- 96
- 98
- 97
- Nick's Import
2019 Chateau Cos d'Estournel
Chateau Cos d’Estournel have made great strides in the recent past, and their new winemaking facility is one of the most impressive and purpose driven in the area. All movement of wine from the moment grapes arrive is done via gravity, a process involving a style of wine elevator to raise and lower tanks, and one that removes the use of pumps entirely.
While the wines from this Second Growth property have been patchy throughout their history, it’s no secret that they have been on fire over the last 15 years, producing rich, concentrated, and potentially very long lived wines warranting perfect scores for numerous wine critics.
Other Reviews....
Harvest for the grand vin began on the 23rd of September and finished on the 7th of October. Composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot (with no Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc this year), yields for this wine in 2019 were 43 hectoliters per hectare, and it is aging in 55% new oak. It came in at an alcohol level of 14.02% and an IPT of 67. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Cos d'Estournel soars out of the glass with vibrant black raspberries, Black Forest cake and crushed blackcurrants scents plus nuances of red roses, wild sage, dark chocolate and cast-iron pan with a waft of woodsmoke. The medium to full-bodied palate is taut, muscular and built like a skyscraper, with firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness supporting the concentrated black fruit flavors, finishing with incredible length and depth. This wine so beautifully, clearly captures the juxtaposition between the periods of dry heat and those hallelujah moments of refreshing rain - the hallmarks of this great vintage. It's a vinous masterpiece in the making.
97-99+ points
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - Wine Advocate
The 2019 Cos d'Estournel is exquisitely beautiful. Dark, pliant and wonderfully inviting, the 2019 has so much to offer. Readers will find a wine of notable restraint and dramatic beauty. The purity of the fruit is just striking. Time in the glass brings out the wine's textural depth and rich, driving resonance. The combination of ripeness and energy is compelling.
95-97 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous
The 2019 Cos d'Estournel was picked from 23 September to 7 October at 43hl/ha and matured in a judicious 55% new oak. It marks a serious and tangible upgrade over the Les Pagodes as you would expect: far more intensity, more fruit and complexity. It delivers gorgeous, very pure scents of blackberry, raspberry, crushed stone and just a hint of truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, pitch perfect acidity and a satin-like texture. One of the most harmonious Cos d'Estournel that I have encountered in barrel and, though it is not quite touching the same ethereal level, it reminds me of the 2016 towards the finish. Utterly divine.
96-98 points
Neal Martin - Vinous
A very powerful and structured Cos. It’s full and layered, but not overpowering in terms of fruit. It’s more about the abundant, very fine tannins. It’s a classic wine with historical grip and power. Real Bordeaux. Sophisticated and provocative.
98-99 points
James Suckling
The grand vin 2019 Château Cos D'Estournel is indeed grand and just about instantly transports you to the northern Médoc. Sensational notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil, unsmoked tobacco, new leather, and Asian spices all emerge from this gorgeous wine. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it shines for its incredible purity, balance, and elegance, with the vintage’s seamless and sexy style front and center. It's not a blockbuster, but it’s gorgeous in every way. It reminds me of a slightly softer version of the 2016.
97-99 points
Jeb Dunnuck
Powerful and enjoyable Cos. Needs to be given time in the glass to reveal the impressively velvety texture, and the sheer depth of bitter black chocolate, black truffle and coffee notes. The tannins sit back and then build slowly to full bristling impact by the close of play. Feels extremely sophisticated, with the always-present Cos glamour. This was a vintage where the heat was starting to be worrying until the September rains that began around 22nd, and helped bring the Cabernet back into a more classical line, and away from the extremes of 2018. 40hl/h final yield.
98 points
Jane Anson - Decanter