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Red dry
For those seeking power and precise elegance, this is one of the most prominent collectible, long-aging wines of the Bordeaux Left Bank. This red Bordeaux wine from the Saint-Estèphe appellation was awarded the Deuxième Grand Cru Classé status in the 1855 classification.
The aromatic palette reveals concentrated notes of blackcurrants, blackberries, and dark cherries, intertwined with accents of cedar, tobacco leaves, and graphite. In the glass, the oriental spices, black pepper, cocoa, and light incense nuances typical of this producer emerge. On the palate, it reveals a full body, precise concentration, and balance. Dense, ripe, and silky tannins form a firm structure, while vibrant acidity supports the fruity intensity. The wine of the 2022 vintage – an historically warm and dry year – demonstrates surprising freshness. The finish is exceptionally long, dry, and deep, concluding with hints of tobacco and light mineral salt.
The producer's terroir features deep gravel and clay soils on a limestone base, ensuring optimal moisture and giving the wine exceptional power and minerality. The blend is dominated by 'Cabernet Sauvignon' and 'Merlot' grapes, which maintain an impressive balance of concentration and elegance even in warm vintages. After careful hand-sorting of the berries and fermentation, the wine is aged for 18–20 months in French oak barrels.
Serve at a temperature of 16–18 °C. It is recommended to decant the wine for at least 2 hours before serving. Thanks to its distinctive structure, this wine pairs well with beef steaks, roasted lamb loin, game dishes, and aged hard cheese
Wow. So intense and spicy with nutmeg, cloves, ink and blackberries. Also asphalt, lead pencil and tobacco. Full-bodied, but at the same time, there’s a real balance giving incredible depth and length. The tannins are all there but are polished as well as firm. Superb structure. A neoclassical Cos, one for long-term aging. Perhaps the best ever. A blend of 61% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 1% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.
If one had to choose the most exotic and visually stunning estate in Bordeaux, it would undoubtedly be Château Cos d’Estournel. Gazing at its graceful pagodas rising above the vineyards, you might feel as though you’ve lost your way and ended up in the East—yet you are in the very heart of Saint-Estèphe. This is the ultimate choice for those who appreciate classic Bordeaux but seek a touch of magic and adventure in their glass.
A History Seasoned with Adventure
It all began with Louis-Gaspard d’Estournel, a man who, in the early 19th century, possessed an incredible vision. He believed so deeply in the quality of his wine that he shipped it to the furthest corners of the globe, reaching as far as India. Noticing that the wine returned even more complex after its long sea voyages, he became known as the "Maharajah of Saint-Estèphe." To honor his success, he adorned the winery with Chinese pagodas and Indian design accents, which to this day symbolize the estate's courage and originality.
Terroir Where Power is Born
In the local dialect, "Cos" means "hill of pebbles." This is more than just a resonant name—the vineyards stretch across an ideal south-facing slope, where a deep layer of gravel forces the vines to plunge their roots deep into the earth in search of water. This unique soil and the estate's proximity to the legendary Château Lafite Rothschild create the conditions for some of the most powerful and long-lived wines in the world.
Wine Style: The Velvet Fist
The wine of Cos d’Estournel is often described as a "velvet fist." It intertwines seemingly incompatible traits: incredible power, richness, and concentration of dark berries with aristocratic elegance and silky tannins. While the wine can be somewhat closed and austere in its youth, after a decade in the cellar, it unfurls with notes of spice, dark chocolate, and exotic incense—a direct nod to the legacy of the Maharajah.
Why Seek It Out?
Although the estate was officially classified as a Deuxième Cru (Second Growth) in the 1855 classification, today collectors and critics alike unanimously place it in the "Super Seconds" league. This means that in terms of quality and prestige, it consistently nips at the heels of the First Growths, yet it retains its own unique, somewhat mysterious character.
Château Cos d’Estournel is more than just a wine. It is a story of ambition, long journeys, and luxury that isn't afraid to be different.
