2015, Château Cos d'Estournel, SAINT-ESTÈPHE, 2ème Grand Cru Classé

Bordeaux Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc.

Composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot and 1.5% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple coloured 2015 Cos d'Estournel is muted at this very young stage. The nose offers fleeting glimpses at provocative cherry tart, chocolate mint, baked redcurrants, warm cassis and wild blueberry scents plus suggestions of lilacs, cinnamon stick and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate absolutely explodes with vibrant red and black fruit bursts and tons of exotic spice accents, framed by super ripe, super firm tannins and a lovely line of freshness, finishing very long. 95+ Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (2018)

The 2015 Cos d'Estournel remains broody on the nose, with blackberry and pencil shavings as I observed several years ago. Indeed, this does not appear to have moved on much in the interim. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid black fruit, melted tar and spice. This has less tertiary notes than I recall and it's more linear and "correct" toward the finish. Give this another two or three years. The bottle served blind at Farr's 10-Year-On did not show as well, possibly because I feel this needs a long decant/aeration. Tasted at the 2015 Ten-Year-On tasting at Bordeaux Index. 94 Neal Martin, Vinous (2025)

A wine of cool sophistication and polish, the 2015 Cos d'Estournel is endowed with striking length and overall balance. Silky tannins support a core of graphite, smoke, liquorice, incense, tar and dark spice. The 2015 is perhaps not as aromatically nuanced or expressive as in the very best years (although that may develop in time), but it offers terrific persistence through to the finish. Finesse and nuance are the key signatures in the 2015 Cos. Only 39% of the crop went into the Grand Vin, as opposed to the more typical 50% or so. 92-95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous (2016)

Drinking Window: 2022 - 2050