2000 Cos d'Estournel Bordeaux Blend - France - Bordeaux - St Estephe - Red - Second Growth

($90-$110) Full ruby-red. Cassis, minerals, cedar and a floral note on the nose, along with an herbal currant leaf component. Juicy and tight; hints at the power of the vintage but misses out on the sweetness and pliancy of the best examples. Offers a reasonably seamless texture but the firmly tannic finish seems a bit herbaceous following the 2001.

Very, very deep crimson. Dramatically smooth, intense, manipulated fruit. Full of alcohol, acidity, and tension. It will probably come right, but it’s far from the most natural wine of the vintage. Not especially long either.

This wine puts on weight and grows in stature every time I go back to it. In fact, from the bottle it was better than ever. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2000 Cos d'Estournel suffers only in comparison with its successor, the 2001. Deep bluish purple in color with a reticent but emerging bouquet of cedar, licorice, blueberry, cassis, vanilla, and lead pencil shavings, this medium-bodied, slightly sinewy Cos d'Estournel has relatively high tannin, an excellent mid-palate, and a persistent finish. Purity and classicism are hallmarks of this top-flight wine.

Absolutely gorgeous on the nose, with currants, blackberries and freshly cut flowers. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a solid core of fruit. This goes on and on on the palate. The essence of class and refinement. Relatively good value, considering the superb quality. No better Cos since 1989. 20,830 cases made.