Vinous), as well as 99 points from Jeb Dunnuck and 98 points from Decanter/Jane Anson.
Appearance: a deep, opaque purple with a ruby rim; viscous legs and a dense texture in the glass, hinting at a full-bodied character.
Aroma: multi-layered and restrained at first; after a moment, it blossoms with notes of black currant, blackberry, and blueberry, underscored by violet, rosehip tea, sandalwood, and incense; in the background, graphite, barrel smoke, slate, and a hint of cocoa.
Taste: “an iron fist in a velvet glove” structure—a dense, juicy mid-palate, ultra-fine, graphite-like tannins, impressive energy, and length; crystalline acidity carries a core of black currant and blackberry, and the finish is endless, interwoven with a salty terroir accent and a hint of cedar.
Culinary Pairings: roasted bone-in entrecôte or côte de bœuf from a cast-iron skillet, leg of lamb with black lentils and rosemary, slow-braised beef cheek, and—after a decade of aging—game (deer, roe deer) and aged, hard cheeses such as 36-month Comté.