Chateau Cos d’Estournel 2009 |
| 98-100 |
Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) |
The 2009 Cos d'Estournel is one of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted ... in the world! An extraordinary effort I tasted on two separate occasions, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot with a dollop of Cabernet Franc has a whopping 14.5% alcohol, but a remarkably normal pH of 3.69. Kudos to Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier for this amazing wine made from yields of 33 hectoliters per hectare. It will be a legendary claret that should last for 50-60 years. A black/purple color is accompanied by aromas of graphite, ink, creme de cassis, blackberries, cedar, and incense. Full-bodied and unctuously textured, with an ethereal personality, tons of nuances, and a burgeoning complexity, it is an enormously well-endowed, fresh, perfectly balanced tour de force in winemaking. As mentioned above, it should drink well for 50-60 years. This wine possesses this vintage's classic characteristics of enormous power, massive fruit, and extraordinary freshness and precision - largely unprecedented, particularly for Cabernet-based wines in the Medoc. (Tasted two times). Drink 2010-2070.Robert Parker added an asterisk to this wine score to signify that it is a wine he considers has the finest potential of all the offerings he has ever tasted from this estate in nearly 32 years of barrel tasting samples in Bordeaux. |
| 89-91 |
Neal Martin (Wine Advocate) |
Tasted twice on separate occasions at the property. Stylistically, the Cos d'Estournel sets itself apart from the entire Left Bank, though I am uncertain whether this is a positive thing. Coming in with an IPT of 99 and tangible 14.5% alcohol, it is endowed with an extremely rich, decadent nose with macerated black cherries, cassis, a touch of crème de menthe, melted chocolate and a hint of fig. This is an extremely powerful nose that bears more relationship with the Douro than the Gironde. It is endowed with Leviathan tannins that form a massive, arching structure, moderate acidity, the power seeming to dominate the finish at the expense of a little finesse. This is a Cos d'Estournel that wants to make a bold impression. Leaving it for 15-20 minutes there is a change in the glass, becoming rounder and more harmonized, certainly some of the heat dissipating and yet one has to question whether stylistically, it has forsaken its identity as quintessential Saint Estephe? Another sample with one hour decanting with a little smoother and yet still showed a little hardness and alcohol on the finish. Tasted March 2010. |
| 97-100 |
James Suckling (Wine Spectator) |
This smells like Harlan a bit. Supercharged in fruit, with intense aromas of tar, spice, cardamon, clove, blackberry and black pepper. Crazy nose. Full-bodied, with masses of fruit, yet focused and in form. Chewy tannins, with great length. This goes on and on. Incredibly exotic. Could be best ever from here? |
| 16.5+/20 |
Jancis Robinson |
Very dark indeed. Blackish crimson. Not much scent though obviously very ripe. Firmer than some of the more obvious Napa Valley-style wines in 2009 with the tannins much more obvious. But a coolness on the finish. This may come round eventually. It is much more demanding than most 2009s and will need SO long. A very exaggerated wine with a bit of a hole in the middle. A definite lack of freshness. Does remind me a little bit of Pavie 2003. To be generous I'm assuming that in the far distant future it may resolve itself but I can't quite understand why they let the grapes get so ripe. Harvest dates are pretty similar to Ch Latour but the results are very different. . why they let the grapes get so ripe. Harvest dates are pretty similar to Ch Latour but the results are very different. 14.5%. Date tasted 1st April 2010. Drink 2024-2040. |
| 18.5/20 |
Steven Spurrier (Decanter.com) |
Superb black red, very full and spicy, very broadly structured, really quite massive (14.5abv) and will take years to pick up finesse, a 'baroque' almost Porty wine, explosively rich and definitely impressive if not a typical Saint-Estèphe. Drink 2018-40. |
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