The 1996 Cos d’Estournel was the winning bottle in the June Installment of Pick My Next Bottle.
Louis Gaspard d’Estournel founded Chateau Cos d’Estournel in 1811. Cos d’Estournel was one of the first wineries in Bordeaux to bottle, label and sell their own wine. The Chateau has exchanged hands many times over the years but today is owned and managed by Michel Reybier, who earned his fortune in the food industry and bought Cos in 2000.
This bottle was decanted for three hours and served with steaks. It is worth noting that I am the original owner of this bottle and it has been cellared perfectly since it was released.
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.
My rating: 96 points.
The 2019 version of Cos d’Estournel is available on futures for around $150 per bottle. This represents a discount to recent vintages and if I were still a buyer of young Bordeaux I would give serious consideration to adding this wine to my cellar.
Sounds like a great wine! Amazing the acidity and tannins are still holding strong after 24 years! Guess I should wait for at least another 10 years to open the ‘05!
Thanks. I’ll wait at least 5-10 years to open the ’05 Cos.