2017 Chateau Cos d'Estournel St. Estephe

Winemaker Notes: Dense and deep, Cos d’Estournel 2017 reveals itself withtastefulness and grace. On the palate its tannins are exquisite—silky and seductive—and it offers the sophistication of a trulygreat wine with the body of an exceptional Cos d’Estournel.Its aromas are spicy and wonderfully fresh, offering a finebalance between acidity and fruit. Opulent without being overly imposing, with a very long finish, it is a vintage with great cellaring potential.

Blend: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "Composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, yields for the grand vin in 2017 were 43 hectoliters per hectare, and it was aged in 60% new oak. It came in at an alcohol of 13% and an IPT of 68. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cos d'Estournel needs a little coaxing to unfurl, revealing beautiful expressions of preserved plums, boysenberries, blackcurrant pastilles and wild blueberries with hints of Indian spices, menthol, lilacs and mossy tree bark plus a compelling suggestion of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and well-knit freshness supporting the tightly wound blue and black fruits layers, finishing long and fragrant. This wine will need a good 5-7 years in bottle before it begins to blossom and should go on for at least another 40 years. I expect this wine to be a blockbuster of a head-turner when I come back and taste it at 10 years of age! Rating: 98+"


James Suckling - "Quite the bottle here! Spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, as well as dried meat and plums with cedar and sandalwood. Full body. Deep and dense in the center palate and a long, long finish. Shows finesse and tightness. Very polished tannins. Long and ethereal. Try after 2023."


Tim Atkin - "Warm coffee spice and intense plum and damson fruit. Inviting. Inky deep and complex aromas, forest fruits and crème de mûre. Very concentrated and deep flavours with huge extract, but freshness and spice. Some hints of tea and rosehip, with lots of cassis and black fruit. Deep, good acidity ripe but fill tannins and a spicy long finish. Very good indeed. First growth quality. Barrel Sample: 95-97"


Wine Enthusiast - "This impressive wine is structured yet well balanced by an attractive fruitiness that parallels the tannins and the smokiness from wood aging. The density of the palate is countered by fresh acidity that shines through. Drink 2024."


Vinous - "A bold, dramatic wine, the 2017 Cos d'Estournel is seriously impressive today. Time in barrel has done wonders for the 2017, a wine that has really gained depth in élevage. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, new leather, licorice, smoke and incense infuse the 2017 with tons of character, with the 60% new oak very well judged. In 2017, Cos has a level of textural resonance that eludes many Saint-Estèphes. The blend is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc."


Jeb Dunnuck - "The grand vin 2017 Chateau Cos D'Estournel checks in as 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot brought up in 60% new French oak. It's a classic 2017 that shows the straight, very classic style of the vintage with its medium to full body, ripe, present tannins, and solid spine of acidity. Beautiful cassis, green tobacco, graphite, and cedar pencil notes all emerge from the glass, and as with the Pagodes, it's still tight and reserved on the palate. Reminding me of the 1996 with its classic, balanced style, give bottles 5-7 years and enjoy over the following two decades."


Decanter - "This is exceptional, if a touch below the intensity and harmony of 2016. I love the density that's displayed in this wine, showcasing luxurious, well-enrobed tannins. The complexity steals up on you little by little, the dark cassis and plum fruit character deepening through the palate with flashes of sage, charcoal, cigar box, graphite and taut tannins. The colour difference is marked between the grand vin and second wine, with the Cos extremely deep damson in colour following a one-month maceration at 30 degrees and clever use of the press. Harvested 12- 30 September. 40% of production went into the grand vin. 3.7pH. IPT68. 60% new oak. Barrel Sample"


Wine Spectator - "Bright and expressive, with an extroverted core of loganberry, plum and black cherry fruit racing to the fore, carried by a polished and sleek structure. Reveals a subtle mineral edge through the finish, with alluring black and red tea notes swirling around. The rare seductive St.-Estèphe. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2036."

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