The estate
Located in the north of the Médoc wine region, Cos d'Estournel majestically sits on a hill in Saint-Estèphe. Resembling a Maharadja palace, the Château and its pagodas are both surprising and captivating. In 1791, Louis-Gaspard d'Estournel inherited hectares of vines and built the estate. An adventurer who travelled around the world, his love for exoticism and the Middle East are the reasons behind Château Cos d'Estournel’s unique architecture. Owned by Michel Reybier since 2000, Château Cos d'Estournel continues to shine in the Saint-Estèphe appellation and joins the world's finest wines, standing out due to its unique style and its ongoing quest for beauty and excellence.
The vineyard
The Cos d'Estournel vineyard is located on the edge of a plateau, near the Gironde estuary. Thus, the vineyard benefits from a maritime climate and is protected from bad weather. The vines are planted on two hillsides and a central plateau, benefiting from both ideal exposure and good ventilation.
The vintage
An end-of-year with little rain and no strong heat, the harvest took place under exceptional weather conditions. The promise for good results was kept in the cellars.
The blend
Cabernet Sauvignon (78%)
Merlot (19%)
Cabernet Franc (3%).
The tasting
Nose
Brilliantly expressive, the nose seduces with its captivating aromatic opulence that reveals the ripeness of the fruit. The exuberance of the black fruit, cherry and dried orange peel notes give way, when aerated, to notes of leather and dried flowers.
Palate
On the palate, the wine unfolds its generous body, chiselled by elegant and fine, while retaining the delicious energy and freshness of the fruit. A fascinating vintage with a voluptuous and elegant expression.
The 2005 Cos d'Estournel is blended of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet colored, it is still a little closed and youthfully shy. With coaxing, the nose is just beginning to offer glimpses at vivacious kirsch, red roses, violets, licorice and mocha scents over a crème de cassis, blackberry pie and chocolate-covered cherry core with wafts of chargrill, mossy bark and truffles. Full-bodied, concentrated and wonderfully complex in the mouth, the palate is just beginning to reveal the true potential of this wine, with tightly wound layers of perfumed black fruits and earthy notions bound by a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and finishing with epic persistence. This still needs 5-6 years, but I love how this beauty is shaping up!!