Château Cos d'Estournel 2015

The concentration may be — even compared with other wines — at the upper end, but the whole is so excellently crafted, the fruit expression prevails, the oak is barely noticeable, so one forgives it the slight firmness on the finish, which merely shows it needs a bit more time to mature.

This has a gently steeped core of currant, plum and black cherry fruit, infused with black tea, singed juniper and smoldering tobacco notes. The vintage's overt austerity is less evident here, with a gloss of alluring toast adding polish to the finish. A strong effort. Best from 2020 through 2032. 15,000 cases made.

Rich fruit that is full of that classic exotic Cos spice, yet more restrained than in the past with a slatey, graphite base. Beautifully put together; an exciting wine that will grow in complexity and flavour.

Superb aromas of nutmeg, cloves and dried flowers with plums and blackberries. Subtle yet so complex. Full-bodied, tight and integrated with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful finish. Lasts for minutes. Very, very Cos. Harmony. Texturally marvellous. Drink in 2024.

Easily one of the most successful wines in Saint-Estèphe in 2015, Cos d'Estournel is just gorgeous. Elements of exoticism appear on the bouquet, followed by generous black cherry, smoke, leather, licorice, menthol and mocha. Naturally, it will be many years before the 2015 is ready to offer a truly complete drinking experience, but it is superb even in its early stages. The 2015 was bottled in July 2017.

Full-bodied, richly textured and combining equal measures of elegance and power, the wine is loaded with sweet, ripe dark and red fruits, Asian spice, tobacco, thyme, wet earth, blackberry and cassis. With lush, refined textures and a sweetness to the fruit on the palate, this will be much better with at least a decade of aging.

Dark ruby with purple reflections, subtly lighter at the rim. Distinct toasty aromas, with dark nougat, candied orange zest and delicate blackberry confit. Juicy, touches of red berry, pronounced, savoury tannins and a touch of chocolate on the finish. Still a little aloof, seems a bit over-extracted at the moment and therefore slightly bitter on the finish. Will need some time to develop out of this.

The 2015 Cos D'Estournel is a classic wine from this estate and a terrific effort from the northern Médoc. Compared by the estate to both 2007 and 2004 and representing only 39% of the total production, it offers a fresh, classy bouquet of crème de cassis, black raspberries, toasty oak, graphite, and damp earth. Made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, this medium- to full-bodied 2015 has solid mid-palate depth, fine, polished tannins, and a great finish. It’s going to improve with short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.

75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc. An intense bouquet of stewed cherries, mocha, cloves, cinnamon, and black olives. A sanguine nuance evokes the Rhône. Like Goulée and Pagodes, the Grand Vin is incredibly silky on the palate. It seems to have more fat than flesh, then reveals a noble bitterness in the extract that further underlines the spice on the finish. Thirty years ago, I tasted the 1985 Cos at a similar stage, and this one seems to show striking parallels with the 2015. A fairly great Cos, but to be truly great it still needs a bit more power.

75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc. Intense bouquet: stewed cherries, mocha, clove, cinnamon, black olives, a sanguine nuance reminiscent of the Rhône. Like Goulée and Pagodes, this one is incredibly silky on the palate, seeming—from this perspective—to have more fat than flesh, then showing a noble bitter note in the extract that further underlines the spice on the finish. Thirty years ago I tasted the 1985 Cos at a similar stage, and this one seems to share a great many parallels with the 2015. A great Cos, but not quite a truly great one, because it has more juice than power.

Dense, silky, fresh, elegant, classic bouquet; blue and black berries, cedar, currants, slate, cinnamon, licorice. Tightly woven, elegant, aromatic palate with powerful, sweet, complex aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, dense, silky structure, sweet fruit, very long, full finish. 19/20 2023 - 2045

Eleven years old but still primarily consists of primary plump fruit and firm tannins that are just beginning to soften. Cigar box, tobacco leaf, cumin, savoury fragrant spices, cassis, capsicum, incense and black pepper. Michel Reybier owner, Aymeric de Gironde director.

The 2015 Cos d'Estournel is medium to deep garnet colored. It features delicate scents of stewed red and black plums, redcurrant jelly, and dried cherries with touches of sauteed herbs, tobacco, and new leather. The medium-bodied palate is nicely poised, with well-managed tannins for the subtle black fruit and savory layers, finishing refreshing.

Plump and ample, with a rich yet silky attack on the palate, this is an opulent and very charming 2015 that never feels overdone.

Garnet red with purple highlights. A complex, intense, elegant bouquet revealing notes of graphite, spices, and blackcurrant. A touch of cocoa beans. Creamy, mouthfilling attack. On the palate, the wine is broad, rich, distinguished, with perfectly integrated tannins. The structure sits in the background yet fully supports the aromatic character, which is reflected in the intense, persistent finish.

Dark, intense, and vibrant color. Moderately aromatic nose, fine and pure, with fresh fruit. Fairly dense on the attack for the vintage, the wine develops powerfully mid-palate, even opulent at times, juicy and muscular. It finishes long, with just a touch of firmness on the aftertaste.

Tasted blind. Healthy ruby colour. Ripe, quite interesting on the nose. Rich and lively. Hint of charcoal. Dense. (JR)

The color is black with noble cedar aromas. The wine is dense, very Cabernet, elegant, with beautiful fine tannins, pure violet aromas, a very lovely velvety texture, and no tannic aggression. This fine result was achieved thanks to drastic selection—the grand vin accounts for 39% of the harvest, which had an overall yield of 44 hl/ha—and above all to the judicious choices of technical director Dominique Arangoïts. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc.

While this wine is rich, it has a classical demeanor, with fine tannins that support but never dominate the ripe black fruits. Full of juicy acidity, it offers black currants and some fine, firm tannins at the end. This will take some time to mature, and the wine will not be ready to drink before 2027.