Château Cos d'Estournel Saint-Estèphe 2018 - 2nd Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

The vat room, as spectacular in its kind as the pagodas of the château, equipped with vat elevators allowing gravity-fed operation not only during vinification but also during ageing, was used for the first time in 2008. It crowns the estate's considerable efforts to bring this cru to the highest possible level, with the ambition of rivaling the premier crus classés in quality. The deep gravelly soil generally makes it the fullest-bodied of the Médoc wines, the most voluptuous in texture, yet retaining a finesse and complexity characteristic of its neighborhood with Lafite. Recent vintages have further enhanced its aromatic purity and sincerity of expression. A highly aromatic and intense white Bordeaux is produced on the soils of La Goulée, a little further north, and bears its name.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Deep purple-black in color, you have to shake it for a long time to discover its powerful nose of crème de cassis, stewed plums, wild blueberries and chocolate-covered cherries, followed by nuances of Sichuan pepper, star anise, tree oil and clove, as well as a hint of charcoal. The full-bodied palate is packed with taut, muscular black fruits and earthy layers, framed by very firm, ripe, grainy tannins and unfailing freshness, for a very long, wonderfully earthy finish. A very impressive behemoth that will need 7-10 years to show its full potential and should drink well for the next 40+ years. 2028-2068

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

Businessman Michel Reybier, who acquired the estate in 2000, has devoted considerable resources to ensuring that Cos d'Estournel has everything it needs to make the finest possible wine. The construction of one of the world's most efficient wineries, by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, is a case in point. Cos has always produced expressive wines with a rather exuberant style. In the early 2000s, it even sometimes tipped over into caricature, overshadowing the finesse that the terroir is capable of expressing. Things are turning around, however, and with recent vintages Cos has rediscovered an expression that once again appeals to us.

James Suckling

About the wine:

The richness and beauty of this wine are impressive: blackcurrants, cherries, berries and fresh cloves. The fruit here is of great purity. The palate is full-bodied and the tannins are so perfectly integrated and refined that you can't even feel them, yet they're there! Very creamy and layered, it has great length and beauty. On the finish, it turns more to tar and licorice. Tight now, but the texture is special. To be tried after 2027.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

An incredible wine, worthy of the best wines of the vintage, Château Cos d'Estournel 2018 is composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, aged in new French oak barrels (50%). While some 2018s promise immediate pleasure, this is not one of them. Instead, it's a veritable mine of tannins, powerful, perfectly balanced and uncommonly pure. Exhilarating aromas of crème de cassis, pencil lead, damp earth, cedar wood, violets and acacia flowers, full-bodied richness, massive, ultra-fine tannins and a magnificent finish all combine to make this a legendary Saint-Estèphe that will need a good decade of bottle age to evolve for 50 years or more. If you're tempted to enjoy a bottle in its youth, it will need plenty of aeration. 2031-2081

Jean-Marc Quarin

About the wine:

Dark, intense, black color. Very aromatic and complex nose. Nuances of ripe fruit, hazelnut and spices. Soft on the entry, very aromatic in the middle, fat, ample, juicy and powerful, with a southern and even massive aspect, the wine nevertheless takes off on the finish, very tasty, very Saint-Estèphe in its grain, without hardening, still spicy and very deep. I'm delighted to see it again at this level.

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is elegant and racy, with a lovely grain, precision, concentration (yet finesse), fine power and depth. There are notes of ripe wild blackberry, pulpy wild blackcurrant and, more lightly, violet, combined with hints of crushed strawberry, blueberry, small crushed red berries, as well as hints of racy minerality, primrose, licorice stick, nutmeg, pepper and tobacco. The palate is fruity, balanced, elegant and delicate (like a silk square), offering juiciness, a tangy texture, deliciousness, lovely definition, tension, generosity, a touch of air, a lovely grain, as well as fine creaminess and richness (all in subtlety/mastery). On the palate, notes of pulpy/full-bodied blackcurrant, wild strawberry and, to a lesser extent, cherry are combined with hints of small wild red berries and hints of tonka bean, blond tobacco and toasted hazelnut. Good length. Elegant, precise tannins. Attractive, sapid persistence.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

A simply stunning bottle of wine. Deep, dark in color, the nose is marked by aromas of flowers, licorice, 5-spice, currant, blackberry, orange peel, smoke and cigar wrapper. Full-bodied, elegant, long, deep, rich and pure, the vibrant fruit sustains the expansive finish that seems never-ending. Much less wine was produced this year, with yields of just 30 hectolitres per hectare.