Cos d'Estournel 2007

With its perfumed aromas, this is a wine that has richness and sweetness, with soft velvet power. It has an intense wood element that needs to blend into the rest of the wine, but the sweet black currant and freshness provide a good balance. This is a seductive wine, with a fine solid character. Roger Voss.

Coming after the Deuxieme Vin, the nose is far more backward and closed but there is very good fruit intensity here with blackberries, black cherries, violets and again, that tang of orange sorbet that shows the ripeness here. The palate is full-bodied, very good ripeness again with bright black fruits laced with touches of black cherry, orange zest and an engaging citrus freshness towards the finish. This is an unequivocal success for the vintages, certainly one of the best wines. Good grip on the off-dry finish. Superb. 94-95. Neal Martin. Tasted April 2008.

In this vintage a hot April quickly gave way to a cooler period, meaning that the winemaking team de-leafed early to let as much sunshine as possible reach the grapes. This is not aggressive or vegetal, but soft with clearly fewer tannins than you might find in most vintages, sliding into cured leather and soft autumnal fruits with some earthy characteristics. You can feel the oak a little more than usual in terms of spiciness, which gives an edge and fills in the structural gaps. You will find plenty to enjoy here; drink now or over the next decade. Drinking window: 2018 - 2030. Jane Anson. July 2018.

Couleur sombre, intense et évoluée. Nez fruité et oxydatif. Bouche moelleuse, fruitée, tendre, un brin effacée au milieu qui revient plus suave en finale. Longueur moyenne. Janvier 2017.