Château Cos d'Estournel, 2eme Cru Classé, St Estèphe, 2025
Produced from a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, vinifications at Cos d'Estournel were very gentle in 2025, reducing fermentations from 29° to 26° and shortening cuvaisons from 30 to 21 days. Despite this cautious approach, this presents as a touch austere. Initially rather impressive with lots of bramble character, pure, fragrant griotte, rosehip and floral, oak spice. The core offers plenty of strict, dark, mineral inflected fruit with touches of liquorice. Ample concentration and bright-fruited, framed by salty tannins that at this stage are a bit burly and drying. If these resolve, this will be a fine Cos.
critic reviews
The 2025 Cos d'Estournel was picked between September 3 and 19 and matured in 50% new oak, the analytic alcohol at 13.25%. There is just a touch of CO2 on the nose that soon dissipates, gorgeous black plum and damson aromas, pencil lead and light iodine scents all delivered with impressive delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a hint of cracked black pepper and pencil lead that infuse the layered black fruit. There is a real crescendo of flavours in this Cos d'Estournel, fanning out gloriously towards the sustained finish. This is a serious Saint-Estèphe that will age supremely well in bottle.
Incense and sandalwood aromatics, combines the density and concentration of a hot vintage with the freshness and balanced alcohols of a cooler vintage, meaning both weight and lightness of touch (this is something you will hear a lot with the 2025 vintage but rarely find in reality). A real breadth and wide spectrum of possibilities are contained here, a little austere right now but these dark berry fruits and firm tannins are waiting to bloom with ageing. 3.68pH. 50% new oak. Harvest was September 3, earliest since the Reybier era (they began September 7 on 2022, and also in 1989) through to September 19. Last year in organic conversion.
The 2025 Cos d'Estournel appears to be one of the finest wines this property has produced in the last decade. Unwinding in the glass with a deep bouquet of dark berry fruit mingled with violets, pencil shavings, burning embers and anise, it's full-bodied, ample and velvety, with a broad attack, layered mid-palate and beautifully fresh, concentrated flavors. All of this terroir's inherent power is present, contained within very classical proportions at 13.3% alcohol. The 2025 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot.