Cos d'Estournel - Saint-Estèphe

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

90 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe8/31/2014

Good deep ruby.  Spicy aromas of dark plum, red cherry, botanical herbs and graphite.  Dense, bright and energetic, with good herbal lift to the precise blackcurrant and dark plum flavors.  This fresh, lively wine picks up flesh and depth with aeration.  The tactile, chewy finish is pure, long and perfumed.

Wine Advocate

91 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/2/2014

91+
The 2011 Cos d’Estournel exhibits a dense ruby/purple color and sweet, toasty, oaky notes intermixed with floral and forest floor characteristics. The complex aromatics suggest this is a top success in 2011. In the mouth, the wine is slightly more compact than one would find in a great vintage, such as 2009 and 2010, but it has impressive richness for the vintage as well as light to moderate tannin and admirable purity. It will benefit from 2-5 years of cellaring, and should keep for 15-20 years.  Only 30% of the production was utilized for Cos D’Estournel, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc.

Jamessuckling.com

95 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/19/2014

A dense, refined wine, with blueberries, blackberries and spices. Full body with integrated tannins and a polished texture. Love the mouthfeel to this. Extremely well done for the vintage, considering the hail in St Estephe. Try in 2018.

Wine Spectator

90 / 100

byJames Molesworththe2/11/2014

Offers ample, almost flashy fruit, with layers of fig, boysenberry and blackberry pâte de fruit rushing forth, lined with anise and toasted spice details. Stays flattering through the finish and will win some fans, but lacks the grip and density for the long haul. Drink now through 2021.

Terres de Vins

17,2 / 20

the2/1/2014

Cos ne déçoit pas sur 2011, avec une robe très colorée et une sève magnifique. Long, velouté, combinant habilement puissance et élégance, maintien, densité et confort de bouche. Une grande bouteille en devenir...

Les Echos

18 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe12/4/2013

Après le baroque 2009 (un rien exagéré à force d'être spectaculaire), ce retour au classicisme convainc avec éclat : vin complet, coloré, d'une texture ample et harmonieuse, finale complexe, presque mentholée, admirable pureté dans sa prise de bois.

La Revue du Vin de France

16,5-17 / 20

the5/31/2012

Une grande partie du vignoble a été ravagée par la grêle quelques jours avant le début des vendanges. Ces dernières ont dû être légèrement anticipées et une sélection drastique a été opérée. Conséquence, le volume de production du grand vin, 100 000 bouteilles, est le plus faible à la propriété depuis 1991. Ce 2011 est pourtant une des grandes réussites du millésime, avec un Cos d'un profil très classique, droit et parfaitement ciselé, servi par un magnifique équilibre tanin/alcool/acidité.

Le Point

16 / 20

byJacques Dupontthe5/17/2012

Nez confituré, très fruit, bouche ronde et grasse, puissante, plein, juteux, tannique, riche. L'acidité empêche la lourdeur que nous avions relevée en 2009.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

90-93 / 100

byIan D'Agatathe5/12/2012

(65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 5% petit verdot; 3.6 g/l total acidity; 3.55 pH; 92 IPT; 13.5% alcohol): Bright deep ruby. Closed nose hints at ripe black plum, cassis, coffee and violet. Fresh, clean and straightforward on entry, then a little tighter in the middle; needs time in the glass, and a little more sweet creamy flesh would have been nice too. Still, a very successful wine for the vintage. Only 30% of the total production went into the grand vin.

Wein Wisser

18 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe5/7/2012

Auf Cos war es die früheste Ernte seit 1893 und die kleinste seit 1991! Jean-Guillaume Prâts: "Ich musste mich entescheiden, ob ich viel billigen Cos oder wenig grossen Cos mache. Um der Marke Willen und auf der stetigen Suche nach dem Besten habe ich schweren Herzens zwei Drittel als Pagodes deklassiert." Es scheint auf Cos die Tendenz zu sein, dass es vom Besten immer weniger gibt. Man muss sich das so vorstellen : Vom Jahrgange 1982 gab es 42 000 Kisten. Vom Jahrgang 2011 wird es 9 000 Kisten geben. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Ertrag : 36 hl/ha. Nur 30% der Ernte wurden als Grand Vin selektioniert. Sattes Purpur-Granat, dicth in der Mitte, lila Schimmer aussen. Komplexes Bouquet mit einer gewissen Cabernet Süsse im ersten Ansatz, dunkler Kaffee, Pflaumen, aber auch florale erfrischende Noten zeigend, im zweiten Ansatz Black Currant und junger Malaga. Nobler Gaumen, schon wunderbar integrierte Tannine zeigend, somit ist die Adstringenz schön ausgeglischen, Heidelbeeren und Cassis im Finale. Ein direkter, sehr gut vinifizierter, vielleicht gar etwas zu geschliffener Wein. 2020-2047

TAST

18-18,5 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/30/2012

Tout petit rendement mais grande réussite : vin complet, coloré, d'une texture ample et harmonieuse, finale complexe, presque mentholée, admirable pureté dans sa prise de bois.

Decanter.com

18 / 20

the4/30/2012

Rich blackcurrant fruit, slightly exotic Cos spiciness, structured smoothness and lovely elegant length. Drink 2017-2035.

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2012

Because of a smaller than normal crop as well as the elimination of vineyard parcels devastated by the hail storm of September 1, production for Cos d’Estournel in 2011 is the smallest since 1991. Production for the 2011 Cos d’Estournel (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol) is about 30% of their normal volume. An outstanding effort, this deep ruby/purple-colored wine exhibits notes of lead pencil shavings, black currants, boysenberries, cedar and earth. Made in a traditional style with more acidity and noticeable tannin than in recent years, this medium-bodied, pure 2011 should drink nicely for 15+ years.

Wine Advocate

93-95 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/27/2012

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc cropped at 36hl/ha, the 2011 has a pleasant, sedate bouquet that is well defined, perhaps missing a little tension and animation, but replete with succulent blackberry, cassis and violets aromas that render it light and feminine. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, slightly furry tannins on the entry. The acidity it keen and citric, lending this more vigour than Montrose, whilst the finish has fine precision and length. Jean-Guillaume has fashioned a very fine Saint Estèphe for the vintage. Tasted April 2012.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93-95 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/27/2012

Blending 65% Cabernet Sauvignon with 33% Merlot and a dollop of Petit Verdot, the wine represents 36% of the production. To achieve the highest level of quality for the Grand Vin, the estate reserved more fruit for Pagodes de Cos than usual. This is the smallest amount of Cos produced since 1991. With a nose of Asian spice, black cherry liqueur, smoke, gravel, earth, truffle, vanilla and fennel, this refined, pure, fresh cassis- filled wine ends with clean, spicy cassis and blackberry in the finish. 93-95Pts

Asian Palate

92-93 / 100

byJeannie Cho Lee MWthe4/20/2012

2011 is a perfumed aromatic style for Cos and the light touch has added to the wine's finesse. The 65% of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend adds a density on the palate with blackberry flavours and firm tannins in the finish. This is classic St Estephe. Cos' style is returning to its traditional roots - less extracted, gentler and elegant. Well crafted wine with long finish.

Jancis Robinson

17 / 20

byJulia Harding MWthe4/16/2012

Drink 2022-2035
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Just 30% of the crop went into the grand vin. Inky with black core and bright dark purple rim. Stunning colour. A touch of raisiny fruit. Dry, powdery tannins but quite dense and very firm. Powerful but cool. Long – the length is more structure than flavour or aroma. Needs to take on flesh. A bit hard on the finish. (JH) 13.5% (17+ points)

Wine Spectator

90-93 / 100

byJames Molesworththe4/10/2012

Lilac and violet aromas quickly give way to dark toasted spice and black tea notes, followed by remarkably creamy-textured cassis and plum compote flavors, all offset beautifully by a hint of bitter cherry and tamarind on the finish. There's a saturated feel that shows no hard edges. A touch languid rather than driven, but this wine tends to put on weight and gain greater focus as it ages. Tasted non-blind.—J.M.

Wine Enthusiast

94-96 / 100

byRoger Vossthe4/4/2012

Powerful tannins are embedded into this wine’s huge velvet cushion of ripe black plum, spiced fruit and chocolate. The wine shows the juicy character of the vintage, which follows right to the end with firm tannins. —R.V.

Jamessuckling.com

92-93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/1/2012

Very dense and structured with spices, currants and berries and an underlying spiciness. Full body, with chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Structured. Firm. Slightly hollow center palate. Excellent considering the difficulty St. Estephe had with hail and early harvesting.