Chateau Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe 2. Cru Classé 1996

"98 points. Stunning cedar and blackcurrant fruit with a touch of undergrowth, graphite and cigar box." Decanter

Anmeldelser af Chateau Cos d'Estournel 2. Cru Classé St-Estèphe 1996

98/100 Decanter
"This has to be one of the wines of the vintage. More deft and cedary than the bigger boned 1986 vintage (also tasted), this is light delicate and elegant. Again, ink and spice on the nose, with stunning cedar and blackcurrant fruit with a touch of undergrowth, graphite and cigar box. Beautifully fresh with sublime melting tannins." 

97/100 Verema
"Great wine from Bordeaux. Color covered with orange rim. The nose with aromas of reduction that disappear quickly giving way to aromas of fruits, leather, ... The mouth is a delight, long."

97/100 Loren Sonkin, Into Wine
"This is fantastic.  This is quite open and soft and semmingly at or near peak.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose is very good with cassis, pencil lead, soy sauce, dust and a bit of cigar box.  On the palate, it is even better.  Not a full bodied as I was expecting but lean and strong nevertheless.  Layers of cassis, tobacco and dried leaves.  Waves of complexity. Juicy fruit and acidity.  Great with food.  Nice finish.  I don't think this gets better but no hurry. Tasted: December 2017"

96/100 Tastingbook.com

96/100 Tom Lee - Notes from a wine enthusiast's cellar
"Crimson in color with some bricking at the edge of the glass. 13% ABV. Room filling nose of red fruits, cedar, leather and cigar box. Medium body with strong acidity. Powerful and concentrated with substantial tannins. Cassis, currants, plums, tobacco leaf and earth on the palate. The finish is long and silky. The elegance of this wine is noteworthy and becomes more pronounced after several hours in the decanter. Compelling now, but this version of Cos from the burly ’96 vintage, will drink well for another decade. Tasted june 2020."

96/100 Adega Magazine
"Composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, aged in 18-month barrels in 60% new French oak barrels. Among the best vintages of the decade, it is incredibly dense and fruity, even with almost 20 years old, looking very young. Complex both on the nose and in the mouth, impresses with the depth and fine texture of its tannins, all in the midst of delicious acidity, plums, cassis, dried herbs, in addition to touches of graphite and cedar. Precise, intense and elegant. Tasted March, 2016"

94-96/100 Robert Parker
"A fabulous Cos d'Estournel, along with the 1995, the 1996 is the finest wine produced at this estate since the sumptuous 1990, and it represents the essence of Cos d'Estournel. From its saturated black/ruby/purple color, to its knock-out nose of Asian spices, licorice, tobacco-tinged cassis fruit, and plum-like jam, this full-bodied, extraordinarily pure wine will enjoy an immensely impressive future. Approximately 66% of the crop made it into the final blend, which includes a slightly higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon than usual (65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot). While the 1996 is similar to the 1986, the fruit and tannin in the former wine are sweeter and more abundant. It is a massive example of Cos, but neither heavy nor overbearing in view of its immense size. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2035."

95/100 Stephen Tanzer 
"Outer quote mark Saturated deep ruby. Ineffable aromas of black fruits, minerals, licorice and Havana tobacco. Rich, dense and thick; powerful but harmonious. Layered texture over a strong backbone. Very long on the palate, with thoroughly ripe, noble Cabernet tannins. Superb." 

Bag om Château Cos d’Estournel

Château Cos d’Estournel er noget af det første, man møder, når man kommer til St-Estèphe fra Pauillac, og nogle har peget på, at stilen er tættere på Pauillac end St-Estèphe.

Slottet tog sin moderne form efter 1811, hvor Louis d’Estournel overtog roret, og efter at have været i adskillige hænder blev slottet i 2000 købt af Michel Reybier, som havde tjent en formue i fødevarebranchen.

I 2018 lancerede vinhuset en helt særlig vin: COS100, som blev produceret af Merlot-druer fra deres ældste vinstokke. Vinen blev kun lavet i én årgang og i en meget begrænset produktion. Overskuddet gik til en velgørende organisation.

Stilen hos Château Cos d’Estounel er opulent og rig på grund af Merlot-druen, men uden at elegancen forsvinder. Niveauet er efter manges eksperters mening snublende nær 1. Cru Classé - et synspunkt som finder næring i en imponerende serie af ”perfekte” 100 point ratings hos Robert Parker.