Pagodes de Cos 2025

Seductive on the nose, almost like a perfume, with cherry fruit and orange blossom; on the palate, it has bite and freshness, fine tannins, top acidity, straightforward, red-fruited and very elegant. One might complain that the wine is too good for a second wine, but hand on heart: is that really a problem?

Supple and plump, softly chewy and bright with crisp tannins, cooling acidity, ripe fleshy fruit but more blueberry than blackcurrant with a lick of crushed stones on the finish. Really well constructed, not showy at all, but feels confident. A serious wine but with a soft side. A very good Pagodes. Lots to like here. I love the texture and length. 1% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.

Flowers, cherries, raspberries, currants, licorice, chocolate, and a touch of cinnamon create the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is sweet, round, fragrant, fresh, and polished. The finish delivers its wealth of currants, spearmint, peppery spices, cocoa, and herbs with ease. You can enjoy this with pleasure just about on release, or age it for more softness, and complexity. The wine blends 62% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. 13.61% ABV. Drink from 2028-2045. 92-94 Pts

Vivid plum-purple colour, fragrant orange peel, with cherry pit, mint leaf and charcoal. Restrained, but as it opens you get sandalwood and smoked cumin, totally charming, a ton of bright cassis and bilberry fruits. 3.62 pH. 20% new oak, 29hl/ha yield (the same here as 2024 but for very different reasons).

The bouquet of Pagodes clearly reveals its élevage through notes of fresh wood (20% new barrels, 12 months of aging). It also shows notes of black berries, licorice and mint, along with a hint of citrus peel that signals freshness. On the palate, the wine unfolds with subtlety. Still somewhat reserved, it takes on a slender profile. It nevertheless gains breadth along the mid-palate and reveals its tannins late, where they have the best arguments to bring vigor to the whole palate. For now, the wine does not yet seem settled enough to fulfill its ambitions, to show explicitly where it is heading, but it has the substance and the build needed to carve its path and to underscore both its definition and its expression. The finish points in that direction, as it is the part that best indicates the way forward: it is refreshing, saline, slightly fruity and incredibly persistent. More than ever, the potential score makes sense!

Deep, almost black color. An intense nose with ripe fruit, subtle notes and a touch of vanilla. From the first sip, it is immediately rich and opulent, very fruity; the wine then develops with power and a sapid, full-bodied character, leading to a long finish with supple, well-coated tannins. Blend: 62% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol: 13.61% - pH: 3.62 - IPT 71. Yield: 29 hl/ha. Aging: 20% in new oak barrels.