2021 Cos d'Estournel

95 POINTS

James Suckling

Floral aromas with violets, lavender and currants. Lead pencil, too. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins that caress and please. Elegant and sophisticated. Linear line of tannins running through this. Needs two or three years to soften. Hold for now.

95 POINTS

Georgina Hindle - Decanter

Super rich dark berries on the nose, fragrant and seductive, this draws you in both from the nose and colour with a deep, inky purple and pink tone. Charming and lively, this is sophisticated with a minty, fresh, high-toned fruit profile that is poised and focussed, delivering each element in a straight line right now. Not so expansive but layered vertically with tobacco, coffee, dark chocolate and vanilla notes alongside bramble fruits. It’s tightly packaged but so refined, elegant and classy. One to watch for sure. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

95 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2021 Cos d'Estournel is a wine of real breadth and volume. It is also quite a departure from recent vintages in that strong Cabernet aromatics are very much front and center. Cedar, tobacco, dried herbs, menthol and licorice lend notable complexity to the bouquet. I expect the 2021 will need time to be at its best. Cos is usually much more alluring in its youth than the reticent but hugely promising 2021. Points: 94-96

94 POINTS

Peter Moser - Falstaff

Vivid ruby red, opaque core, purple on the narrow rim. Elegant dark forest berries, ripe cherries, a touch of noble wood, hints of chocolate and candied orange zest. Complex, juicy, nuances of blackberries, vivid, taut tannins, salty-mineral finish, a touch of dark nougat on the aftertaste; already approachable, certain ageing potential.

94 POINTS

Peter Moser - Falstaff

Dark ruby garnet colour with purple reflections, delicate ochre rim. Plums, blackberry confit, some nougat, candied orange zest, a hint of herbs. Taut, savoury, cool style, somewhat demanding tannins, good freshness, some bitter chocolate on the finish, still underdeveloped and somewhat hard on the finish.

94 POINTS

James Suckling

A firm red with solid, compact tannins. Medium to full body with plenty of blackcurrant, pencil-lead and graphite character. Compact and structured throughout, with a firm finish. Linear and muscular tannins at the end that are very formed and curated. It will be interesting to see how this one evolves. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Points: 94-95

93 POINTS

William Kelley - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2021 Cos d'Estournel is one of the denser, more muscular wines of the vintage, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, charcoal, sweet cigar wrapper and subtle hints of smoked meats, framed by a touch of toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's rich and quite concentrated for the vintage, with a chassis of sweet, generously extracted tannin and a long, lusty finish.