Cos d'Estournel 2012

The wine in this vintage

2012 in Bordeaux alternated a rainy spring, a hot, dry summer and rain just before picking, producing wines with juicy fruit and more modest structure than in the great years. At Cos d'Estournel the result is a harmonious, enjoyable wine with an approachable character. Cos d'Estournel 2012 opens with blackcurrant, dark cherry, plum, sweet spice, cedar and a hint of cocoa, with a round palate, polished tannins and a close of good length. Jancis Robinson rated it 17/20. The wine has now reached its peak: the texture is supple, the aromas have opened and tertiary complexity is starting to show. This is the ideal moment to enjoy it, with no need to wait any longer.

The producer · Château Cos d'Estournel

Recognisable from afar by its Oriental-style pagodas, Château Cos d'Estournel is the great reference point of Saint-Estèphe and one of the most admired Second Growths of the 1855 Classification. The estate was created in 1811 by Louis-Gaspard d'Estournel, a visionary horse and wine trader who shipped his reds as far as India, hence the exotic charm of its architecture. The vineyards occupy the hill of Cos, a gravel ridge facing Château Lafite Rothschild across the border with Pauillac, and are planted mainly with Cabernet Sauvignon, alongside Merlot and small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Since 2000 the estate has belonged to Michel Reybier, who invested in a state-of-the-art gravity-flow winery. The Cos d'Estournel style combines the power and structure typical of Saint-Estèphe with aromatic richness and tannic refinement, making it one of the longest-lived and most sought-after wines of the Left Bank.

Critics' scores

• 94 Wine Enthusiast
• 92 Wine Spectator
• 17/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Château Cos d'Estournel

Region

Bordeaux

Country

Francia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2012

When to drink

At its peak

Critics' average

93/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0160112