Cos D Estournel 2018

Cos D'Estournel, 2eme Grand Cru Classe, Saint Estephe, Bordeaux, France, 2018

Grapes: A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, 91ha vineyard on deep gravel/clay over limestone soil, aged 12 months in new French oak barrels

Finely structured and vibrant, Cos d’Estournel 2018 is both powerful and balanced, with very soft tannins. It offers a multitude of nuances, including remarkably elegant spices and an extremely long and lingering finish.
It is an extraordinary vintage with immense cellaring potential that will surely count among the most legendary vintages of the estate.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Black core with narrow purple rim. Intense black fruit with just a hint of charry oak. Smells sweet and ripe but pure and fresh-fruited too. Glorious Cabernet here. Deep, chewy and rich on the palate, firm velvet texture, incredibly moreish and so fresh, as much from the tannins as from the acidity. Leaves your mouth clean with dark, savoury, rocky length. Very precise winemaking. I love those dry clean-tasting tannins on the finish. (JH)" - Barrel Sample

17.5/20 points, Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2019

"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 barriques. 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 2028-2068

98+/100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, March 2021

Also rated 98/100 by Antonio Galloni (Vinous) and James Suckling. It's seriously good wine!