Pagodes de Cos 2023

Sublime on the nose, clear and pure on the palate, delicate fruit, fine-grained tannins, with an austere finish. Balance, freshness, elegance.

A friendly, pure style, with damson plum and cherry coulis notes racing alongside lilac and potpourri hints atop chalky threads. A subtle twang of iron gives this a piercing feel at the very end. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2037. 20,000 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.

Strongly aromatic on the nose, the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot really making their mark despite comprising only 2% of the blend each. Vivid pink/purple in the glass, amazing vibrancy to the colour. Bright and buzzy, great energy, a little powdery with the tannins at the fore giving the structure but good length and balance and weight. Grippy, expansive and fresh, lots of life and cool crunchy blue and red fruit at the fore. Ends dry and powdery. Feels a little subdued and taken over by the structure right now but there’s clearly power on show. Could be lovely in time. Ageing 20% new oak.

51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 47% of the production. Cask sample. Juicy, fresh and balanced. More linear than last year with finely etched tannins. Precise but lacks a bit of excitement. (JL)

The 2023 Les Pagodes de Cos is a step up from the G d'Estournel this year, with more expressive and slightly riper blackberry and blueberry scents laced with light violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine but quite firm tannins that frame the pure black fruit laced with subtle briny notes. Fine length, quite strict and linear in style, I would afford this three to four years in bottle.

Dark black fruits, licorice, herbs, flowers, exotic spices and chocolate-tinted cherries, with just a hint of chocolate create the perfume. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant, supple, and creamy. This is a refined vintage for Les Pagodes de Cos, finishing with fresh, red, and dark red fruits, a touch of spice, and chocolate-mint in the supple in the finish. This is going to be delicious if tasted early, and it will age well too. The wine blends 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2040.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, subtle edge brightening. Ripe cherry, a hint of cassis, still somewhat restrained, candied orange zest underneath. Medium body, red cherry, delicate hints of plum, vivid tannins, mineral aftertaste, harmonious, fine sweetness on the finish, versatile.

51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. An enchanting blueberry perfume, seductive iris scents, refined red cassis spice and delicate graphite notes. The complex palate shows a silky texture, splendid depth of extract with a finely grainy feel, and a beautifully disciplined frame. The compact finish reveals black-berry contours, juniper and a powdery astringency.

Vivid chalky character to the tannins, pumice stone and juicy oyster shell salinity, this is a beautiful Pagodes, full of joy, seductive tannins, damson and black cherry fruit, great stuff. Harvest September 12 to 29, 20% new oak. In organic conversion, should be confirmed in 2026, after buying new vines so needed to start again.

Score: 92–94. Initially rich, heady and enveloping, the bouquet evolves into something more ethereal, with magnificent, sap-filled flowers. Floral notes lead on the attack, before the energy of the fruit makes its entrance, swirling and dancing around the palate like a pinball. The finish lingers on luxurious tannins.

The bouquet of Pagodes reveals a certain elegance, while still showing pronounced oak, and also highlighting the freshness of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Silky on the attack, the wine focuses on elegance and flavor. It has power and freshness and can be enjoyed in its youth, while also offering a tannic structure that will provide a solid backbone for decades to come. A true Stéphanois!

Dark, intense, beautiful color. Moderately intense nose. Hints of black fruit lifted by an underlying note of hazelnuts. With a swirl of the glass, it opens up to fresher, more licorice-like notes. Delicate on entry, flavorful through the mid-palate, with a slow, fleshy progression, the wine continually caresses the palate. It finishes fragrant and rich, with a nice length.