Cos d'Estournel 2018

The beautiful integration of ripe fruit and ripe tannins gives the wine a layered and agile mouthfeel. Soft and gorgeous with silky tannins that really kick in at the finish and carry the wine for a long time.

The 2018 Cos d'Estournel is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak barrels. The alcohol weighs in at just over 14.5%. Sporting a deep purple-black color, it needs a lot of swirling to begin to unlock a powerful nose of crème de cassis, stewed plums, wild blueberries and chocolate-covered cherries, followed by nuances of Sichuan pepper, star anise, tree and clove oil, plus a waft of charcoal. The full-bodied palate is densely packed with taut, muscular black fruits and earthy layers, framed by super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully earthy. A very impressive behemoth, this is going to need a good seven to 10 years to truly show its stuff and should drink for a good 40 years and beyond. Drink date 2028 - 2068. Lisa Perrotti-Brown

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

Complexes Bouquet, das sich nach et nach offenbart. Zunächst sticht die Reifung hervor, die aber schnell von Noten schwarzer Beeren, en floralen Nuancen und einer leicht kandierten Note abgelöst wird. Cremiger und feiner Charakter im Gaumen. The wine is dicht, elegant and perfectly balanced. Viel Präzision und Finesse in den Tanninen. A schmackhafter, charming and tender Cos d'Estournel. 2025-2048.