2016 Chateau Cos d’Estournel 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Estephe 1x750ml

Vinous 96+

The 2016 Cos d’Estournel has quite an intense bouquet with blackberry, briar and mint, good intensity, gaining complexity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, a little granular in texture, savoury with dried blood and peppercorns, though the finish veers round and delivers surprising finesse and tenderness. I feel this has closed down and, as I mentioned back in 2020 when it received a perfect score, it really needs a five or six year decant. Immense potential. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting. [Neal Martin, 21/04/2026]

Anticipated maturity: 2030-2065

Robert Parker 100

The 2016 Cos d’Estournel is blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged in 65% new and 35% two-year-old French oak for 15 months. Bottled in July 2018, it is deep garnet-purple colored and starts off a little closed and reticent, opening out slowly and seductively to reveal beautiful lilacs, rose hip tea, crushed stones and camphor nuances over a core of creme de cassis, kirsch, wild blueberries and mocha plus wafts of incense and wood smoke. The palate is simply electric, charged with an energy and depth of flavors that seem to defy the elegance and ethereal nature of its medium-bodied weight, featuring super ripe, densely pixelated tannins that firmly frame the myriad of fruit and floral sparks, finishing with epic length. Just. Magic. [Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 30/11/2018]

Anticipated maturity: 2024-2068